What to do in case of denied boarding?

You arrive at the boarding but the ground staff tells you that you can not board.

In which case can the boarding staff refuse to board me?

You may be denied boarding due to health, safety or inadequate travel documents. But only overbooking gives rise to compensatory compensation.

What is overbooking?

Many passengers do not show up on the plane or are late. The companies have set up a so-called overbooking practice of selling a few more seats than there are available in each plane.

This process is used by all transport companies, but also in other sectors of activity. While having your ticket, it may be that you can not take your plane.

First, before denying boarding to certain passengers, the company must look for volunteers who would agree to give up their reservation. If the number of volunteers is not sufficient, the airline may then refuse boarding to certain passengers against their will. In this case, the company is obliged to pay you a lump sum.

How to benefit from compensation?

Passengers who have voluntarily agreed to give up their flight may benefit from a routing to their destination, via another flight, or the refund of their ticket.

Other passengers, who have been denied boarding against their will, are entitled to financial compensation, more or less depending on the flight.

– 250 euros for flights with a distance of 1500 km or less.

– 400 euros for intra-Community flights of more than 1500 km and for all other flights from 1500 to 3500 km.

– 600 euros for flights over 3,000 km.

The amount of this compensation is reduced by 50% if the airline offers you a re-routing towards your final destination with a delay not exceeding:

– 2 hours for a flight of 1,500 km or less.

– 3 hours for intra-Community flights of more than 1 500 km and for all other flights from 1 500 to 3 500 km.

– 4 hours for other flights.

Take charge of passengers:

In addition to this reimbursement, the airline is obliged to compensate your waiting. So, while awaiting your re-routing, she must provide you, if necessary, accommodation, food and phone calls.