By law, if an airline cancels a flight you have a reservation on, you are owed a cash refund -- period, said Scott Keyes, founder of Scotts Cheap Flights. Youre even due a cash refund if the airline makes a significant schedule change, such as a two-hour delay. What will happen many times is an airline will cancel a flight and send an email and say, Sorry, we canceled your flight. According to Keyes, even if you purchased through a third-party site, you are probably due a cash refund. The proposal would also require airlines to make cash refund offers clear and visible.