The first thing that’s likely to happen with an overbooked flight is the gate attendant will ask people to volunteer to take another flight.
They’ll sweeten the deal by offering a travel voucher, often beginning at $200 and then continually increasing if people don’t volunteer.
Anyone who isn’t in a huge hurry to get on the flight might take the voucher, thinking they’re getting a really good deal. Why not take a later flight and get paid a couple hundred dollars to do so?
Because the airline may actually owe you more than that.
What to do if your flight has been overbooked?
Do not volunteer to give up your seat in exchange for vouchers or perks.
If you do, you could be giving up your right to any additional compensation. Of course, if the airline makes a compelling enough offer, you may prefer to take it. The final decision is up to you.
Hold onto your boarding pass and any other travel documents.
If you don’t have your boarding pass, you can use any flight document with a booking reference number. This number is assigned to your flight reservation by the airline and is a six-digit code, which may include both letters and numbers.
Ask why you’re being denied boarding.
The most common reason is being “bumped” due to an overbooked flight, but there are other reasons you may be denied boarding, as well. This information is important down the line if you decide to file a claim.
Request an alternate flight to your destination.
Or, if you prefer, you can request a refund of your fare and a return flight to your original point of departure, if necessary.
Request compensation for your boarding denial.
Provided you’re eligible, the airline should pay you immediately once you’ve been denied boarding for your flight. That’s in addition to offering you the re-routing or refund mentioned above.
Ask the airline to cover your meals and refreshments.
If you are forced to wait at the airport longer than planned, the airline is supposed to provide food and drinks to keep you comfortable. It’s not just good hospitality, in some cases it’s a requirement.
Get the airline to provide you with a hotel room.
If you’re being grounded overnight while waiting for an alternate flight to your destination, the airline should cover any reasonable costs for accommodations as well as transportation to and from the airport, if necessary.
Keep your receipts if your boarding denial ends up costing you extra money.
Whether it’s missing out on a pre-paid reservation, hotel, rental car, or other unexpected costs, passengers on international flights — even within the EU — may be able to recover expenses caused by travel disruptions.
See if your boarding denial is eligible for compensation.
Provided your flight is eligible, the compensation amount is dependent on two factors:
– Travel distance
– Whether your flight is within the EU or not
We love charts, so here’s one that explains how much you’re eligible for based on your flight details:
Fun fact! Your compensation is due immediately once you are denied boarding. And we mean right there, at the airport. That is in addition to being entitled to re-routing on an alternate flight to your destination.
Your compensation for being denied boarding is due immediately, so you ideally wouldn’t have to go through the claim process. However, if you didn’t get paid at the airport, not to worry ⎯ you can still file an EC 261 claim after the fact. You can expect some pushback from the airline however. Even when the law is on your side, they might not be enthusiastic – or particularly quick – about paying you. To give your claim the best chance of succeeding, here are a few tips to follow:
– Hold onto any documents related to the disrupted flight and any alternative flights offered, such as e-tickets and boarding passes.
– Ask the ground crew for information about what is causing the issue.
– Keep a few notes about the disruption, including the actual arrival time at your final destination. Any information you can collect – like photos of the departures board at the airport or any communications from the airline confirming the disruption⎯will be useful for your claim.
FAQs
Get the airline to provide you with a hotel room.
If you're being grounded overnight due to an overbooked flight, the airline should cover any reasonable costs for accommodations as well as transportation to and from the airport, if necessary.
What am I owed if my flight is overbooked? ›
If you are offered an alternative flight and placed in a higher class than the one you booked, the air carrier cannot charge you any additional payment. On the other hand, if the class of the alternative flight is lower, you can get a reimbursem*nt between 30% and 75% of the price you originally paid.
Can I sue an airline for overbooking? ›
However, there are cases where it may be appropriate to pursue legal action. For instance, if an airline consistently fails to adequately compensate passengers for denied boarding due to overbooking, a lawsuit may be justified.
How much cash compensation do you get for getting bumped off a flight? ›
This is called “denied boarding compensation” or “DBC” for short. Most bumped passengers who experience short delays on flights will receive compensation equal to double the one-way price of the flight they were bumped from, but airlines may limit this amount to up to $775.
How much is denied boarding compensation? ›
The amount of the denied boarding flight compensation ranges between 250 and 600 euro and depends on the distance between your original point of departure and your final destination. The table below summarizes the amount, which you can claim.
How to claim denied boarding compensation? ›
How to Claim Compensation for Denied Boarding on Domestic US Flights?
- 1) Exercise Caution in Volunteering. ...
- 2) Secure Your Travel Documents. ...
- 3) Inquire About the Reason. ...
- 4) Request an Alternate Flight. ...
- 5) Claim Your Denied Boarding Compensation. ...
- 6) Assess Eligibility for Compensation.
Being denied boarding, otherwise known as "bumping," happens when airlines oversell a flight. If you're involuntarily bumped from an oversold flight, you may be entitled to compensation. Here's what you should do if you're bumped — and how to lower the odds of it happening.
How do airlines decide who to bump when overbooked? ›
But if no volunteers step forward, the airline typically determines the passengers who get bumped based on established criteria, including check-in time, fare class, and frequent flier status. “The process of selection is generally random.
What is the refund for overbooking flights? ›
Your overbooked flight compensation for being bumped from a flight is due immediately, so you ideally wouldn't have to go through the claim process. However, if you didn't get paid at the airport, not to worry ⎯ you can still file an EC 261 claim after the fact. You can expect some pushback from the airline however.
At what point does an airline have to compensate you? ›
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) airlines in the U.S. are not required to compensate passengers if a flight is delayed or canceled, it only requires compensation if you are moved or bumped from an overbooked flight.
Downsides to Skiplagged hidden-city tickets. Saving hundreds of dollars on a flight is undoubtedly appealing. However, booking a Skiplagged hidden-city ticket comes with several risks. These include hassles from having to carry on a bag up to significant issues like potentially forfeiting all of your airline miles.
Do airlines offer cash for overbooking? ›
When you are involuntarily bumped from a flight, you can get cash (a check or credit on your credit card) from airlines. Overbooking is not illegal, and most airlines overbook their scheduled flights to a certain extent to compensate for “no-shows.” Passengers are sometimes left behind or “bumped” from a flight.
How do I know if I am entitled to flight compensation? ›
You're legally entitled to get compensation if the cancellation is the airline's responsibility and both the following apply:
- the replacement flight delays your arrival by 2 or more hours.
- your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure.
1. There's an overbooked flight, and you want the flight vouchers.
- Volunteer to get bumped before the gate agent asks. ...
- Don't check bags. ...
- Know how much your time is worth. ...
- Ask questions before accepting. ...
- Ask for extra perks. ...
- Be prepared to entertain yourself.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) airlines in the U.S. are not required to compensate passengers if a flight is delayed or canceled, it only requires compensation if you are moved or bumped from an overbooked flight.
