Denied boarding on a flight
Nekad ombordstigning på flyg - Engelska
If the airline denies you boarding, for example because the flight is overbooked, you are entitled to assistance and compensation from the airline.
Translated page: This text has been translated from Swedish. The text and appearance of the page may look different from the original page.
What rules apply if you are denied boarding?
If you are denied boarding against your will, you are entitled to assistance and compensation from the airline.
When a flight is overbooked, the airline must first ask if there are any volunteers willing to give up their seat in exchange for benefits.
It is always your responsibility to follow the airline’s rules, such as check-in times.
You must ensure that you have all the necessary travel documents required for the journey.
You can use our flight calculator to find out what applies in your specific situation, for example how much compensation you are entitled to.
Find out your rights and make a claim
Within the EU, there are specific rules for air travel that may give you the right to assistance if you experience problems with your flight. You may also be entitled to compensation.
EU rules apply when you:
- fly from an airport within the EU
- fly from an airport outside the EU to an airport within the EU with an airline that is registered in the EU.
The rules also apply to Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands (but not the Faroe Islands) in the same way as for all EU countries. Similar rules also apply in the United Kingdom.
EU rules also apply if you depart from an airport outside the EU. But only if you are flying to an airport within the EU with an airline that is registered in the EU.
If this is not the case in your situation, you need to find out which rules apply to cancelled flights in the country in question.
Examples of what you can check:
- what you may be entitled to according to the airline’s terms and conditions
- whether there are national laws that determine your rights
- whether you may be entitled to compensation under the Montreal Convention
Right to compensation for extra costs
The airline may be required to compensate you for costs that occur as a result of the problem with the flight. This applies both inside and outside the EU, according to the Montreal Convention.
Examples of costs you may be entitled to compensation for:
- missed connecting flight or transport
- food and drinks while waiting for your flight
- accommodation if you need to stay overnight while waiting for your flight
- missed hotel night or hire car
- lost income
Remember that you must limit your costs. For example, by cancelling hotel rooms, hire cars, or anything else you will not be able to use because of the delayed flight. Otherwise, you may not receive compensation for everything you claim.
The information below applies if your trip is covered by EU rules.
When a flight is overbooked, the airline must first ask whether there are any volunteers willing to give up their seat in exchange for benefits.
If you voluntarily give up your seat, you must also be offered a choice between:
- rebooking to a flight as soon as possible
- rebooking to a later date
- a refund for the part of the ticket you were unable to use
If there are not enough volunteers willing to give up their seat, the airline may be entitled to deny you boarding. If you are denied boarding against your will, you are entitled to assistance and compensation from the airline.
If you do not have the required travel documents
You are responsible for having the travel documents required for your flight. It is important that you check which documents are needed for your specific journey. You are responsible for having, for example, a valid passport, a visa and a valid ticket. It is also your responsibility to check in on time.
If you are denied boarding because you do not have the required travel documents, you cannot claim assistance or compensation from the airline.
If the airline makes an incorrect assessment, you may be entitled to both assistance and compensation from the airline.
The information below applies if your trip is covered by EU rules.
If you are denied boarding against your will, you are entitled to assistance from the airline.
Refund or rebooking
The airline should offer you the following options:
- Rebooking to the next available flight.
- Rebooking to a later date.
- A refund for the part of the ticket you were unable to use.
If the trip is rebooked, it should be rebooked to a comparable trip.
In certain cases, you can get a refund and a free return trip to the departure location as soon as possible.
If your trip has lost its purpose due to the cancelled flight, you are entitled to a refund for the ticket cost, even for the part of the trip you have already used.
Food and drinks
The airline must offer you free food and drink in reasonable proportion to the waiting time.
This applies if you choose:
- to be rebooked on the next available flight
- a refund and to return to the departure airport because the trip has lost its purpose.
Accommodation
If you are delayed for one or more nights, the airline is required to pay for hotel accommodation. The airline must also cover transport between the hotel and the airport.
This applies if you choose:
- to be rebooked on the next available flight
- a refund and to return to the departure airport because the trip has lost its purpose.
If the airline does not offer food, drink or accommodation
If the airline does not offer food, drink or accommodation, you can claim reimbursement for expenses that were necessary, appropriate and reasonable.
You may be entitled to compensation and damages when you have been denied boarding.
- Compensation is about reimbursing you for the time you have lost.
- Damages are about reimbursing you for any extra costs you incur.
The information below applies if your trip is covered by EU rules.
You are entitled to compensation in the form of a fixed amount in euros if you are denied boarding.
You can claim the following compensation:
- Flights of up to 1,500 kilometres: EUR 250
- Flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometres: EUR 400
- Flights of more than 3,500 kilometres between airports within the EU: EUR 400
- Flights of more than 3,500 kilometres that are not operated entirely within the EU: EUR 600
How is the length of the journey calculated?
The length of the flight is calculated from the departure point to the final destination. How you should calculate depends on whether your ticket is considered continuously or not. If you have a layover, for example Stockholm - Copenhagen - New York, the distance is calculated from Stockholm directly to New York. If you have purchased individual tickets, the distances are calculated separately.
The compensation can be cut in half
The compensation may be reduced by half if you are offered rebooking. Whether the compensation can be reduced depends on how many hours you are delayed compared with your original scheduled arrival time.
In the following cases, your compensation may be reduced by half:
- When the flight distance is up to 1,500 kilometres, the compensation is EUR 250. If the proposed rebooking results in a delay of less than 2 hours, the compensation may be reduced to EUR 125.
- When the flight distance is between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometres, the compensation is EUR 400. If the proposed rebooking results in a delay of less than 3 hours, the compensation may be reduced to EUR 200.
- When the flight distance is more than 3,500 kilometres and the flight is not operated entirely within the EU, the standard compensation is EUR 600. If the proposed rebooking results in a delay of less than 4 hours, the compensation may be reduced to EUR 300.
When are you not entitled to compensation?
In some cases, the airline might have the right to deny you boarding without offering assistance or compensation.
Situations where the airline has the right to deny you boarding:
- if you do not have valid travel documents
- if you have not paid your ticket on time
- if you do not have passport or visa when needed
- if you have not checked in on time
- if you are a security risk or if your luggage is a security risk
- if you refused to undergo security check.
No exception for extraordinary circumstances
Once you have been denied boarding, you are always entitled to compensation, except in the situations described above. This means that you are entitled to compensation even if the airline refers to extraordinary circumstances.
No right to compensation if you have volunteered to give up the seat
If you have voluntarily given up your seat in exchange for other compensation, you are not entitled to compensation.
You may be entitled to compensation for costs you have incurred as a result of being denied boarding. This may include, for example, a missed hotel night or lost income from work.
You must be able to prove the costs you have incurred. Therefore, keep all receipts as evidence. If you want compensation for lost income from work, you need a certificate from your employer.
Always contact the airline to make your claims. If you have bought your ticket from a travel agency you should still contact the airline.
Contact the airline and request compensation and/or damages as soon as possible.
If your booking includes several flights with different airlines, you should contact the airline that is responsible for the cancelled flight.
If you want to claim compensation for costs, it is important to include documentation showing what the costs relate to, for example receipts. Submit your claim within two months.
Wait for a response from the airline
Once you have sent your claim to the airline, you need to wait for an answer. It usually takes a few weeks to get an answer. If you have waited more than 6 weeks without getting an answer, you can take the next step with your case.
What to do next if the airline rejects your claim
Choose the option that best fits your situation. Are you unsure? Choose “Travelled with a Swedish airline”.
Do you need help understanding what you are entitled to? You may be unsure whether your claim is reasonable or want to discuss how you can proceed. Here you will find suggestions on where to turn.
Guidance from the Swedish Consumer Agency
The Swedish Consumer Agency provides free guidance. We give you information about your rights and the options you have to move forward. We cannot assess your individual case, resolve disputes or contact companies on your behalf.
Consumer advice from your municipality
Many municipalities offer consumer advice. You can contact them for free information and support. The type of help provided varies between municipalities.
If you are resident in Sweden and the airline is registered in another EU country, Norway, Iceland or the United Kingdom, you may receive free advice from ECC Sweden. ECC Sweden is part of a network of consumer offices within the EU. In some cases, ECC Sweden can share your case with an office in another country to try to reach a solution through mediation.
How to contact ECC Sweden
To receive help with your case, you must first have submitted a claim to the airline.
You then need to send a description of the problem and documentation that shows what happened to ECC Sweden. Documentation is needed if your case is to be shared with an office in another country. Remember to keep your originals and only send copies to us.
Send your case by email to: konsumenteuropa@konsumentverket.se
Your message should include:
- your contact details and the name of the airline
- tickets or boarding passes
- a copy of your complaint and the claims you have made
- receipts
- the airline’s response.
Once you have submitted your case, you usually receive a response within a couple of weeks.
The European Consumer Centre Sweden cannot:
- Force a company to act according to the law. The work is based on the company being willing to cooperate with the ECC network to reach a solution.
- Mediate in a case if we cannot identify the trader or if the trader refuses to cooperate with the ECC network.
- Act as a legal representative or assist when the consumer has already initiated legal proceedings.
- Assist in purchases between traders or purchases between private individuals.
Do you have questions?
ECC Sweden is part of the Swedish Consumer Agency. If you need help understanding what you are entitled to or want to discuss if and how you can proceed with your case, you can contact our advisers.
Do you need help understanding what you are entitled to? You may be unsure whether your claim is reasonable or want to discuss how you can proceed. Here you will find suggestions on where to turn.
Guidance from the Swedish Consumer Agency
The Swedish Consumer Agency provides free guidance. We give you information about your rights and the options you have to move forward. We cannot assess your individual case, resolve disputes or contact companies on your behalf.
Consumer advice from your municipality
Many municipalities offer consumer advice. You can contact them for free information and support. The type of help provided varies between municipalities.
There are several different authorities that can assess your case if the airline rejects your claims. Which one depends, among other things, on the type of compensation you are claiming and the country you travelled from.
Which country did you travel from?
Do you think the airline is breaking the rules? If so, you can submit a report to the Swedish Consumer Agency.
We do not investigate or decide on individual cases, but reports are important to us. We check that companies comply with the rules and can take action against those that do not.
Proofread: 30 May 2025
The content is presented in collaboration with ECC Sweden, which is part of the ECC network and the Swedish Consumer Agency's information service. ECC Sweden is part-financed by the European Union.
The content of this website represents the views of the author only and it is his/her sole responsibility; it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and/or the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA) or any other body of the European Union. The European Commission and the Agency do not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.
