Austrian Airlines Denied Boarding: Your Expert Guide on Overbooked Flights

Written By Joanna Teljeur

Last Updated: April 15, 2025

If you’re denied boarding an Austrian Airlines flight, it can seem like the ultimate act of unfairness. After all, you have a confirmed ticket and you showed up on time, but if you’re flying with Austrian and departing from an airport in the EU or UK, then you can at least count on the fact you’ll be compensated for the inconvenience. 

In this guide, we’ll explain how you can get as much as £520 (€600) if you were denied boarding an overbooked Austrian flight, your rights as a passenger, and what to do immediately if it happens to you.

What Happens When Austrian Overbooks Flights

Overbooking happens when a flight has been oversold but all ticketed passengers arrive for boarding. The airline won’t start to deny passengers right away. Instead, they will seek people, willing to give up their seat in exchange for a later flight and a compensation package. 

Sometimes the compensation offered to volunteers can be substantial - and it’s meant to be. In fact many travellers are surprised by how much they can get for simply giving up their seat for a later flight. For example, you could get upgraded to business or first class on your new flight, lounge access, cash, and other perks. 

As the flight gets closer to departure, Austrian will begin selecting passengers to deny boarding if they were unable to get enough volunteers. Usually, the passengers they choose are the last to check-in and have purchased the least expensive seat. 

How Austrian Will Help You if You’re Denied Boarding

Denied boarding can happen for any number of reasons, but if Austrian Airlines keeps you from boarding because the flight was overbooked, then you are entitled to cash compensation as well as:

• A replacement flight to your destination at no additional cost
• A refund, if you don’t want to continue with your journey.
• Access to free communication (2 free calls, emails, wi-fi)
• Meal and refreshments if you have to wait at least 2 hours for your new booking.
• Hotel accommodation if you’re forced to wait overnight as well as related transport.

How Much Compensation Can You Get from Austrian Airlines?

If your flight was oversold and you were involuntarily denied boarding, you could collect between £220 (€250) and £520 (€600) in compensation, based on the distance of your flight as seen in the table below.

It’s important to note that your compensation could be halved if you accept a rebooking and arrive within 2 hours of your original flight, for flights up to 1,500 km, within 3 hours for flights between 1,500- 3,500 km or within 4 hours for flights longer than 3,500 km.

What to Do if You’re Denied Boarding by Austrian Airlines

Now, to ensure you’re treated fairly by the airline, it’s important to take the following steps immediately once you’ve been bumped.

1. Get written confirmation explaining why you were denied boarding.
2. Request a replacement flight or a refund.
3. Ask for care and assistance if you are forced to wait for hours at the airport for your flight. 
4. Document everything. Keep all correspondence with the airline as well as boarding passes, receipts for essential purchases, and any other documents to prove that you were denied boarding an overbooked flight.

Find out if you’re owed compensation for an overbooked flightCheck Your Flight

Why Austrian Airlines Overbooks Flights?

Overbooking is legal and many airlines do it to increase profits. They realise that some passengers won’t make it to the airport in time, will cancel at the last minute, or miss their flight because of earlier flight cancellations or delays.

To offset this, they sell more tickets than available seats in order to ensure every flight is full. Most of the time, Austrian will oversell flights, and no one is denied boarding because of it, but if all ticketed passengers arrive for the flight, then someone will have to be bumped - whether voluntarily or involuntarily.

When You Won’t be Compensated for Denied Boarding

Not every denied boarding situation will be eligible for compensation. The following list provides a few instances when Austrian Airlines will not compensate you for involuntary denied boarding.

• Interfering with the duties of the flight crew
• Posing a security or safety concern
• Engaging in unruly behaviour towards the crew and other passengers. An example is physically assaulting a passenger or threatening airline staff.
• Intoxication or acting under the influence of illegal drugs
• Presenting communicable health issues 
• Failure to have the correct travel documents

How to Avoid Denied Boarding from Overbooked Flights

You might not be able to avoid oversold flights completely, but there are a few things you can do to minimise your chances of it happening.

1. Always check in as early as possible. Austrian will select passengers for involuntary denied boarding based on their check-in time.
2. Get a seat assignment when you check-in or earlier! Those passengers without a seat are also more likely to be denied boarding.
3. Choose flights operating on off-peak days and times like during the middle of the week.
4. Stay away from buying discounted or basic economy seats. 
5. Join Austrian Airlines’ loyalty program. Frequent flyers are usually not chosen for involuntary denied boarding.

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 checkerCheck Your Flight