Your rights to compensation in case your vacation flight is overbooked

You have certain rights whether you are voluntarily bumped or not

Few things are as frustrating as turning up for your flight and being turned away at the airport gate, especially when it is not your fault. However, there is a risk your flight could be overbooked and you could be denied boarding as a result.

Fortunately, you do have certain legal rights that apply. You could even get some compensation. The reality is airlines will often book more people for a flight than the capacity of the aircraft, as not everyone turns up on the day. The airline may also not be able to carry all the passengers for another reason, such as if they have to use a smaller aircraft than planned.

If there are too many people, they may turn people away at the gate or you may be asked to give up your seats, known as ‘bumping’. Guidance from consumer advocacy group explains that airlines are “legally obliged to pay you compensation” if you are denied boarding or are bumped from a flight due to it being overbooked.

Information from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) explains how this works in different scenarios.

If you volunteer to be bumped

Should you volunteer to be bumped, you will need to talk with your airline to arrange compensation. Staff may inform you about what compensation you can get immediately.

The CAA guidance explains: “Often, airlines will make an announcement at the gate offering compensation, which might be cash or vouchers. If you volunteer to be bumped, you are also entitled to an alternative flight or a refund.”

If you did not choose to be bumped

In a case where you did not agree to be bumped, you are likewise entitled to be compensated, as long as you checked in for your flight on time.

The amount of compensation you can get depends on how long your flight is and the timings for the alternative flight you are offered. Compensation amounts range from £110 for certain short-haul flights, up to £520 for some long-haul flights.

Your other compensation rights when you are bumped

Regardless of whether you were bumped voluntarily or not, you must be given two choices by the airline:

Option 1 – Choose an alternative flight

You must be offered an alternative flight. You can go for a sooner journey or a later date.

A common phrase airlines use for this option is being ‘rerouted’. Another thing worth knowing is if you choose an alternative to get you there as soon as possible, your airline must provide certain “care and assistance” while you wait for your flight.

They must provide:

• A reasonable amount of food and drink (often the form of vouchers you can use to buy items)
• A means for you to communicate (such as by refunding the cost of your phone calls)
• Accommodation, if you are re-routed the next day (typically in a nearby hotel)
• Transport to and from the accommodation (or to and from your home, if you are able to return there).

The rules state the airline has to provide all these things until the time it is able to fly you to your destination, however long the delay lasts or what the cause was.

Option 2 – Receive a refund

If you decide you don’t want to fly on an alternative route, you can get your money back instead. The airline is obliged to refund you for all parts of your ticket that you have not used.

So if you booked a return flight and you are bumped from the outbound flight, you are entitled to be reimbursed the full cost of both flights. If you are in the middle of your journey, such as waiting for a connecting flight, the airline should also provide you with a flight back to your starting airport.