British Airways Denied Boarding Compensation

Were you denied boarding by British Airways even though you had a valid ticket?

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If you were refused entry onto your British Airways flight against your will, you may be entitled to up to €600 in compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004 — plus care and assistance at the airport.

Check compensation     

What is denied boarding?

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Denied boarding happens when an airline refuses to let you board a flight you have a confirmed ticket for, despite arriving at the airport and checking in on time.

This often happens because of:

• Overbooking (selling more tickets than seats available)
• Aircraft changes resulting in fewer available seats
• Operational mismanagement

If the denial was British Airlines’s decision and not your fault, you may be entitled to both compensation and assistance.

When are you entitled to denied boarding compensation from British Airways?

Under EU Regulation 261/2004, you can claim compensation if:

• You had a valid booking and checked in on time
• Boarding was denied against your will
• The flight departed from the EU, or was operated by an EU airline arriving in the EU
• The denial wasn’t due to extraordinary circumstances or your own conduct (e.g., missing documents)

British Airways denied boarding: what are your care rights at the airport?

If you’re denied boarding, the British Airways must immediately offer you:

• Meals and refreshments
• Access to phone calls or email
• Hotel accommodation if you must wait overnight
• Transport between the hotel and airport

These rights apply regardless of the reason for denied boarding.

More about British Airways

With over 100 years of aviation history, British Airways has flown royalty, rockstars, and millions of everyday passengers to all corners of the world. Today, it serves over 200 destinations, operates nearly 280 aircraft, and is a founding member of the Oneworld alliance. But let’s be honest — even legendary airlines have rough days. And in recent years, British Airways has had more than a few.

In 2024, British Airways reported £14.4 billion in revenue and carried around 45 million passengers. Impressive, right?

Now here’s the less glamorous side:

- It also recorded a delay rate close to 24%, placing it among Europe’s top 10 most disrupted carriers.

- By mid-2025, British Airways had logged over 18,000 delayed flights, many exceeding the critical 3-hour threshold for compensation.

- In May 2025, a major IT failure grounded more than 200 flights in 72 hours, creating chaos at Heathrow and Gatwick.

It’s not always British Airways´s fault. European airspace is getting more crowded, and air traffic control strikes in France are causing ripple effects across the continent. In fact, a growing share of British Airways´s delays in 2025 have been directly linked to ATC disruptions — especially during school holidays and long weekends.

Still, many delays are within the airline’s control — from technical issues to staff shortages and late aircraft turnarounds. And that’s where your rights come in.