Austrian Denied Boarding Compensation

Austrian overbooking compensation / denied boarding compensation.

How much is flight overbooking compensation? Rules? How to get it?

Flight overbooking is very common in the aviation industry. If your flight is overbooked, you might be denied boarding, even if you don’t agree to it. Thankfully, you are protected under the European Regulation EC 261/04. If you have been denied boarding, you are entitled to receive care from the airline, and in some cases, to EU denied boarding compensation.

There are two ways you can claim this compensation.

1. Austrian Overbooking Compensation: EU Denied Boarding Regulations

Have you been denied boarding by Austrian Airlines? 

What happens in the event of denied boarding? Will you be booked on a new flight? Can you get a free meal if you have to wait for your new flight? In which situations are you entitled to denied boarding compensation from Austrian Airlines?

When it comes to denied boarding due to overbooking, you are protected under the European Regulation EC 261/04. 

If you’re flying with Austrian, and you are denied boarding due to overbooking — you might be entitled to flight overbooking compensation (EU denied boarding compensation) of up to €600. 

This only applies to overbookings.

The EU regulations only apply to situations when you are denied boarding due to overbooking. If you are denied boarding due to expired passport or not having a visa, you can’t get compensation from the airline. You are denied boarding due to your own fault. These situations aren’t covered by the Regulation EC 261/04.

Also you aren’t entitled to compensation if you voluntarily give up your seat.

If you have to wait at the airport due to overbooking, you have a right to care.

Read more: 

• Regulation (EC) No 261/2004;
• Regulation UK261

By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.

1.1 Voluntary Denied Boarding

There are two types of denied boarding.

When a flight is overbooked, an airline will look for volunteers who will agree to travel later. This is called voluntary denied boarding.

What is overbooking? It simply means that your the airline has sold more tickets than there are seats on the flight. If everyone shows up for their flight, there’s not enough seats for everyone. So the airline has to look for volunteers who will give up their seats and travel later.

They will be provided with free flight tickets (free of charge) and instant compensation (vouchers or cash). You might be asked to give up your seat, too. If you agree to this offer, it’s called voluntary boarding denial.

In this case, you aren’t entitled to denied boarding compensation from Austrian Airlines.

You don’t have to agree to an offer like this.

1.2 Involuntary Denied Boarding

There are situations when passengers don’t have a choice.

There are not enough volunteers. But you might be denied boarding all the same. 

You might be denied boarding without your consent. If this happens to you, know that it’s called involuntarily denied boarding, and you are entitled to compensation.

What happens in case of involuntary denied boarding?

• The airline must provide you with a new flight;
• The airline must refund you fully if you decline the new flight;
• In addition to that, you are entitled to receive care from the airline*;
• You are entitled to compensation up to €600 per passenger. 

* Austrian must offer you free meals and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time, two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes. If you have to wait overnight, Austrian must provide you with free accommodation and free transfer from and to the airport.

1.3 Right to Care

All passengers travelling with Austrian have a right to care.

Passengers whose Austrian flights are delayed, cancelled or overbooked. According to the European Regulations, all these passengers are entitled to care as long as they have to wait for 3 or more hours extra.

The regulation also covers flight disruptions caused by extraordinary circumstances.

What does it mean for you as a passenger?

Austrian must offer you free meals and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time, two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes. If your replacement flight departs only on the next day, Austrian must offer you a free hotel stay and transfer.

If you agree to these services, it won’t affect your chances of getting compensation.

Contact the airline if you haven’t been offered anything.

2. How to Claim Austrian Flight Compensation? How to Claim Flight Overbooking Compensation?

You can claim compensation yourself.

The other option is to work with professionals.

Claiming compensation from Austrian yourself. Visit the Austrian website and locate the claim/contact form. Completing the form. Specify your flight information. Request compensation for denied boarding, citing EU Flight Compensation Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as the applicable source. Require the appropriate quantity of compensation and refuse to accept any Austrian coupons. It is important to note that the receipt of the denied boarding compensation owed to you by Austrian could take several months.

You can also take the easiest path — legal representation.

Register your Austrian compensation claim with the help of a flight compensation company. In this case, you don’t have to do much. Just fill in one form and that’s it. The rest will be done on your behalf. You won’t need to deal with the airline if it refuses to cooperate. The team of legal professionals will do it.

Our partners offer such services.

Read more: Austrian Missed Connection Compensation

2.1 How Long Does It Take?

It might take a while until you receive your compensation. 

It could take from 2 months to several months.

It depends on the airline, and how cooperative it is. 

If you work with a flight compensation company, you might save some time and get compensation quicker. As you will be working with professionals who know how it works and know how to proceed. 

3. How Much Can You Claim?

In the EU compensation amounts are fixed.

In most situations, they range from €250 to €600.

Here is how you can calculate Austrian compensation yourself:

When your destination is within the EU/UK:

When your destination is outside the EU/UK:

If you are claiming Austrian compensation on your own, request the right amount. Otherwise, the airline will offer you a smaller compensation. Do not agree to anything less than you are entitled to. These are the laws in the EU, and compensation amounts are regulated by the European Union, not the airline. 

There’s one exception. When the flight distance is 3500+ kilometres and you reach your destination 3 to 4 hours later than planned, you are entitled only to 50% of the compensation amount (that means €300, not €600).

3.1 Austrian Voucher Code, Discounts or Cash?

According to the law, compensation have to be paid in cash or by bank transfer.

If the Austrian offers you a voucher instead of money, you don’t have to agree to it. Request a bank transfer instead. Because you are entitled to it.

Austrian Denied Boarding Compensation: FAQ

Problems With Visa or Passport

EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists

Other Situations

What is your experience? Have you ever received Austrian overbooking compensation? Do you still have questions about Austrian compensation claim procedures and policies? Ask in the comments.