You bought a new flight yourself: when can you claim the cost
A new flight bought on your own may be necessary, but it is not always automatically reimbursed. The key points are reason, urgency, offered alternative and reasonable price.
Buying yourself is the last step, not the first
When a flight is cancelled or seriously delayed, passengers often want to buy another flight immediately and send the bill later. Sometimes this makes sense, but it carries risk. The airline may say it offered its own alternative or that the ticket bought was unreasonably expensive.
First ask the airline for a solution: rerouting at the earliest opportunity, a flight through another point, a later flight or refund if the journey no longer has a purpose. Only if real assistance is missing does self-rerouting become a stronger argument.
Competitors often emphasize the right to rerouting and refund, but passengers need the line between justified self-help and an expensive self-made plan. For travelers from Serbia that line matters because same-day replacement tickets can be very costly.
Document that you first asked for an alternative
Before buying a new flight, message the airline or go to the desk and ask for an alternative. If there is no answer, write down the time, channel and person or desk. A screenshot of waiting in chat or an unanswered email can help.
If an alternative is offered, compare it with your real need. A flight in three days may be unreasonable if you travel to a business event tomorrow, but it may be reasonable if the trip is flexible. Context matters.
If you buy a new ticket, keep the search showing available options and prices at that time. It helps show that you did not choose luxury or an unnecessarily expensive flight, but a realistic available alternative.
A reasonable price is key
The airline is more likely to accept reimbursement if the new flight was reasonable in price, timing and route. A direct flight is not always required if a much cheaper and reasonably fast connection exists, but the passenger does not have to accept an unrealistic journey with several overnight stops.
A business-class ticket bought because no economy seats were available may be disputed, but it is not automatically lost if it was the only available option for necessary arrival. Then you should explain why urgency existed and why the price was unavoidable.
If the new ticket was bought for a whole family, make a breakdown per passenger. Reimbursement is much clearer when the number of passengers, price per passenger, taxes and total amount are visible.
Ticket reimbursement is not fixed compensation
The cost of a new flight is reimbursement of damage or onward-travel cost. Fixed compensation of 250, 400 or 600 euros is a different issue. You may request both, but under different bases.
For example, if the flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure, the cause was within the airline's responsibility and you arrived much later, fixed compensation may be relevant. If you also had to buy a new flight because no alternative was offered, that receipt is requested separately.
If the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances, fixed compensation may be weaker, but reasonable rerouting and necessary expenses do not automatically disappear. That is why the request must be structured.
Separate tickets and self-made connections
If you combined two separate tickets yourself, be careful. The airline operating the first flight is usually not responsible for you missing the second separate flight unless another basis exists. That does not mean there are no rights for the first delay, but a new flight bought to save the second ticket may be disputed.
If everything was under one booking, your position is stronger. Then the airline usually has to get you to the final destination in the booking, not only to the first airport. This is one of the most important differences.
Travelers from Serbia often combine low-cost tickets with large hubs. These trips can be cheap, but disruptions carry more risk. Be honest in the claim about booking structure because it is easy to verify.
How to send the reimbursement request
The request should include the original flight, disruption, what you asked from the airline, what was or was not offered, why you had to buy a new flight and the amount. Attach the invoice, boarding pass for the new flight and proof of payment.
If travel was urgent, explain briefly: business event, medical appointment, returning to a child, missed same-booking connection. You do not need to exaggerate; a real reason why waiting was unacceptable is enough.
The biggest mistake is buying the most expensive ticket without trying to contact the airline and later sending only the receipt. A stronger request shows that you first gave the airline a chance to perform, then chose a reasonable alternative because no help was provided.