What is an Involuntary Downgrade
An involuntary downgrade is a situation where the airline reassigns someone in a higher cabin class to a lower one against their will. You can be informed about this at any time before departure, but the most problematic downgrading happens at the last minute when there’s no time to easily make alternate plans.
What Causes Downgrades
Any number of factors can contribute to airlines downgrading passengers.
Changing Planes
Sometimes the aircraft that was intended for your scheduled flight has to be swapped out for another plane because of technical problems or a bird strike. When this happens, the new plane could be completely different from the original one with fewer seats or fewer premium seats. This could cause passengers to be downgraded.
Overbooked Flights
To maximise profits and efficiency, airlines frequently oversell flights in case some passengers don’t show up. However, this can backfire if all passengers arrive for boarding. When this happens to the premium cabin, passengers will be downgraded so that more people can be accommodated.
Segmenting Cabins
These days, airlines seem to be creating more and more fare classes. Because of this segmentation, it is easier for one class to be oversold and causing more seat downgrades as a result. For example, instead of using the four basic classes: First Class, Business, Premium Economy and Economy, some airlines also offer Basic Economy and Ultra Luxury classes.
Seats for Airline Crew
Pilots and crew members need to rest, especially on long-haul flights. In fact, they are required to do so in most countries. In the US, the Federal Aviation Administration requires these breaks, which means that premium seats may be needed for crewmembers. As a result, some passengers may be downgraded.
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How Airlines Prioritise Downgrades
Even though it may seem arbitrary, airlines have specific policies for dealing with downgrades. Usually, their decision is based on a combination of a passenger’s status as a frequent flyer, their seating class, and when they checked-in.
So, if you were a frequent flyer with British Airways, for example, and you bought a seat in first or business class, then chances are you wouldn’t be downgraded. On the other hand, if you didn’t have status as a frequent flyer, booked a seat in business class and checked-in late, you might be bumped to coach if business class was oversold.
Your Rights and Compensation for Involuntary Downgrades
Your rights for downgrades and the compensation associated with it will be different depending on where you’re travelling.
Region | Distance of Flight | Compensation/Reimbursement |
EU & UK | Up to 1,500 km | 30% of ticket price |
Less than 3,500 km | 50% of ticket price | |
More than 3,500 km | 75% of ticket price | |
US | N/A | Reimbursement for difference in price (individual airlines may offer a percentage of the difference) |
Canada | N/A | Reimbursement for difference in price |
United Kingdom
On flights with a UK airline like British Airways or flights departing from a UK airport, your passenger rights are protected by UK 261. These regulations are nearly identical to EU 261 and require airlines to compensate passengers a percentage of their purchased ticket price based on the distance of their flight.
European Union
In the EU, your air passenger rights are protected by EU Regulation 261, which governs eligibility for flight delay compensation, cancelled flight compensation, and involuntary downgrades. The rules state that airlines may be required to compensate you between 30%-75% of the price you paid for your ticket if your original seat is involuntarily downgraded to a lower class. In order to be eligible for EU protections, you must be flying with an EU carrier like Air France or departing from an EU airport, if you’re flying with a non-EU carrier.
The exact amount you could receive is determined by flight distance and must be provided to you within 7 days of your flight date.
United States
In the US, passenger rights are upheld by the US Department of Transportation. The DOT states that US airlines, like Delta, must refund the difference in fare price to passengers whose seats have been downgraded involuntarily. The procedure for this varies among airlines, but you can find specifics about downgrades in the carrier's contract of carriage.
If you are departing from the US on a US-based carrier like United, then you are protected by US laws. But, if you are flying from the US with a British or EU carrier, your rights are also protected by EU or UK law.
PRO TIP: If your seat is suddenly upgraded, you don’t have to pay the difference in price. So, if you bought an economy ticket and got upgraded to first class, you don’t owe anything to the airline even though there might be a considerable price difference.
How to Get Compensated for Downgrades
Airlines should reimburse you immediately for downgrades. This means that you should get cash compensation deposited to your bank account or issued to the credit card you used to buy your ticket. In some situations, this might take a few days, but carriers must refund you within 7 days of your flight.
You might also be offered vouchers or coupons, but be careful accepting these, and read all the details. It’s commonplace for vouchers to have restrictive policies and blackout dates, so be sure you know what you’re accepting.
If you aren’t given the compensation you’re entitled to right away, you can make a claim with the airline. Go to their website and find their customer service information. You might need to provide your flight number, boarding pass, and ticket information to prove your case, so as soon as you find out your seat has been downgraded, make sure to keep track of any information that will help you support your claim.
How to Avoid Involuntary Downgrades
You might not be able to avoid seating class downgrades all together, but here are some things you can do to reduce the chances of it happening:
- Buy tickets early: The sooner you purchase your ticket, the less likely you are to be downgraded. Also, try to choose travel days that tend to have less traffic.
- Check in and arrive on-time: Many airlines will downgrade passengers who check in and arrive last, so be sure to check in early.
- Get airline status: Frequent flyers and airline loyalty members tend to avoid downgrades especially in cases where they purchased their ticket with cash and not points.
Seating class and cabin section downgrades might be painful from a comfort perspective, but you don’t have to feel the pain in your wallet as well.
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