Denied Boarding Flight Compensation Claims – How To Claim If You’ve Been Involuntarily Denied Boarding

If you have been denied boarding your flight through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to flight compensation of up to £520.

When Can I Claim Compensation If I’ve Been Denied Boarding?

EU261 provides legal rights for passengers to claim compensation if they were denied boarding their originally scheduled flight.

To claim compensation, you must show that you were a responsible passenger and have not given the airline any reason not to allow you to board the plane. Your responsibilities as a passenger include:

• You checked in for your flight on time, either online or in person at the airport
• You have the necessary travel documentation, such as a passport, visa (where applicable), and boarding pass, to board the aircraft
• You were present at the departure gate in adequate time to board the aircraft
• You were not rude or displayed anti-social behaviour to fellow passengers or airline staff
• You did not pose any safety or health risk to fellow passengers or airline staff
• You were not intoxicated.

If you have fulfilled these responsibilities, you have a valid ticket, and there is no justifiable reason for not being allowed to board, you can claim compensation for the inconvenience and the delay to your travel.

How Do I Claim Compensation For Denied Boarding?

Just add your flight details to our flight delay compensation calculator, and we will be able to start the claim process for you.

What Are My Rights If I Have Been Denied Boarding?

Under EUReg 261, the airline has a number of legal responsibilities to passengers who are denied boarding. These include:

• To explain why you have been denied boarding
• To explain your rights to you when you are denied boarding
• To provide care and assistance during your delay
• To provide an alternative flight to your original destination either on their airline or another airline or to
• To provide a full refund within seven days if you choose not to fly at all.

Can I Claim Compensation For Denied Boarding If I Voluntarily Gave Up My Seat?

No, compensation would not be due if you voluntarily gave up your seat and chose not to fly.

The vast majority of cases of denied boarding are due to airlines overbooking flights, meaning there are more passengers than seats available.

Usually, airlines will make an announcement at the gate that the flight is overbooked and ask if any passengers would like to give up their seats voluntarily. If you voluntarily give up your seat, you are doing so of your own free will and, therefore, will not be entitled to compensation.

When Can An Airline Deny You Boarding?

There are some circumstances where an airline can legally refuse to let you board a flight, even if you have a valid ticket and arrived at the airport on time.

This can include if:

• You don’t have the correct passport, visa or other travel documents required for your journey
• There are reasonable concerns about your health, safety or security
• Your behaviour could put other passengers or the crew at risk
• You arrive too late to check in or get to the boarding gate
• You don’t meet other reasonable conditions set out by the airline for travel.

Airlines can also deny passengers boarding when a flight has been overbooked. However, if you have a confirmed reservation, checked in on time, and have the correct travel documents, but the airline refuses to let you board because there aren’t enough seats available, you may be entitled to denied boarding compensation.

What Are The Most Common Reasons For Denied Boarding?

One of the most common reasons an airline will deny passengers boarding is because the flight has been overbooked or oversold and there are more passengers than available seats.

Airlines sometimes sell more tickets than there are seats on the aircraft because they expect a certain number of passengers not to turn up. However, if everyone arrives for the flight, the airline may need to ask passengers to give up their seats voluntarily.

If there aren’t enough volunteers, the airline may then deny boarding to passengers against their will. This is known as involuntary denied boarding.

There are also other reasons an airline can refuse to let you board, such as arriving late at the gate, not having the correct travel documents, or because of health, safety or security concerns.

What Should I Do If I Have Been Denied Boarding?

If you have been denied boarding a flight against your will, the first thing you should do is ask the airline to explain why you have been refused boarding and what options are available to you.

If the flight has been overbooked, the airline should offer you a replacement flight to your final destination or, if you no longer wish to travel, a refund of your ticket.

If you choose to take the replacement flight, the airline has to book you onto the next available flight, even if it’s with another airline, at no additional cost.

You should also:

• Keep your boarding pass, booking confirmation and any other travel documents
• Ask what care and assistance the airline will provide while you wait for your replacement flight
• Keep receipts for any reasonable expenses you have to pay yourself, such as food, drink, accommodation or transport.

What Flights Are Covered By EU261 For Denied Boarding Compensation?

If you’ve been denied boarding involuntarily, you may be able to claim compensation if:

• Your flight departed from a UK or EU airport, regardless of which airline you were travelling with
• Your flight arrived at a UK or EU airport and was operated by a UK or EU airline.

How Much Compensation Can I Claim For Denied Boarding?

The amount of compensation you can claim if you were denied boarding a flight will depend on how long you have been delayed and the distance of the flight.

The maximum amount of compensation you can claim is £520 per passenger. The compensation amounts for flight compensation are fixed and unrelated to the ticket cost or the class of the fare you booked.

Our table below shows how much compensation you could claim if you have been denied boarding.

What Else Should The Airline Provide If I’ve Been Denied Boarding?

In addition to paying compensation, the airline is legally responsible under EU261 and UK261 for providing you with a reasonable level of care and assistance if you’re denied boarding.

Depending on the flight distance and how long you have to wait for your replacement flight, the airline should provide:

• Free meals and refreshments while you wait
• Two free phone calls or emails
• Free hotel accommodation if you need to stay overnight
• Free transport between the airport and your hotel.

The airline should arrange and pay for this assistance. However, if you have to pay for reasonable expenses yourself, make sure you keep your receipts so you can ask the airline to reimburse you.

Our table below explains when these rights come into effect.

Which UK Airlines Can I Claim Compensation From If I’ve Been Denied Boarding?

If eligible, you may be able to claim compensation if you were involuntarily denied boarding by any UK airline, as these airlines are responsible for the laws stated in EU regulation 261. This includes the most popular UK airlines, such as British Airways, easyJet, TUI, Jet2, Wizz Air, and Virgin Atlantic.

When Can I Get A Refund From The Airline If I Am Denied Boarding?

If you’ve been involuntarily denied boarding and decide you no longer want to travel, you can choose to receive a refund rather than accept the replacement flight offered by the airline.

In most cases, you’ll be given this choice at the airport after you’ve been denied boarding. If you choose a refund, the airline will no longer be responsible for getting you to your destination on an alternative flight.

Under EU261, the airline must refund the cost of your ticket within seven days.

Choosing a refund instead of a replacement flight does not necessarily affect your separate right to claim denied boarding compensation if you meet the relevant conditions.

Should I Accept Vouchers Instead Of Compensation For Denied Boarding?

It is common for airlines to provide incentives such as vouchers or air miles for passengers who have voluntarily given up their seats.

However, if you have been denied boarding involuntarily, we advise you not to accept vouchers from the airline instead of compensation as usually, the vouchers will be of less value than the compensation you may be able to claim, and you may relinquish your legal rights by accepting them.

How Long After My Flight Can I Claim Compensation For Denied Boarding?

You have up to six years following the original departure date to start your claim.