Airlines cannot simply bump passengers with confirmed tickets without consequences. Here is what DGCA denied boarding rules say about compensation, refunds and passenger rights. (Representative Image: Pexels)

Denied boarding in India: Airlines may owe you Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000

Have a confirmed flight ticket but get refused boarding because the airline overbooked? DGCA rules require airlines to pay compensation in several such cases. Here is what passengers are entitled to claim.

14 Sep 2026, 06:02 by India Today Information Desk · India Today

In Short

Passengers with confirmed tickets may be entitled to compensation for denied boarding
The amount depends on how late the replacement flight is
Written proof and a formal complaint can help passengers claim their dues

If an airline in India refuses to let you board despite having a confirmed ticket, you may be owed more than an apology or a travel voucher. DGCA rules on denied boarding require airlines to pay compensation in certain situations, particularly when passengers are bumped because a flight is overbooked.

The amount depends on how quickly the airline offers an alternative flight. Yet many passengers do not know these rights, and airlines have previously been pulled up for failing to pay compensation that was legally due.

DENIED BOARDING: WHAT YOU ARE OWED

These rules apply when you have a confirmed ticket, report for the flight on time and are refused boarding because the airline has overbooked the flight.

Here is the compensation structure:

Situation	What the airline owes
Alternative flight within 1 hour of original departure	No compensation
Alternative flight within 24 hours	200% of basic one-way fare plus fuel charge, capped at Rs 10,000
Alternative flight after more than 24 hours	400% of basic one-way fare plus fuel charge, capped at Rs 20,000

If you do not want to take the alternative flight, the airline must provide a full ticket refund along with the applicable compensation.

CANCELLATIONS, DELAYS AND BAGGAGE

Flight cancellations can also trigger compensation. If an airline cancels a flight with less than two weeks’ notice and does not offer a suitable alternative within a reasonable time, passengers may be entitled to compensation and a refund.

For long delays, airlines are required to provide meals and refreshments after the prescribed delay period. If passengers are stranded overnight, hotel accommodation may also be required.

Delayed, lost or damaged baggage is covered under separate compensation rules. Keep your baggage tag and report the issue before leaving the airport.

AIRLINES HAVE BEEN PULLED UP BEFORE

In 2022, the aviation regulator fined Air India Rs 10 lakh after inspections at Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi found cases where passengers with valid tickets were denied boarding without receiving the compensation required under the rules.

The regulator noted that the airline may not have had a proper policy in place for such cases. In other words, this is not merely about passengers failing to submit a form. Airlines have been found not paying what they owed.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE BUMPED OFF

Ask the airline for the denied boarding decision in writing. Photograph your boarding pass and the airport departure board. Send a written complaint to the airline and retain the acknowledgement.

If the issue is not resolved, passengers can approach a consumer commission. Consumer complaints can generally be filed online, and a lawyer is not mandatory for small claims.

The compensation exists whether you ask for it or not. But if you do not claim it, the mone

- Ends