Overbooking is not a glitch but a deliberate calculation: the airline sells more seats than the cabin holds, betting that some passengers will not show up. When everyone does, someone has to stay behind. If that is you, you have specific rights — and the place to assert them is right there at the gate.
First the airline looks for volunteers in exchange for compensation or a voucher; if too few step up, it denies boarding involuntarily. Either way you are owed rerouting or a refund plus care (meals, and a hotel if needed). An involuntary denial usually adds a cash payment. Ask for written confirmation of the reason and keep your boarding pass — find your booking details in My bookings.
01 / What it isOverbooking vs. simply missing the gate
The decisive question is whose fault it is that you are not on board. With overbooking you arrived on time and checked in, but no physical seat was left — that is on the carrier. If you simply missed the gate or the check-in cut-off, no compensation is due, however frustrating that feels.
02 / At the gateWhat to do right at the gate
Stay at the desk
Everything is decided here and now. Calmly tell the agent that you are being denied boarding on a flight for which you hold a confirmed booking.
Clarify: volunteer or involuntary
If you did not agree to give up your seat for a reward, this is an involuntary denial — and it carries more rights than a voluntary one.
Ask for written confirmation of the reason
Request a note or stamp stating that you were denied boarding due to overbooking. This is the key document for both compensation and refund.
Record the time and keep the boarding pass
Photograph the board, your boarding pass and any document issued. Note the agent's name if you can.
Agree on rerouting or a refund
Decide whether you take the next flight or a refund — and ask for meal and hotel vouchers if the wait is long.
03 / Your rightsWhat you are entitled to
What you get depends on whether you volunteered to give up the seat and on which rules govern the flight — European (Regulation EC 261) or Russian. The core principle is the same: you are generally owed a choice between rerouting and a refund plus care, and an involuntary denial typically adds a cash payment on top. Confirm the exact scope with the carrier and our support.
04 / How muchWhat the compensation amount depends on
There is no single figure — the amount follows the applicable rules. Under the European EC 261 regulation it generally depends on flight distance and how late you ultimately arrive. Russian rules calculate differently, usually tied to the fare and the length of the delay. Always confirm the exact figure with the carrier and our support — we do not quote a fixed amount in advance.
- Flight distance — short, medium and long sectors are rated differently (under EC 261).
- How late you arrive on the alternative flight.
- Applicable jurisdiction — the point of departure and the operating airline.
- Type of denial — voluntary or involuntary.
05 / How to claimFiling for compensation and a refund
Gather your documents
Boarding pass, e-ticket, the written overbooking confirmation, and receipts for any costs (food, transport, hotel).
File a claim with the carrier
The airline pays the compensation. Send a written claim with the documents attached and your booking reference.
Loop in Sales.Travel
Open a request in My bookings or message us — we will help with the wording and track the refund.
Watch the timeline
Note the filing date. If there is no reply for a long time, escalate through support and, if needed, to the regulator.
06 / FAQFrequently asked questions
I was bumped but offered a voucher. Should I take it?
Only if you are volunteering and the offer is genuinely good. By agreeing you usually waive the fixed compensation for an involuntary denial. If the delay matters to you, insist on involuntary status and the earliest alternative flight.
The airline won't give written confirmation of the reason. What now?
Calmly but firmly repeat the request to a senior agent and document the refusal: photos of the board and your boarding pass, the staff member's name, and the time. Contact us right away on 8 800 1000-646 — we can help file the claim even without a perfect paper trail.
Who pays the compensation — Sales.Travel or the airline?
The cash compensation for overbooking is paid by the operating airline. Sales.Travel is your agent: we help rebook the route, process the refund and support your claim, but the payment itself comes from the carrier.
I missed boarding because of a long security queue. Does that count as overbooking?
No. If a seat was held for you but you did not reach the gate in time, that counts as being late — no overbooking compensation applies. Always allow extra time for check-in and security, and arrive at the gate early.