Overbooked flights
Bumped from an overbooked flight? Here’s what you’re owed
You held a confirmed seat, yet the airline wouldn’t let you on — usually because it sold more tickets than seats. EU 261 attaches a fixed cash payment to that, and it is worth acting on sooner than a routine delay.
- Forced off the flight? That’s a cash claim
- As much as €600 for each traveller
- Alongside a new flight or a refund
What does denied boarding compensation mean?
It is the fixed sum EU 261 requires an airline to pay when it turns away someone holding a confirmed seat who did not agree to give it up — most often because the flight was overbooked. Depending on distance, each passenger receives €250, €400 or €600, in addition to a replacement flight or a refund. Stepping aside voluntarily in exchange for a voucher is a separate deal and may take the place of the cash entitlement.
Who qualifies
Conditions for a denied boarding payout
Passengers who chose to step aside for a voucher are treated differently from those removed against their will.
- Your booking was confirmed and you reached check-in and the gate within the airline’s deadlines.
- You did not agree to give up your seat — trading it for a voucher you accepted doesn’t count.
- Your flight falls within the scope of EU 261.
- The airline has not shown a genuine safety or security ground relating specifically to you.
- You have some record of the refusal: a boarding pass, a denial email or written word from the airline.
How much you get
Payout levels for denied boarding
The distance scale matches every other EU 261 claim: €250, €400 or €600.
| Payout | Applies when |
|---|---|
| €250 — flights to 1,500 km | Refused boarding on a short route. |
| €400 — 1,500–3,500 km | Bumped from a mid-distance flight. |
| €600 — beyond 3,500 km | Long-haul refusals frequently qualify for the full €600. |
Bumped from your flight
Your seat was sold twice. The law sets the price.
Overbooking that leaves you on the ground is the most clear-cut case in the regulation. Give us the flight and we’ll bill the airline.
- Eligibility check at no cost
- No win, no fee
- Filed in two minutes
Our process
What to do once you’ve been bumped
If possible, get the airline to confirm the refusal in writing at the gate, then pass your case to us.
Gather evidence
Photograph the departure screens and keep refusal notes and rebooking papers — they make the case stronger.
Submit your claim
About two minutes online; we work out whether the denial was voluntary or involuntary.
We take on the airline
Overbooking almost never qualifies as an extraordinary circumstance.
Receive your money
Our success fee applies only when compensation is recovered.
Common questions
Questions about denied boarding
Overbooking questions that land in our inbox every week.
More passenger guides
The flight went badly. The compensation is still on the table.
It takes less than two minutes to see whether your flight qualifies. If it does, we run the claim from start to finish, and our fee only applies once the airline has paid.