Refused boarding

Passengers are entitled to the following consumer rights under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 if they are refused boarding on a flight (for example, due to overbooking):

- rebooking on another flight (earliest departure date or later date chosen by the passenger depending on availability) or refund of the ticket price;

- discounts agreed between the airline and the passenger (e.g. money, vouchers, free travel, hotel service, one-off upgrade to a higher class, discount card, etc.)

If there are not enough volunteers to fill a seat, the airline may legitimately refuse to accept an overbooked passenger.

Passengers affected by denied boarding will be entitled to:

• Written information on passengers' rights at the airport;

• Re-booking for another flight (earliest departure date or later date chosen by the passenger, subject to availability) or reimbursement of the ticket price;

• Meals and refreshments in case of rebooking to the earliest possible time;

• Overnight accommodation and airport transfer between the accommodation and the airport if rebooking to the earliest possible date.

• Two free phone calls or faxes or e-mails;

• Compensation of 250, 400 or 600 EUR depending on the distance.

It is important to note that a passenger cannot invoke his or her rights in the event of denied boarding if there are reasonable grounds for refusal, such as health reasons, security or safety reasons, inadequate travel documents (expired passport or no visa), etc.

Useful tips to avoid denied boarding

• Arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before departure and check in as soon as possible.

• It is important to always use the full name on the travel document when making a reservation and to check immediately after receiving the electronic confirmation that the booking details are correct on the confirmation and that the name on the confirmation is exactly the same as the name on the travel document you will present at the airport for identification. If not, contact the airline immediately and ask for the name to be corrected. Failure to do so may result in the airline refusing your boarding!

• Before booking, always check the validity of your travel document and carefully check the visa requirements of the countries you will be travelling to (including the country of connection or transit!).

• It is important to note that in the case of overbooking, a passenger who cancels his/her reservation cannot be forced to give up the travel option in favour of another passenger, as cancellation is always voluntary, so the passenger who volunteers is in a negotiating position with the airline. Until a written guarantee of a discount has been received, or a settlement has been reached, it is advisable not to cancel your own reservation.

• If you are travelling with a transfer, make sure when booking that you leave enough time for a transfer at the connecting airport. The length of time needed for the transfer should take into account the possible delay of the arriving flight, the size of the arriving flight (how long it may take to disembark), the size of the airport, the traffic, the possible re-screening (e.g. for a flight from outside the EU) and the time it takes to reach the boarding gate of the connecting flight.

• It is important to note that in the case of denied boarding, the legality of the denied boarding is subject to the enforcement authority of the Member State of departure for flights departing from the EU, and the authority of the country of arrival for flights of EU airlines from outside the EU to the EU. The rules of the Regulation also apply in Switzerland, Iceland and Norway, and the EU is therefore understood to include these countries. The contact details of the authorities can be found here: https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/passenger-rights/national-enforcement-bodies-neb_en