By checking in early and getting to the gate on time, you did everything right. But then the airline makes a surprise and announces an overbooked flight. Instead of boarding passengers, gate agents ask volunteers to give up their seats. Then they stop asking and start pushing passengers off the plane. And they may call your name.
This situation, which can be extremely unpleasant, is completely legal. Airlines are allowed to oversell their flights, a practice they use to account for no-shows and maximize revenue. Another reason they bump passengers? Due to weight restrictions or maintenance issues, swap the aircraft for a smaller one with fewer seats.
The good news from this dire situation? Passengers can generally expect to receive compensation if they are hit voluntarily or involuntarily – at a level that can be quite attractive.
First, find out what you are entitled to.
In an airline's contract of carriage, the document usually found online that outlines what an airline expects from its passengers and what it owes them, airlines specify that they will defer bumped passengers – whether voluntary or involuntary Flights will be rebooked. The rebooked flight can be operated with another airline and there are no requirements as to when the second flight must depart. For example, in its contract of carriage, Delta Air Lines requires that the passenger be transported “to their next flight on which space is available.”
While the Transportation Department requires compensation for this inconvenience, it is up to airlines to decide how much and in what form to offer. The most common options are cash, flight credit or vouchers.
Generally, passengers are not bumped after boarding the plane. (There are some exceptions, the DOT said, such as unruly behavior on board.)
Volunteers should negotiate compensation – payouts may not be the same for all travelers.
There is no cap on the amount of compensation that can be offered to volunteers, and gate agents often inflate amounts to attract passengers, who can then negotiate for more. According to passenger reports, compensation can sometimes be thousands of dollars and exceed the original ticket price.
Agents ask for volunteers over the airport intercom, or passengers see an offer on the airline's app or through the app's text messages.
Airlines typically prefer a private approach, in which some passengers may accept lower offers than they would in a public negotiation, said Robert Mann, an aviation analyst and former American Airlines executive. Less frequent customers tend to be contacted first, he added.
Airlines are not required to give all volunteers the same compensation, said Katy Nastro, an expert at the travel app Going.
According to the Transportation Department, compensation must be made at the airport or sent within 24 hours: checks can be mailed or a flight voucher can be deposited in a passenger's airline account.
The compensation can be more than money or flight vouchers.
In particularly desperate scenarios, Ms. Nastro added, airlines might be willing to negotiate perks beyond a flight, including business class seats, a direct route, food, accommodation and lounge access.
“Under the DOT regulation, there is no limit on discretionary amounts,” she said. “The sky is the limit there.”
Not enough volunteers? The carrier will then involuntarily bump passengers.
The first passengers to get hit are typically those who checked in last, said Sally French, a travel expert at personal finance company NerdWallet.
In their contracts of carriage, airlines provide more detailed information on how they will proceed in the event of denied boarding. On flights with overbooked seats, airlines typically give priority to the following passengers: unaccompanied minors, passengers with elite frequent flyer status or flying in premium cabins, and passengers requiring special assistance.
There are minimum compensation amounts for involuntary bumping.
In most cases, passengers who are accidentally hit receive compensation. This may be a check under DOT rules to see if this is your preference.
For flights within the United States or departing from the United States outside the country, the amount passengers receive, according to the DOT, depends on factors such as the ticket price, the length of their delay and whether their flights are domestic or international flights.
The DOT sets minimum amounts owed on its website, although airlines may pay more. In one example, if a rebooked traveler arrives on a domestic flight between one and two hours away from the time they were supposed to have arrived on their original itinerary, the airline must pay 200 percent of the passenger's one-way fare, or $775, respectively whichever amount is lower.
If an injured traveler on a rebooked domestic flight arrives at their destination more than two hours later than their original itinerary, airlines could pay up to 400 percent of the passenger's one-way fare or $1,550, whichever is lowest.
There may be times when no compensation is offered.
Passengers who are involuntarily denied boarding will not expect compensation if they miss the flight's check-in deadline or if they arrive on their replacement flight after a kickoff within one hour of their originally scheduled time.
Additionally, passengers who suffer a setback because the airline changed the flight to a smaller aircraft will not face compensation.
If passengers are denied boarding due to weight and safety restrictions on a 30- to 60-seat aircraft, they will not receive compensation, according to the DOT.
Charter flights and flights using aircraft with fewer than 30 seats are also exempt from the DOT's compensation rules.
You should receive compensation if you are involuntarily hit while flying to, within or from the European Union on certain airlines.
Under European Union regulations, passenger rights and compensation for voluntary bumping apply similarly to those in the United States.
Compensation for involuntary collision depends on the distance: passengers should receive 250 euros (around $258) for flights up to 1,500 kilometers (932 miles); 400 euros for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers and for flights over 1,500 kilometers within Europe; and 600 euros for flights over 3,500 kilometers.
These travelers are also entitled to a rebooking or a refund, as well as assistance from the airline in the form of meals, refreshments and accommodation, said Tomasz Pawliszyn, chief executive of AirHelp, a Berlin-based company that assists passengers with airline claims.
Travelers who are denied boarding to a connecting flight due to a delayed first flight are also entitled to compensation of between 125 and 300 euros, depending on the distance and delay.
These rights apply to flights within the European Union operated by any airline; international flights arriving in the European Union and operated by an EU-based airline, as well as flights departing from the European Union to a country outside the Union and operated by any airline.
Know how to protect yourself from being accidentally bumped.
Experts emphasize that checking in early online or through the airline's app could help you avoid denied boarding. They also recommend including frequent flyer information with your booking if you have it.
After all, it never hurts to get to the airport early.
For more travel tips, check out our collection of Travel 101 tips and hacks.