What’s the Compensation for Being Downgraded on a Flight?

Downgrade

Most people have heard about upgrades. You pay for a lower cabin class, but due to whatever reason, you end up sitting on a nicer seat with more legroom and better service. That’s great and something many travelers would love if it happened to them. But what about the other way around?

What if you paid for a business class seat, but the airline informs you that you will have to sit in coach? This sounds hair-raising. But it does happen (fortunately, not that often). If your flight has been overbooked and there is no space in business class, you might be offered a seat in a lower cabin class. But of course, this is not the end of the story. You don’t have to settle for less than you’ve paid for. And here’s what you’re entitled to.

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Please note that we are not a law firm! We can only try to provide you with information on this topic and strive to name as many reliable resources as possible.

Up to 75% Back as Compensation

Even though being downgraded is a very disappointing experience, you can at least trust in being financially compensated. Sure, while on the plane, cramped in a middle seat ion economy, you will feel that this is no good at all. But if you’re ever that unlucky, it is still something.

According to the EU regulation 261/2004 Article 10, you are entitled to compensation of between 30% and 75% of the airfare. The amount depends on the distance:

Flights Within the EU

  • Below 1,500 km: 30%
  • More than 1,500 km: 50%

Flights From or to the EU

  • Below 1,500 km: 30%
  • Between 1,500 km and 3,500 km: 50%
  • More than 3,500 km: 75%

Flights between the European Union and the five Overseas Territories of France (Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, and Mayotte) will also get you a compensation fo 75% of the ticket price.

Source: Regulation No. 261/2004 of the European Parliament, Article 10 Upgrading and downgrading, paragraph 2

This, however, only refers to the fare for the flights itself. Fees and taxes will not be refunded as far as they do not correlate with the cabin class. (e.g., on trips that depart from the UK passengers will have to pay an Air Passenger Duty that is connected to the cabin class).

Source: Judgement of the court ECLI:EU:C:2016:472

How to React if You’ve Been Downgraded

Depending on the cabin class you’ve initially paid for, the 75% of the ticket price that you could be able to get back might not make up for your loss. If your tickets consist of more than one flight, you will also only get money back for the segment that you really have been downgraded. So it’s going to be a close call.

Therefore, the best option is to negotiate compensation as soon as you’ve been informed about the downgrade. This will typically be the case at the check-in desk. Try to get as much out of this misery as possible. Maybe you can even get an upgrade on the next flight? If you’ve paid for business class, but the airline can seat you in first, that might be better then getting your money back.

Make no mistake: no airlines will downgrade passengers from a premium cabin as an integral part of the business model. Business, first, and even premium economy class passengers are valuable customers. And no carrier will risk to lose them. So there definitely is room for negotiation. As a point of reference: a friendly reader left a comment and told us that he has been paid €1,500 when he volunteered to be downgraded on a long-haul flight.

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Have you ever been downgraded on a flight? Then we’d love to hear from your experience in the comment section!

In any case, you should not be satisfied too easily. The compensation should at least make up for your loss. And ideally, even make you forget the incident. At least after a short while. You could also insist on being booked on another airline’s flight in the cabin class you’ve paid for. But then, Regulation No. 261/2004 doesn’t offer any legal basis for such a claim.

Enforce Your Passenger Rights!

Travelers in the European Union are lucky since there are rules that manage several likely or unlikely events. The EU regulation on passenger rights is a rigorous guideline – that often works in favor of travelers. But some airlines like to ignore its existence.

That’s why it’s important to remind the companies about their obligation. And enforce your rights as a passenger! Use one of the many websites that you can find online, and that will help you to get compensation. Or hire a lawyer. Or simply take the matter into your own hands!

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Comments (10)

  1. David Wadeley says:

    We were booked on a klm flight to Buenios Airies. LBA-AMS-EXE the return RIO, PARIS,AMSv-!LBA. We booked Premium Comfort Class both ways. in January we were downgraded to Econony a significant difference in cost. KLM text us via their after loads of attempts for a refund of the difference told we could apply for refund until after we had taken all flights. Also our our return journey we missed our last connection due to a delay in taking off, mechanical fault, we were put up overnight in Amsterdam and got flight next day. Still no refund even through we have done all the claim on line with klm. Last text from them said m that pries of flights vary and the refund will be calculated on lists of different things, still haven’t confirmed if we will get a refund. Can we legally do a charge back on our credit card, Thanks

  2. Sandy Marvin says:

    Hi ,
    I was offered 20 $ refund for downgrade from businessclass to premium economy. I just filed a complaint after I found your website. Hopefully, I will be able to get more than 20 $. Thank you for your help.

  3. George Hodgson says:

    I booked and paid for Premium Economy from London to Sydney via Tokyo but the aircraft was changed and I had to travel Economy Tokyo-Sydney-Tokyo. No offer from JAL for compensation has been made.

  4. Syed Irshad says:

    Hi,

    I was downgraded from Business to Economy class on a domestic flight. I was just offered a refund of the fare difference between business and Economy. I accepted due to the urgency.

    Later when contacted the airline which is Serene Air Pakistan I was informed since the ticket expired in 29 days so I can not make any claim.

    Please englighten if this action was appropriate depsite I used the same flight but in economy class. Wasn’t it the responsibility of the airliner to automatically make a refund or least contact me?

  5. carol says:

    What about flight which does not start or end in EU? I had a first class ticket from Tunis to Sydney. Due to equipment change the segment from Dubai to Tunis was downgraded from first to business class.

    • Patrick says:

      Hi Carol! I such a case, it really depends on the laws that have been in place in Tunisia at that time. Unless the trip from Tunis to Sydney was part of an itinerary that started in Europe? Depending on the airline, there might also be internal policies for such a case. Not sure that there is a legal ground for a complaint (my Arabic isn’t good enough to find out?). But I would definitely contact the carrier’s customer support.

  6. Bernardo says:

    I had a downgrade on a flight from Shanghai to Frankfurt on Lufthansa. Ticket was Business and they asked me during check-in whether I would voluntarily downgrade and get a compensation of 1500€. In addition I got an assignment to an emergency exit row with much leg room. The fee was immediately credited to my MM credit card once I contacted the first class counter in Frankfurt.

    • Patrick says:

      Hi Bernardo! Thanks so much for sharing your experience. It’s exciting to hear about such an incident from someone you really experienced it!

    • M V Morgan says:

      Today flight from Malaga Spain to Gatwick London four passengers down graded from Business Class to economy no fast track or lounge o
      Due to over booking flight attendant completed complaint form airline British Airways
      What next

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