Denied access to the aircraft

Have you tried to be denied access to your flight because there were too many passengers and not enough space on the plane?

Many airlines actually sell more tickets to their flights than there are seats on the plane. It may sound a little strange, but it is very normal. There are often passengers who do not reach their aircraft or, for various reasons, never appear in the street. The airlines do not know it before, and therefore they end up with empty seats. To earn it, they simply put more tickets for sale than there are seats on the plane. Knowing that there are not enough seats if everyone appears in the street. But it's a risk they're willing to take to make money.

But what do you do if it is you at the airport and can't bring your plane because there are not enough seats.

It can be frustrating enough in itself when you are with your plane ticket, passport and have been at the airport on time, and then you are not even allowed to travel. But something that can be even more frustrating, is when you later discover that you could actually get something out of it, in the form of really good compensation or a new free trip. AirHelp is a service that helps travelers know their rights if something goes wrong on a flight and they also help if you have been denied access on your flight .

Advice on what you can do if you are denied access

First of all, be aware that there is a difference between whether you voluntarily abandoned your seat on the plane, or whether you have been denied access by the airline staff to your will.

In the case of an overbooked flight, staff will always offer bait to get someone to give up their seat voluntarily. It can be a new journey, food vouchers, hotel stays, first class, etc. If there is no one who voluntarily gives up their seat, then the airline's staff randomly selects the individual persons who do not come with. And if you are one of the unfortunate ones who must not board, know that you are entitled to compensation.

Please note that if you have voluntarily given up your seat and have accepted the airline's offer, you will no longer be eligible compensation. However, it can sometimes pay to accept the airline's offer if it is better than what you are otherwise entitled to. And what are you right about, you might ask?

You must demand this when denied access

In addition to offering you extra service at the airport in the form of food and drink, you may, on denied access to your aircraft, require the following:

• You can request a refund of the ticket within 7 days and a ticket back home if you are abroad.
• Access to another plane with the same destination, and if there is no aircraft within reasonable waiting time, the airline must pay for any train or bus ticket to your destination.
• Finally, you can also request a free flight to a new destination at a later date.

Compensation for 3 hour delay or more

If you do not get a new trip within 3 hours or you are eventually over 3 hours late for your destination, you can claim compensation. And depending on how long your journey is, you can get the following in compensation:

• € 250 (approx. DKK 1,870) for flights with a distance of 1500 km or less
• € 400 (approx. 2,990 DKK) for flights with a distance between 1500 and 3500 km
• € 600 (approx. DKK 4,485) for flights with a distance of more than 3500 km

Cases where you cannot claim compensation

You cannot get compensation if you have not checked in on time or if you are late in the street. The airline will in advance tell you when to check in at the latest, and when the street closes, keep an eye on these times when booking your trip . If you are unable to present a valid identification or visa (if necessary) to your destination, the airline must, in accordance with EU guidelines, lawfully deny you access, and you may not claim compensation.