Bumped from an overbooked flight? What you're owed

Airlines sell more seats than they have, betting that some passengers won't turn up. When everyone does, someone gets left at the gate. If that's you, the law sets out exactly what you're owed, and it's often more than the airline first offers.

What counts as denied boarding?

You've been denied boarding when the airline refuses to let you on a flight even though:

• you had a confirmed reservation on it; and
• you checked in on time, by the deadline the airline gave you (or, if it didn't give one, at least 45 minutes before the published departure time); and
• you turned up at the gate with the right travel documents.

Overbooking is the classic reason, but it isn't the only one. If the airline swaps to a smaller aircraft, or gives your seat to crew or to passengers from another disrupted flight, that can be denied boarding too.

It is not denied boarding, in law, if the airline had reasonable grounds to refuse you: for example, your passport or visa wasn't valid for the destination, you were unwell enough to be a risk, you were drunk or disruptive, or there was a safety or security reason.

How much compensation for being bumped?

The same fixed amounts as for delays and cancellations, by distance.

For flights between two EU airports over 1,500 km, it's €400.

There is one difference from delays. Compensation for involuntary denied boarding is due straight away: the rules say the airline must pay it immediately. And there is no three-hour test. You don't have to arrive three hours late to claim.

When can the airline pay half?

If the airline re-routes you on another flight that gets you to your destination close to your original time, it may cut the compensation by 50%. The limits are your new arrival being no more than:

• 2 hours late, for flights up to 1,500 km;
• 3 hours late, for flights of 1,500 to 3,500 km (and intra-EU flights over 1,500 km);
• 4 hours late, for flights over 3,500 km.

Arrive later than that and the full amount is due.

Should I volunteer to give up my seat?

Before an airline bumps anyone, it has to ask for volunteers first. Volunteers agree a deal with the airline: cash, vouchers, an upgrade on a later flight, whatever is on offer.

This is the important part. If you volunteer, you get what you agreed, not the fixed compensation. You still have the right to a refund or a new flight, but the £220 to £520 is replaced by the deal you accepted.

So before you put your hand up:

• Ask what's on offer, and in what form. A voucher with an expiry date is worth less than cash.
• Compare it with what you'd be owed if you were bumped against your will. On a long-haul flight that might be £520 plus meals, a hotel and a new flight.
• Ask when the next flight is, and whether a hotel and meals are included.
• Get it in writing.

If nobody volunteers and the airline picks you, that's involuntary denied boarding, and the full rights apply.

What else is the airline obliged to give me?

If you're denied boarding against your will, you're owed three things.

1. Compensation, as above.

2. A choice between:

• a full refund of the ticket, within seven days, plus a flight back to where you started if your trip no longer makes sense; or
• re-routing to your destination at the earliest opportunity; or
• re-routing at a later date that suits you.

3. Care while you wait: meals and refreshments, a hotel and transfers if you need to stay overnight, and two phone calls or emails.

If the airline doesn't provide the care, buy what's reasonable, keep the receipts and claim it back. See what the airline owes you during a delay for what "reasonable" means in practice.

The airline offered me a voucher at the gate. Should I take it?

Only if you've decided it's worth more to you than the cash. Compensation should be paid in money. The airline can only pay it in vouchers or travel credit if you agree in writing.

If you were handed a voucher and didn't sign anything agreeing it replaced your compensation, you can usually still claim the full amount.

What if the airline says I checked in too late?

Then it will argue that you weren't denied boarding in law. Check the check-in deadline on your booking and your app or email confirmations. If you checked in online on time and were at the gate before it closed, the airline will need to explain why you were refused.

Keep:

• your boarding pass or check-in confirmation, with the time;
• any notice the airline gave you at the gate, which it's obliged to hand out setting out your rights;
• names of staff and anything they told you in writing.

Does overbooking ever count as extraordinary circumstances?

No. Overbooking is a commercial decision the airline makes. It's entirely within its control, so the "extraordinary circumstances" defence that applies to delays and cancellations doesn't help it here. Our guide to extraordinary circumstances explains where that defence does apply.

Which flights are covered?

The same flights as for delays: any flight departing a UK or EU airport, on any airline; and flights arriving in the UK or EU on a UK or EU airline. If you were bumped from a connecting flight on one booking, see missed connecting flight compensation for how the journey is judged.

How long do I have to claim?

For flights from the UK, six years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five in Scotland. For EU departures it depends on the country. See time limits for flight compensation.

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation for an overbooked flight?

£220, £350 or £520 for UK departures, depending on distance; €250, €400 or €600 for EU departures. The airline may halve it if your replacement flight arrives close to your original time.

Do I get compensation if I volunteered?

No, not the fixed compensation. You get whatever you agreed with the airline in exchange for your seat, plus a refund or a new flight.

Do I have to be three hours late to claim for denied boarding?

No. The three-hour test is for delays. If you were bumped against your will, compensation is due regardless of how late you eventually arrived, though it can be halved if the new flight arrived close to schedule.

The airline said my seat was given away because I didn't have a seat number. Is that allowed?

If you had a confirmed reservation and checked in on time, not having a seat allocated doesn't remove your rights. Being refused boarding in that situation is generally denied boarding.

Can I claim if I was bumped from my return flight?

Yes. Each flight is covered on its own terms, so a return flight from a UK or EU airport, or into the UK or EU on a UK or EU airline, is covered.