Norwegian Denied Boarding Compensation

Norwegian overbooking compensation / denied boarding compensation.

How much is flight overbooking compensation? Rules? How to get it?

Flight overbooking is common in the aviation industry. To ensure that there are no empty seats at take off, airlines sell more tickets than there are seats on the plane. This is how airlines deal with no-shows and maximize capacity of their flights. But not always everything goes as planned. Sometimes all people who bought tickets show up for the flight. But there are not enough seats. So an airline has to refuse boarding to some persons.  

And the airline is obliged to pay EU denied boarding compensation.

There are two ways you can claim this compensation.

1. Norwegian Overbooking Compensation: EU Denied Boarding Regulations

Have you been denied boarding by Norwegian? 

What are your rights when it happens? In Europe, passengers are protected under the law. In the event of denied boarding, there are certain things the airline has to do. 

If you’re flying to or from Europe with Norwegian, and you are involuntarily denied boarding due to overbooking — you are entitled to flight overbooking compensation (EU denied boarding compensation) of up to €600. Everyone who has been denied boarding due to overbooking, also has a right to receive care from Norwegian (more on that below).

This only applies to overbookings.

The EU regulations apply only to situations when you are denied boarding due to overbooking. You won’t be entitled to compensation if you are denied boarding due to issues with your visa or passport, or if you voluntarily give up your seat.

Read more: Regulation (EC) No 261/2004; Regulation UK261

By Europe and EU here on this page (and on this website in general) we mean all EU Member States, the United Kingdom (UK), Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion, Mayotte, Saint Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.

1.1 Voluntary Denied Boarding

What is voluntary denied boarding?

First things first — what is overbooking? According to the definition, overbooking simply means that an airline has accepted more bookings for a particular flight than there is room for. But what happens if too many people come? 

If this happens, the airline will look for volunteers who agrees to travel later, on the next flight. These passengers will be given instant compensation (money or vouchers), and, if the flight departs on the next day, a free hotel stay. It’s called voluntary boarding denial.

If you accept this offer, you can’t get Norwegian denied boarding compensation.

You don’t have to agree to an offer like this.

1.2 Involuntary Denied Boarding

There are situations when passengers don’t have a choice.

There are not enough volunteers. And there aren’t any free seats left. In a situation like this, people with confirmed tickets may be denied boarding. If that has happened to you, know that it’s called involuntarily denied boarding, and you will be entitled to compensation from Norwegian.

What happens in case of involuntary denied boarding?

• The airline must offer you a free flight to your destination;
• If you don’t want to travel on that flight, the airline has to offer you a full refund instead;
• In addition to that, you are entitled to receive care from the airline*;
• You are entitled to compensation up to €600 per passenger. 

* Norwegian must offer you free meals and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time, two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes. If you have to wait overnight, Norwegian must provide you with free accommodation and free transfer from and to the airport.

1.3 Right to Care

All passengers travelling with Norwegian have a right to care.

If you have been denied boarding, you have a right to receive care from the airline. And it doesn’t matter if you’ve been denied boarding voluntarily or involuntarily. When it comes to right to care, all denied boarding passengers can receive it. As long as it’s boarding denial due to overbooking.

What does it mean for you as a passenger?

Norwegian must offer you free meals and drinks in a reasonable relation to the waiting time, two free phone calls, e-mails or faxes. If your new flight departs on the next day, free accommodation and free hotel transfer must be offered by Norwegian. Agreeing to these free services doesn’t affect your chances of getting compensation.

It applies to all situations when you have to wait for 3 or more hours extra.

Contact the airline if you haven’t been offered anything.

2. How to Claim Norwegian Flight Compensation? How to Claim Flight Overbooking Compensation?

You can claim compensation yourself.

The other option is to work with professionals.

One of the options is to contact Norwegian yourself. Contact Norwegian via the live chat or using social media channels. Find out where can you send your compensation claim regarding your disrupted Norwegian flight. You might need to fill in Online Dispute Resolution form on europa.eu/. Note that it might take at least a couple of months until you get the denied boarding compensation Norwegian owes you.

You can also take the easiest path — legal representation.

Register your Norwegian compensation claim with the help of a flight compensation company. In this case, you don’t have to do much. Fill in and sign one form. Submit the form. The flight compensation company will pursue compensation on your behalf. Our partners offer such services. Click on the link below.

Read more:

• How to Claim Norwegian Compensation?
• Norwegian Missed Connection Compensation
• Norwegian Compensation Claim Denied: What’s Next?

2.1 How Long Does It Take?

It depends on a number of factors.

Most people receive their money in a few months. If you are lucky, and everything goes smoothly, it will take less, about 2-3 months. If Norwegian isn’t cooperative and refuses to pay compensation, you will need to take your claim to a national enforcement body or court. If that’s the case with your claim, it will add at least a couple of months to the whole process. 

3. How Much Can You Claim?

In the EU compensation amounts are fixed.

In most situations they range from €250 to €600.

Here is how you can calculate Norwegian compensation yourself:

When your destination is within the EU/UK:

When your destination is outside the EU/UK:

If you are claiming compensation yourself, ask for the right amount. If you don’t, the airline might offer you a smaller compensation. Don’t agree to a smaller amount if you are entitled to a larger compensation. The compensation amounts are regulated by the EU.

There’s one exception. When the flight distance is 3500+ kilometres and you reach your destination 3 to 4 hours later than planned, you are entitled only to 50% of the compensation amount (that means €300, not €600).

3.1 Norwegian Voucher Code, Discounts or Cash?

According to the law, compensations have to be paid in cash or by bank transfer.

If you are offered a voucher refund or a voucher compensation, you don’t have to accept it. Request a bank transfer instead. Norwegian vouchers aren’t the same thing as compensation or refund.

Norwegian Denied Boarding Compensation: FAQ

Problems With Visa or Passport

EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists

Other Situations

What is your experience? Have you ever received Norwegian overbooking compensation? Do you still have questions about Norwegian compensation claim procedures and policies? Ask in the comments.