How to call an airline from abroad: delays, refunds, bags

You can call an airline's customer service from abroad by dialing its number in your browser, at the per-minute price shown before you call. When a flight is cancelled, delayed or a bag is missing, a long hold stays off your roaming bill.

Make a call

First minute free to select destinations, with a verified email.

How it works

01Find the number on your booking confirmation or the airline's website. Many airlines list separate lines by country or topic, so pick the one that matches your booking.
02Keep the booking reference, the flight number and the passenger names next to you.
03Open QuikRing on Wi-Fi, for example at the airport or your hotel, type the number with its country code and check the price per minute.
04Tap Call, follow the recorded menu with the on-screen keypad and choose the option closest to your problem.
05State the problem and the result you want in your first sentence: a rebooking, a refund or a written confirmation of the delay.
06Before you hang up, note the agent's name, the time and the case reference, and ask for a confirmation by email.

How calling from your browser works

Practical tips

A flight that is cancelled or delayed

Ask for the next available flight and whether meals or a hotel are covered. Ask the agent to confirm the new booking by email before you hang up. Rules about compensation and care differ by country and ticket, so ask what applies to you.

Lost or delayed luggage

Report it at the airport desk first if you can, then call with the file reference to ask where the bag is and where it will be delivered. Keep your boarding pass and baggage tag in reach.

Changes, refunds and special assistance

A change, a refund or help for a passenger who needs assistance is easier to arrange before the day of travel. Call early, have the booking reference ready, and ask for the agent's name and a case reference.

What to have ready for a rebooking call

Keep the booking reference, the flight number and date, the passenger names as printed on the ticket and the email address used for the booking next to you. Decide which flight you would like instead, and a second choice, so the agent can move you in one call rather than three.

Plan for time zones and opening hours

A phone line answers on the airline's clock, not yours. Check the time at the airline's end before you dial: the dialer tells you when it is late or early at the destination. A recording that answers after hours counts as an answered call, so look up the hours first and call when a person is there.

What a long hold costs

Hold time is billed per started minute at the same price as talk time. Multiply the minutes you expect to wait by the price per minute shown for the number: the second worked example below does that for a 45-minute hold. If your balance is low, top up before you dial. The dialer warns you in the last minute, and a top-up during the call adds time.

Before you dial

The full number with its country code, copied from the official website of the place you are calling, your card or the booking email.
Enough credit for a long call. Once the line is answered, a recorded menu and hold music are billed like talk time.
A quiet place and, if you have one, a headset, so you can hear a recorded menu clearly.
What the other side will ask for, such as a booking reference, an account number or a name, and a pen or a notes app.

Menus, holds and the keypad

Large companies and offices usually answer with a recorded menu. The keypad on the screen is grayed out while the line rings. Once the call is answered, tap the keys on the screen to choose an option. Digits typed on a computer keyboard are not sent to the call.

To reach an extension, dial the main number, wait until it is answered, then enter the extension on the on-screen keypad.

The dialer shows roughly how much time your balance covers and warns you in the last minute. If you top up during the call, the extra time is added.

What it costs

A ⁨20⁩-minute call, mostly on hold, to a landline in ⁨United Kingdom⁩ costs ⁨$0.40⁩, at ⁨$0.02⁩ per minute. Hold time is billed like talk time.

A ⁨45⁩-minute hold and call to a landline in ⁨United Kingdom⁩ costs ⁨$0.90⁩, at ⁨$0.02⁩ per minute, the same price as talk time.

Prices checked ⁨⁨October 23, 2026⁩⁩.

All country rates →

If it does not connect

Check the country code and the digits, and drop a leading 0 after the code. The dialer tells you when a number does not look right.
Busy, unanswered and failed calls are never charged, so you can try again straight away.
If it rings out, check the time there. Desks and offices are closed at night.
Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, close other apps that use the microphone, or run the connection test under Free tools.
Toll-free numbers of other countries (0800, 1800 and similar) usually cannot be reached from abroad. Look for their regular number with an area code. US and Canadian toll-free numbers can be called.
Still stuck? Write to support with the number and roughly when you called.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I am on hold for a long time?

Hold time is billed like talk time once the line is answered, per started minute at the price shown before you call. The dialer shows roughly how much time your balance covers and warns you in the last minute. A top-up during the call adds time.

Can I call an airline's toll-free number from abroad?

US and Canadian toll-free numbers can be called from QuikRing, and a few numbers carry their own price, shown before you confirm. Toll-free numbers of other countries usually cannot be reached from abroad, so look for the airline's regular number with an area code.

Do I pay if I never reach an agent?

Not if the line is busy, nobody answers or the call fails. You pay once the call is answered, which includes a recorded menu.

Can I call from an airport?

Yes, on the airport's Wi-Fi or on mobile data, from any phone, tablet or laptop with a browser and a microphone. A quiet corner or a headset makes a recorded menu easier to hear.

Will the airline see my number?

By default the person answering sees a QuikRing number. If your booking is linked to your mobile, verify it as your caller ID after your first top-up. On routes that support it, the agent then sees your number; the dialer tells you when the call starts if a route can't.

What if the call drops?

Call again and give the case reference you were given. If a call drops because of a network problem, the dialer tells you, and only the started minutes you used are billed.

Where can I see what the call cost?

In Call history in your dashboard: every call with its duration, its cost and the minutes-times-rate math behind it. You can export it as a CSV file for an expense report or a claim.

Should I call before I reach the airport?

If a flight is cancelled or delayed, calling from where you are lets you start the rebooking before you reach the desk. Keep the booking reference at hand so the call stays short, because every started minute is billed.

Good to know

Calls are billed per started minute, at the rate shown before you dial. There is no connection fee.
Busy, unanswered and failed calls cost nothing.
The person you call needs no app, no internet connection and no smartphone: their phone rings like any other call.
QuikRing can't call emergency numbers such as 911, 112 or 999. Use a mobile or landline phone for those.