Does Qatar Airways have to pay EU261 if it cancels a flight?

Only for flights departing an EU/EEA airport. A Milan-Doha falls under EU261; a Doha-Milan does not, because Qatar Airways is a non-EU carrier departing from outside the Union. There the airline's own policy applies.

How much is compensation for a Qatar flight from Europe?

Qatar's many routes from the EU to Doha are over 3,500 km, so the typical tier is 600 EUR per person, when EU261 applies, the airline is at fault, the cancellation is notified less than 14 days ahead and there are no extraordinary circumstances.

Can I get both a refund and compensation?

Yes, they are separate rights. The refund returns your ticket price, compensation is a fixed amount for the disruption. On a flight departing the EU you can claim both.

Can Qatar Airways force a voucher on me?

No. If you request a ticket refund you are entitled to money on your original payment method. The voucher is only an option you can refuse.

Qatar Airways cancelled flight refund: your rights and how to claim

When Qatar Airways cancels a flight, there are two distinct things to keep in mind: the refund of your ticket and the compensation set by EU261. Qatar Airways is hubbed in Doha and has a very wide European network, with flights from numerous cities across the continent, which is exactly why knowing which flights fall under EU rules makes a big difference.

Refund vs EU261 compensation: two different rights

The refund is the return of the full ticket price if the flight is cancelled and you do not accept an alternative.
EU261 compensation is a fixed amount for the disruption: 250 EUR, 400 EUR or 600 EUR depending on distance, regardless of what you spent.

They stack: on the same cancelled flight you can be entitled to both the refund and the compensation.

When EU261 applies to Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways is not a European airline, so EU261 applies only to flights departing an EU/EEA airport. Given Qatar’s dense European presence, this rule affects a great many passengers.

Milan-Doha, Rome-Doha, Paris-Doha, Frankfurt-Doha, Madrid-Doha: departing the EU, so covered by EU261.
Doha-Milan, Doha-Rome: departing outside the EU, so not covered. Here Qatar Airways’ policy and local rules apply.

Qatar’s routes from Europe to Doha are long-haul and exceed 3,500 km, so when EU261 applies the reference tier is typically the 600 EUR band. Compensation is due only if the cancellation was notified less than 14 days in advance, is the airline’s fault and does not stem from extraordinary circumstances.

How to get a refund from Qatar Airways

Go to “Manage your booking” on the Qatar Airways website, or contact customer service.
State that you decline the alternative flight and request a full ticket refund.
Insist on a cash refund to your original payment method, not a voucher.
For compensation, file a separate claim with the flight number, date, route and amount.
If the flight departed the EU and Qatar does not respond, escalate to the national enforcement body of the departure country (in Italy, ENAC).

Keep the cancellation email, boarding pass and receipts for any expenses (meals, accommodation, transport).

What FlightGuard does

With FlightGuard you can assess the risk of your Qatar Airways flight ahead of time based on weather, carrier punctuality, ATC delays and other factors. The data sources are listed at /en/sources/.

In short

For a cancelled Qatar Airways flight departing the EU you can stack the ticket refund and EU261 compensation, typically 600 EUR on routes to Doha. For flights from Doha, EU261 does not apply and the airline’s own policy governs.