Denied boarding because of overbooking? Up to €600 immediately.
You had a confirmed booking, you were on time, and the airline won’t let you board? If you did not give up your seat voluntarily, it must pay you compensation of €250 to €600, on top of another flight or a refund.
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Overbooking: your rights in 30 seconds
01 Denied boarding against your will: compensation of €250, €400 or €600 per passenger, normally paid immediately.
02 In addition, you choose between another flight to your destination and a refund of your ticket.
03 While you wait, meals, drinks and a hotel if necessary are paid for by the airline.
04 Volunteered to give up your seat? You negotiate compensation, but you are no longer entitled to the fixed compensation.
Volunteer or denied: the difference is crucial
When a flight is overbooked, the airline must first look for volunteers, in exchange for negotiated benefits (voucher, money, hotel night). If you accept, you keep the right to a refund or another flight, but not to the fixed compensation.
If nobody volunteers and you are denied boarding against your will, compensation is due according to the distance:
| Flight distance | Example | Compensation per passenger |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | Paris–Rome, Lyon–Porto, Marseille–Algiers | €250 |
| EU flight of more than 1,500 km, or 1,500 to 3,500 km | Paris–Athens, Orly–Marrakech, Paris–Pointe-à-Pitre | €400 |
| More than 3,500 km outside the EU | Paris–New York, Lyon–Montreal | €600 (€300 if the delay is 3 to 4 hours) |
If the replacement flight offered gets you there with a limited delay (less than 2, 3 or 4 hours depending on the distance), the compensation may be reduced by half.
When can the airline deny boarding without compensation?
Only for valid reasons relating to the passenger: invalid or incomplete travel documents, arrival after the check-in or boarding deadline, health, safety or security reasons. Overbooking is not one of them.
Upgraded… or downgraded?
If the airline puts you in a lower class than the one you paid for (for example from business to economy), it must refund part of the price of that flight: 30% up to 1,500 km, 50% from 1,500 to 3,500 km and within the EU, 75% beyond.
What to do if you are denied boarding?
- Don’t volunteer if the offer doesn’t suit you, and don’t sign anything without reading it.
- Ask for written confirmation of the denied boarding and the reason for it.
- Keep your boarding pass or your check-in confirmation.
- Choose between another flight and a refund, and ask for assistance while you wait.
- Have your situation checked if the compensation was not paid on the spot.
Your airline or your airport
By airline (pages in French): Air France · Transavia · easyJet · Ryanair · Volotea · Vueling · Wizz Air · Air Algérie · Royal Air Maroc · Tunisair · Corsair · Air Caraïbes · French bee · Air Austral · Lufthansa · KLM · Iberia · British Airways · Turkish Airlines · Pegasus · Emirates
By airport (pages in French): Roissy-CDG · Orly · Beauvais · Lille · Basel-Mulhouse · Nice · Marseille · Lyon · Toulouse · Bordeaux · Nantes · Algiers · Casablanca · Tunis · Pointe-à-Pitre · Fort-de-France · Réunion · Cayenne
Frequently asked questions
I was denied boarding but nothing was paid at the airport: is it too late?
No. You can claim compensation afterwards, within 5 years in France. Keep proof of your booking and that you presented yourself for boarding.
I accepted a €300 voucher to give up my seat: can I claim on top of that?
Normally not: by volunteering, you accepted the negotiated compensation instead of the fixed compensation. You keep your right to a refund or another flight.
The airline says I arrived at the gate too late: is it overbooking?
Not necessarily. If you arrived after the boarding deadline, the refusal may be justified. If you were on time, ask for the reason in writing.
Are my children entitled to compensation?
Yes, every passenger with a paid ticket is entitled to their own compensation.
How long do I have to make a claim?
In France, 5 years after the date of the flight, for flights disrupted before the 2026 European reform comes into force.
Sources: Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 ↗European Union: passenger rights ↗Service-Public (in French) ↗
Information guide updated on 24 October 2026. It does not replace a review of your case.
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