Flight overbooking — claim flight compensation up to £520 per passenger!

What is flight overbooking and why do airlines overbook flights?

Overbooking happens more often than you could think. Flight overbooking happens when airlines sell more tickets than seats available on the plane. They do this in hopes that some passengers would be “no-shows” and that, in the end, all passengers could board the plane.

However, if a flight is overbooked, and all passengers show up, airlines have to find volunteers to give away their seats. In exchange, they can offer vouchers, miles, or other compensation options. If no volunteers are found, airlines must deny boarding to some passengers for the plane to depart. And this is when it gets interesting for you — in the event of denied boarding, passengers are entitled to flight compensation of up to £520 per passenger!

Want to know more about your passenger rights when your flight is overbooked, and you were denied boarding? Continue reading! 

Is flight overbooking legal?

Unfortunately, flight overbooking is quite unfair to passengers, but it is allowed. However, if your flight includes an EU destination or departure, or is operated by an EU airline, it is covered by Regulation EC 261/2004, you can be entitled to flight compensation if you were denied boarding due to overbooking! 

Overbooking and denied boarding — claim flight compensation and a refund of your ticket!

In the event of an overbooked flight, you could be entitled to flight compensation and a refund of your ticket. However, this only applies if you were denied boarding. Here’s more information on when you can receive flight compensation of up to £520 per passenger! 

Overbooked flight leading to denied boarding — claim flight compensation up to £520 per passenger

If your flight was overbooked and the airline denied you boarding, you could claim flight compensation under the European regulation EU261 if:

• Your flight was operated by a European airline and/or departing from Europe
• You were denied boarding (in other words, you did not give away your seat willingly!)
• The airline offered you a replacement flight, but it arrived more than 2 hours later at your destination

Flight overbooking — when to ask for a full refund of your ticket

If you have been denied boarding due to overbooking on your flight and if you no longer wish to travel, the airline must offer you a refund for your ticket.

I gave away my seat willingly, am I still entitled to overbooked flight compensation?

Unfortunately, if your flight was overbooked and you decided to give away your seat willingly, you wouldn’t be able to get flight compensation.

Flight compensation in the event of an overbooked flight relies on the principle of denied boarding. This is why, when flight overbooking occurs, airlines first try to find volunteers to give away their seats and offer vouchers, miles, another flight, etc. By accepting their offer - be it a voucher, miles, or a monetary compensation - you relinquish your rights as an air passenger! No matter how enticing their offers may seem, it is important that you do not give up your seat if your flight is overbooked! 

Even if the airline offers seem valuable, remember that in the event of denied boarding you could get flight compensation of up to £520 per passenger and the full refund of your plane ticket — which could be a lot more than the couple-hundred offered by the airline to give up your seat! 

How much flight compensation am I entitled to in the event of a flight overbooking?

According to the EU261, if your flight was overbooked, the amount of compensation you’d be entitled to would depend on the distance of your flight.

How long do I have to claim flight compensation for my overbooked flight?

The time limit to claim your compensation depends on your flight itinerary. This depends specifically on the legislation in (a) the country of departure, (b) the country of arrival, and (c) the country where the airline is based.

For example, if you were departing from the UK or flying on a British airline, you can claim for up to 6 years after your denied boarding!

But let’s say you were denied boarding for a flight operated by Iberia from Paris to Amsterdam, you could claim flight compensation up to:

• 5 years (French and Spanish law)
• 2 years (Dutch law)

Flight-Delayed.co.uk's experts and legal teams will always ensure that your claim is applied in the most favorable legislation!

How can I claim flight compensation for a flight overbooking?

Claim now with Flight-Delayed.co.uk — the easiest and quickest way to claim flight compensation for your overbooked flight!

Trusting us with your claim will allow you to maximize your chances of success. From the moment you submit your claim, our team of experts will take care of the process for you! We will handle the whole process on your behalf, including going to court if needed. No win, no fee. 

We work on a No Win, No Fee basis - meaning we only win if you do! Check out our price list page for the details on our fees. Ready to claim your compensation for your overbooked flight?

Start my claim now