Art 4
You were refused boarding
Being bumped — usually because the airline oversold the flight — is one of the strongest claims there is. There is no extraordinary-circumstances defence to overbooking, because overbooking is a commercial choice.
The short answer
If you were bumped against your will from a flight you had a confirmed booking on and checked in for, compensation is due immediately.
The one thing to know: The airline must ask for volunteers first. If nobody volunteers and you are bumped anyway, the fixed compensation is owed on the spot, plus a refund or re-route and care.
How it actually works
- No defence
- Overbooking is entirely within the airline's control, so it can never be an extraordinary circumstance. This makes denied-boarding one of the few claims an airline effectively cannot argue its way out of.
- Volunteers first
- The airline must call for volunteers to give up seats in exchange for agreed benefits before bumping anyone involuntarily. If it skipped that step, note it.
- Not your fault
- This only applies where you were denied boarding through no fault of your own — you had a confirmed booking and presented for check-in on time. Turning up late is different.
Claiming yourself is free and keeps the whole amount. On European short-haul, Compensair is the cheaper service if you hit a wall.
What to do now
- Photograph the evidence — the departure board, the app before it updates, the arrival time when the door opens. The full checklist →
- Write to the airline, quoting the article and the flight. Use the template →
- Give them 28 days, then escalate free to the national enforcement body.
- Check your time limit — it ranges from one year to six by country. See yours →
Questions
You were refused boarding: am I owed compensation?
If you were bumped against your will from a flight you had a confirmed booking on and checked in for, compensation is due immediately.
How do I claim it?
Write to the airline first, quoting the article and flight, and allow 28 days. It is free and you keep the whole amount. Escalate to the national enforcement body if refused.