The magic phrase is "Regulation (EC) 261/2004"

It covers you for flights FROM EU airports and flights ON EU airlines.

Keep all receipts for the extra costs (even include phone calls and petrol)

which.co.uk/consumer-rights/…

They *should* offer you cash compensation as determined by the EU261 regulation, unless they can prove that the cancelation was due to circumstances outside their control. In reality though, they'll probably try to get away with giving you a discount voucher, some airline points, or perhaps just nothing at all.

Wouldn't it make more sense to ask US Airways rather than people in here?

< In reality though, they'll probably try to get away with giving you a discount voucher, some airline points, or perhaps just nothing at all. >

They may try to fob you off with such, but you are normally entitled to payment for any costs you incurred as a result of the cancellation.

I'm really surprised that they didn't try and sort out new flights at the airport - in the past I've had friends taxied to Heathrow from Manchester at the airline's cost in these circumstances

"but you are normally entitled to payment for any costs you incurred as a result of the cancellation."

Where do you see this Alan? Skimming through the EU261 regulation I don't see any mention of this.

which.co.uk/consumer-rights/…

If the airline didn't provide you with phone calls / food / accomodation as they are required to do so then you can claim any costs you incur including fuel if you returned home for the night and came back the next day.

As I say this should have been sorted out at the airport by the airline and if they didn't then it was very shoddy

Sorry, I still don't see it. The airline are obliged to offer you a hotel for the night in case that is required, free phone calls, and meals and refreshments. Aside from that there is nothing in 261 (that I can see anyway) about being entitled to reimbursement of losses incurred as a result of the cancelation, such as extra expenses for petrol, accomodation lost, missing onward flights or cruises, etc.

US carriers in general tend to be in denial about EU261/2004.

An online filing with the small claims court will work wonders.

Travel insurance shoud help you out.

UK_AEH said 'we phoned the us airways reservation line and we are now flying united'. There aren't specifics, but by extrapolation I suspect that US rebooked UK_AEH on a codeshare flight with UA.

There's nothing in UK's original post about accommodation in Manchester, so we don't know what US offered at that airport: all is speculation.

It is unfortunate that you missed a night's stay in LAS, but look to your travel insurance first, as it seems the plane went tech and 261/2004 may not hold.