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When are you entitled to a Vueling overbooking compensation?
Compensation is payable in the event of overbooking as stipulated in European regulation EC 261/2004.
You are entitled to compensation whenever you are denied boarding on the aircraft.
To obtain the agreed amount, boarding must be denied directly by Vueling; if you decide not to travel for personal reasons, no amount will be paid.
The company will always be responsible for this, because more tickets are sold than seats.
What is the amount of compensation for overbooking?
In case of overbooking, Vueling compensates its passengers for the relevant amounts:
- 250€ for routes of less than 1500 km
- 400€ for routes of more than 1500 km
- 600€ for routes of more than 3500 km
The amount of compensation is intended as indemnity for the damage caused to the passenger, while the reimbursement of the ticket means the refund of the amount paid for the purchase of the route.
In case of overbooking, the company is obliged by law to reschedule the passenger on the first available flight, even with a different company.
Alternatively, if they are unable to re-route the passenger on a new flight, he/she should be refund the amount spent for the purchase of the ticket in addition to the agreed compensation.
During the entire waiting time at the airport, Vueling will assist the passenger by offering vouchers for the purchase of meals and drinks.
Assistance at the airport when denied boarding
Vueling provides assistance to its passengers in case of overbooking.
During the waiting time, starting from the next two hours, vouchers will be issued for the purchase of basic necessities at the airport.
If the flight is ready to depart, it will be considered whether it is more convenient to speed up boarding manoeuvres at the expense of issuing the voucher.
It is the airline's responsibility to assist the passenger throughout the entire wait.
How to detect an overbooking?
Detecting overbooking is quite easy: during the online check-in phase when the first problems arise with the issuing of boarding passes, it is possible that the flight is overbooked.
It is best to handle the situation as best you can.
You must present yourself at the airport on the day of the flight and proceed to the Vueling desk to request the issue of boarding passes.
It is at this point that the assistant will be able to tell you if the flight is overbooked.
Failure to turn up at the airport will result in the impossibility of obtaining compensation.
In fact, Vueling must be the one to communicate the denied boarding.
Once the communication is received, a certificate of denied boarding and a new ticket will be issued so that you can take the next flight.
Time limit for claim a compensation
As stipulated in EU261, the maximum time limit for claiming a Vueling refund is five years from the date of denied boarding. This limit is imposed from the moment that the company's head office is located in Spain.
Once this time limit has passed, it will no longer be possible to claim any compensation from Vueling.
Requirements for claim Vueling overbooking compensation
In the case of Vueling overbooking, it is possible to request a compensation if the following requirements are met:
- overbooking communicated by the company and that the passenger has gone to the airport to request a boarding pass.
- the boarding must have been denied within the previous 5 years.
How to claim Vueling overbooking compensation
Getting Vueling compensation is quite easy.
First of all it is good to take note of the main information, such as departure airport, arrival airport and flight number (usually recognisable by the abbreviation VY).
It is important to keep the document issued by the company where you are notified of the denied boarding.
Once these data have been collected, you can fill in the
complaint form by attaching your identity document and a copy of your boarding pass. Alternatively, a copy of the cancellation e-mail.
With these two simple steps you can immediately find out whether you are entitled to compensation and the amount.
The amount of compensation does not correspond to the ticket price but is paid as follows:
- 400€ for flights less than 1500 km
- 400€ for routes more than 1500 km
- 600€ for flights more than 3500 km