When a flight is canceled and passengers are stranded overnight, airlines might provide hotel accommodations. This often depends on whether the delay is deemed within the airline's control, such as mechanical issues or crew shortages, or due to uncontrollable factors like weather or air traffic control problems.
In some cases, even when airlines offer hotel rooms, availability can be limited. The quality of these accommodations may also be subpar, and passengers may not always receive individual rooms.
Recently, easyJet required unrelated passengers to share hotel rooms. One woman reported being told she would have to sleep in the hotel lobby if she did not agree to share a room with a man she had never met. "Luckily the double bed could be separated into two," she said. "Once finally in bed at 4:30 am I cried quietly out of frustration. Although exhausted I did not sleep as I felt scared (the man was very nice but I was sleeping with a stranger in a small room). The morning was awkward and uncomfortable."