Involuntary denial: your three entitlements
Being denied boarding against your will is treated more favourably than a delay. There is no three-hour arrival threshold to argue about, and no "the flight still operated" defence. If the airline could not carry you on the flight you had booked, the obligations follow.
- Compensation€250–€600 by distance, payable immediately where possible and in cash, not only vouchers.
- Refund or reroutingYour choice: full refund of the unused ticket, or rerouting at the earliest opportunity.
- CareMeals, refreshments, two communications, and hotel plus transfers for an overnight wait.
Volunteering: read the offer before you accept
Airlines usually ask for volunteers before denying anyone boarding involuntarily. This can be a good deal — but only if you understand what you are giving up.
If you volunteer, the statutory compensation regime does not automatically apply. Instead, your entitlements are whatever you negotiated, subject to one safeguard: if the airline does not get you to your final destination within the time agreed at the airport, the full statutory compensation becomes payable again.
Get the offer in writing
Before you hand back your boarding pass, ask for the amount, the replacement flight details and the arrival time in writing. Verbal offers at a gate desk are difficult to enforce later, and staff change shift.
The amounts
| Distance | EU261 | UK261 |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 | £220 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | €400 | £350 |
| Over 3,500 km, EU ⇄ non-EU | €600 | £520 |
See compensation amounts explained for the full distance logic, including the 50% reduction rules.
What is not denied boarding
The term has a specific meaning, and airlines sometimes rely on that narrowness. Denied boarding generally means refusal of a seat on a flight you had a confirmed booking and valid ticket for, most often because of overbooking.
- Being refused because you arrived after the check-in or boarding deadline.
- Being refused because you lacked a valid passport, visa or health document.
- Being refused for disruptive behaviour or intoxication.
- Being refused because of baggage that breached the carrier's conditions.
In these situations passenger rights compensation does not usually apply, though a refund of taxes and charges may still be due under the fare rules.
Downgrading and upgrading
If the airline moves you to a lower class than you booked, EU261 provides a reimbursement of between 30% and 75% of the ticket price depending on the route length. Being moved to a higher class does not entitle the airline to charge you more.
What to do at the airport
- Do not surrender your boarding pass without a written record of the reason you were refused.
- Ask for the denied boarding notice. Airlines are required to provide a written statement of your rights.
- Choose deliberately between refund and rerouting. Do not let a deadline force a choice you did not intend.
- Keep receipts for meals, transfers and hotels the airline did not supply.
- Photograph the gate screen and any notice showing the flight number and time.
Frequently asked questions
Can the airline pay me in vouchers?
Compensation should be paid in cash, by bank transfer or cheque. You can accept vouchers if you choose to, but you are not obliged to accept them in place of cash, and you should not sign anything that suggests you have waived the cash entitlement.
Does it matter if I had already checked in?
Having a confirmed booking and presenting yourself for check-in on time strengthens your position considerably. Arriving late for check-in can let the airline argue that you were not denied boarding but simply missed the flight.
What if my whole party was denied?
Each passenger has an individual entitlement. A family of four on a qualifying long-haul flight can be owed four times the fixed amount.