Air Canada overbooking compensation / denied boarding compensation.
How much is flight overbooking compensation? Rules? How to get it?
Often airlines sell more tickets than there are seats. Because there are always no-shows, and this is how airlines maximize their flight capacity and earn more money. And Air Canada is not an exception. If your Air Canada flight from a European airport is overbooked, and as a result you are denied boarding, you can get EU denied boarding compensation.
There are two ways you can claim denied boarding compensation.
1. Air Canada Overbooking Compensation: EU Denied Boarding Regulations
Have you been denied boarding by Air Canada?
What are your rights? Can you get compensation from the airline?
In short — if it’s due to overbooking, you might be entitled to compensation from Air Canada. It applies to all Air Canada flights departing from Europe, and to all passengers on these flights.
If you’re flying with Air Canada, 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.
If you are denied boarding due to visa or passport issues, you can’t get compensation. Nor you can’t get compensation if you are denied boarding voluntarily (voluntarily give up your seat).
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
What is voluntary denied boarding?
In short — it is when you voluntarily agree to give up your seat.
Whenever a flight is overbooked, and too many passengers arrive for the flight, airline staff looks for volunteers ready to travel on a later flight. You might be offered to give up your seat and travel later. You might be offered some perks, such as free meal, free hotel stay and instant compensation (cash or vouchers).
If you agree to this, it’s called ‘voluntary boarding denial’.
In this case, you aren’t entitled to Air Canada denied boarding compensation. It’s important to understand that you don’t have to agree to an offer like this.
1.2 Involuntary Denied Boarding
There are situations when you don’t have a choice.
You are denied boarding even if you don’t agree to boarding denial. This is called ‘involuntarily denied boarding’.
In this case you have a right to Air Canada denied boarding compensation.
What happens in case of involuntary denied boarding?
- You must be given a choice between a new flight or full refund;
- In addition to that, you are entitled to receive care from the airline*;
- You are entitled to compensation up to €600 per passenger.
With Air Canada all of this apply to flights departing from Europe.
* Air Canada 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, Air Canada must provide you with free accommodation and free transfer from and to the airport.
1.3 Right to Care
All passengers travelling with Air Canada have a right to care.
If your Air Canada flight is cancelled last minute, delayed or overbooked, and you have to wait at the airport for more than 3 hours until your new/delayed flight departs, you have a right to receive care from the airline. You are entitled to care even if you are denied boarding voluntarily.
In case of Air Canada, European flight compensation regulations apply to its flights from the European Union and the UK.
What does it mean for you as a passenger?
Air Canada 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, the airline must offer you a free hotel stay and a free transfer.
Agreeing to these services doesn’t affect your chances of getting compensation.
Contact the airline if you haven’t been offered anything.
2. How to Claim Air Canada Flight Compensation? How to Claim Flight Overbooking Compensation?
You can claim Air Canada overbooking compensation yourself.
Alternatively, you can work with professionals.
Claiming compensation from Air Canada yourself. The best way is to write an e-mail to Air Canada’s customer support. Or you can call the customer support.
Give all the information about your flight. Refer to the European regulations (EC Regulation 261/2001 and Regulation UK261) and request flight overbooking compensation. Keep in mind that it’s a rather lengthy process. You won’t get compensation right away.
You can also take the easiest path — legal representation.
Register your Air Canada compensation claim with our partners, a flight compensation company.
Fill in the form linked on this website, and our partners will help you.
When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:
And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.
* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.
Read more:
2.1 How Long Does It Take?
It could be a few weeks, and it could be a few months.
Every case is different. While some people might get compensation after 2-3 months, some might need to wait longer. The length of the process depends on the airline. If it cooperates, you might get compensation after 2-3 months, if not, the process could take a few moths.
3. How Much Can You Claim?
In the EU and the UK compensation amounts are fixed.
In most situations they range from €250 to €600.
Here is how you can calculate Air Canada denied boarding compensation:
When your destination is within the EU/UK:
€250
If the distance of your flight is
up to 1,500 km
€400
If the distance of your flight is between 1,500 – 3,500 km
When your destination is outside the EU/UK:
€250
If the distance of your flight is
up to 1,500 km
€400
If the distance of your flight is between 1,500 – 3,500 km
€600
If the distance of your flight is more than 3,500 km
If you are claiming compensation by yourself, ask for the right amount. Otherwise, the airline might offer you a smaller compensation. Keep in mind that you don’t have to agree to a smaller amount.
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 Air Canada Voucher Code, Discounts or Cash?
According to the law, compensations have to be paid in cash.
So that’s why you don’t have to agree to airline vouchers or coupons when claiming compensation. Ask for bank transfer instead.
And again, this applies only to Air Canada flights from Europe.
On other flights you might not have a choice.
Air Canada Denied Boarding Compensation: FAQ
My flight ticket was cheap. Can I still get full flight compensation? Will if affect my compensation?
Compensation amounts are fixed. Compensation depends on flight distance.
Flight ticket price doesn’t affect flight compensation amount.
You still can get compensation. Even if your flight was cheap.
What if I don’t have travel insurance?
You don’t need insurance to claim compensation.
If your flight is eligible to compensation, you can get it even if you don’t have travel insurance.
Can my kid get compensation from Air Canada?
Yes, 100%.
The age doesn’t matter.
If you are entitled to compensation, your child/baby will be, too.
Even if you are travelling with an infant who has a special infant ticket.
Can I claim compensation for someone else (family member, friend, relative)?
Yes, you can.
Even if you weren’t on that flight yourself.
You can claim compensation for someone else, as long as you have a copy of the person’s boarding pass and passport/ID. Also, they will need to sign a couple of documents.
But the rest you can do on their behalf.
How far back can I claim compensation?
It depends on the laws of the country.
In many countries (especially in Europe) you can claim compensation even for old flights. Even if your flight was 2-3 years ago, you still might be able to claim compensation.
What to do if Air Canada refuses to pay compensation?
Air Canada is refusing to pay compensation.
Do you think you are entitled to compensation, but the airline wrongly has refused your claim? Is it possible to continue with the process? Yes! There are two options.
The best option is to work with a flight compensation company. Hand over your case to a flight compensation company, for them to continue the negotiations with the airline.
Or, you can contact the national enforcement body of the country your flight was from. There are national enforcement bodies in all the EU Member states.
Problems With Visa or Passport
I was denied boarding due to problems with visa / passport. Can I get compensation from Air Canada?
No, because this isn’t Air Canada’s fault.
The European regulations only apply to overbookings.
If you are denied boarding due to visa or passport issues, you can’t get compensation.
EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists From Abroad
I’m flying to the EU from a country outside the EU. Can I get UK/EU flight delay compensation?
If you’re flying with Air Canada then no, you can’t.
If it’s Air Canada, European regulations only work on their flights from European airports.
I’m flying from the EU to a country outside the EU. Can I get UK/EU flight delay compensation?
I’m flying from the EU to a country outside the EU. Can I get UK/EU flight delay compensation?
Yes, you can.
The same applies to all Air Canada flights from the UK.
I am not a European citizen. Can I get compensation?
Yes.
Your nationality doesn’t matter.
Other Situations
Air Canada provided me with a free hotel stay and a free alternate flight to my destination. Can I still get compensated for the delay?
Yes, if the flight departed from the EU / UK.
You can have both a free hotel stay and a free flight to your destination.
If your flight is eligible for compensation, in addition to the free hotel stay and free flight, you are entitled to receive compensation from the airline.
Air Canada took me to my destination. Can I still get compensation?
Did you arrive late? Was it 3+ hours later than scheduled?
If the answer is yes to both, you might be entitled to flight delay compensation from Air Canada. As long as the flight was from Europe and it was delayed due to the airline’s fault.
What is your experience? Have you ever received Air Canada overbooking compensation? Do you still have questions about Air Canada compensation claim procedures and policies? Ask in the comments.