Denied Boarding a Volaris Flight? Here’s What You Need to Know
Have you been bumped from a Volaris flight? Whether you were involuntarily denied boarding or you willingly surrendered your seat, you still have certain passenger rights that the airline must adhere to when they overbook flights.
Under the right circumstances, you could be owed as much as $2,150 in compensation from Volaris. So, in this guide, you’ll learn about your passenger rights, what you’re entitled to, and what steps to take if you’re bumped from an overbooked flight.
What Happens When Volaris Overbooks Flights
Even ultra low-cost airlines like Volaris overbook flights to maximize profits. When they do, they typically follow certain protocols, including making a call for volunteers before they resort to bumping passengers involuntarily.
So, if you’re ready to board and learn that your flight has been oversold, Volaris will offer a later flight and some form of compensation to anyone willing to make the change. In the event that too few volunteers offer their seats, the airline will have no choice but to select passengers to deny boarding.
Pro Tip: You can decrease your chances of being bumped by checking-in and arriving at the airport as early as possible. These passengers are usually the last ones to be chosen for bumping.
Compensation for Volaris Denied Boarding from the United States
Your US passenger rights are protected by the U.S. Department of Transportation. So, if your flight was departing from the United States, and you were involuntarily bumped because of overbooking, you are entitled, by law, to as much as $2,150 in cash compensation, depending on how late you arrive at your destination, as well as:
- An official document stating exactly why you were bumped, your compensation estimate, and your passenger rights,
- A seat on the next available flight to your destination, or
- A full ticket refund, issued within 7 days for flights purchased with a credit card, and 20 days if you paid for your ticket another way.
Note: You must be given your compensation immediately at the airport or within 24 hours.
Involuntary denied boarding compensation in the U.S. is as follows:
Length of the Delay | Compensation Payout |
Arrive within an hour of your original arrival time | None |
Arrive between 1-4 hours of your original arrival time | 200% of one-way fare or up to $1,075, whichever is lower |
Arrive over 4 hours later than your original arrival time | 400% of one-way fare or up to $2,150 whichever is lower |
Compensation for Volaris Denied Boarding from Mexico
If you are departing from Mexico, then your passenger rights are determined by Mexico’s Air Passenger Rights Law (Ley de Aviación Civil). So, if you’ve been involuntarily denied boarding, then you can expect to receive:
- A rebooking on the next available flight
- Access to communication
- Vouchers for food and refreshments appropriate for the amount of time you have to wait for your new departure time
- Hotel accommodation for overnight delays and related transport
In addition to this, you are owed cash compensation that is at least 25% of your ticket price or the unused part of your trip, as promised in Volaris’s contract of carriage as well as Mexico’s Supreme Court.
If you’ve been bumped from a Volaris flight, and you’re not sure you’re owed compensation, enter your flight details in the link below to check your eligibility and how much you could receive.Check Your Flight
What to Do When You’re Denied Boarding a Volaris Flight
- Ask for written confirmation of why you were denied boarding.
- Ask for a replacement flight or a refund.
- Collect supporting evidence of your experience, including any communication with Volaris, screenshots of notifications in the mobile app, boarding passes, and anything else that can prove you were bumped.
You should receive your cash payout within 24 hours, but if you don’t, you will have plenty of proof to submit with your compensation claim.
You Won’t be Eligible for Denied Boarding Compensation if . . .
You can be prevented from boarding your flight for many different reasons, but not all of them will lead to cash compensation, including:
- Intoxication or acting under the influence of illegal drugs
- Presenting communicable illness
- Failure to have the correct travel documents
- Engaging in unruly behavior towards the crew and other passengers.
- Posing a security or safety concern
- Interfering with the duties of the flight crew
How to File a Compensation Claim with Volaris
If you were bumped from an overbooked Volaris flight, and you don’t get the compensation you deserve, you'll have to submit a compensation claim.
- Go to Volaris’s official website and look for the claims submission tab. You can also look for their contact info.
- Next, draft a letter to the airline describing what happened, including all the details of your trip. You should also mention that you are requesting denied boarding compensation as per US DOT or Government of Mexico rules. You can use this letter template as a guide.
- Attach copies of the document given to you when you were denied boarding as well as boarding passes and as much supporting evidence as you can provide. Remember, you have to show Volaris what happened, and why you are owed compensation.
Need Help with a Claim?
If you’ve been bumped from a flight and need help getting compensated, AirAdvisor is happy to assist. We’ve been protecting air passengers’ rights since 2017, and our legal team has a 98% win rate for airline compensation claims. See if your flight is eligible by entering your basic flight details into our free compensation checker.
Were you denied boarding by Volaris?
Check if you qualify for reimbursement in just 3 minutes.
