What a flight!

Overbooked

You were bumped from an overbooked flight

Airlines sell more seats than the aircraft has. When too many people turn up, someone is denied boarding — and unless you volunteered, that is the clearest compensation case in the whole regulation.

Denied boarding against your will

If you had a confirmed reservation, arrived at check-in on time and were refused a seat for commercial reasons, compensation is due immediately, in cash, at the airport. There is no three-hour wait and no extraordinary-circumstances defence — a full aircraft is the airline's own doing.

Volunteering is different

Staff will first ask for volunteers and offer vouchers. If you accept, you give up the fixed compensation and take whatever you negotiated instead. Volunteer only if the offer clearly beats €250–600 in cash plus a seat on the next flight.

What you get on top

  • A choice between a full refund and a replacement flight to your destination.
  • Meals and refreshments while you wait, plus a hotel and transfers for an overnight wait.
  • Two phone calls or emails.

These are additional to the cash — the airline cannot offset one against the other.

Reasons that are not overbooking

Being refused for safety reasons, missing travel documents, or arriving after the check-in deadline are not denied boarding in the legal sense, and no compensation is due. Ask the airline to state the reason in writing before you leave the desk.

Quick answer

Airlines sell more seats than the aircraft has. When too many people turn up, someone is denied boarding — and unless you volunteered, that is the clearest compensation case in the whole regulation.

Main rule
EU261 (EC 261/2004)
Potential compensation
€250–€600 per passenger
Delay threshold
Usually 3+ hours at final destination
Coverage
EU/EEA departures and qualifying arrivals

Common questions

They offered me a voucher at the gate. Should I take it?
Only if it is worth more than the cash you are entitled to. Ask what the fixed compensation would be first, then compare.
How quickly should the airline pay?
Denied boarding compensation is due immediately. In practice you will usually have to claim it afterwards in writing.
I was moved to a lower class instead of being bumped. What then?
You get 30–75% of the ticket price for that leg back, depending on distance, on top of any other rights.

Primary sources

Official guidance and legislation used to review this page.