Ryanair overbooking: what to do and how to claim up to €600
Reviewed by José Romero Lara
EU261 aviation lawyer — 5+ years as in-house legal counsel at international airlines
Like any airline, Ryanair can sell more tickets than the aircraft has seats. When everyone shows up and there isn’t room for someone, it has to deny them boarding, and that triggers very specific rights under Regulation (EC) 261/2004: immediate cash compensation, a choice between a refund or an alternative flight, and assistance while you wait. This guide explains what to do at the Ryanair gate and how to claim if it doesn’t pay what you’re owed.
Did Ryanair deny you boarding?
Check for free how much you’re owed. Nothing to pay upfront.
Check my flight1Your rights if Ryanair denies you boarding
The Regulation defines denied boarding as refusing you access to a flight on which you had a confirmed reservation and presented yourself on time, without a reasonable ground such as health, safety or incorrect documents (Art. 2(j)). Ryanair cannot rely on extraordinary circumstances to avoid paying: it’s only exempt if the denial had one of those reasonable grounds.
What Ryanair owes you
Compensation
€250, €400 or €600 per passenger depending on the flight distance (Art. 7)
Refund or alternative flight
Your choice: the ticket price back within 7 days, or the first option to reach your destination (Art. 8)
Assistance
Food, drink, communications and a hotel with transfers if you have to wait (Art. 9)
Showing up on time
You must have presented yourself at the Ryanair desk or gate by the time it set, or if it set none, at least 45 minutes before departure (Art. 3(2)). That’s the only requirement for the denial to count as involuntary.
2How much Ryanair owes you
Overbooking compensation on Ryanair
Up to 1,500 km
Madrid–Barcelona, Dublin–London
Over 1,500 km within the EU, or 1,500–3,500 km
Madrid–Warsaw, Malaga–Istanbul
Over 3,500 km outside the EU
Ryanair operates few routes this long
If Ryanair reroutes you on another flight arriving no more than 2 hours (up to 1,500 km), 3 hours (1,500–3,500 km) or 4 hours (over 3,500 km) after your scheduled arrival, it may pay only 50% (Art. 7.2).
Check how much I’m owed3Volunteering or involuntary denial: not the same thing
Before refusing anyone boarding, Ryanair must ask for volunteers to give up their seat in exchange for agreed terms (Art. 4(1)).
You offer to give up your seat
What you get is whatever you negotiate with Ryanair at that moment: money, vouchers or other benefits. You’re not entitled to the fixed €250–600 under Art. 7, so compare the offer before accepting.
Ryanair denies you boarding without asking
There’s no negotiation here: you’re owed the fixed compensation, a refund or alternative flight, and assistance, whether you agree to it or not.
4What to do at the Ryanair desk or gate
- 1
Don’t sign anything without reading it
If you’re asked to volunteer, ask exactly what you’ll get in return. If it doesn’t convince you, say so: if you’re then denied boarding without your agreement, you get full compensation.
- 2
Ask for the denied boarding document
Ryanair must give you one in writing, along with the written notice of your rights (Art. 14). Without it, claiming later is harder.
- 3
Choose a refund or an alternative flight
Say clearly which you want at the desk. If you take the alternative flight, keep the new boarding pass: its arrival time decides whether compensation is halved.
- 4
Keep every receipt
Boarding pass, booking confirmation, the denied boarding document and receipts for anything you pay while you wait.
- 5
Claim the compensation from Ryanair
If it didn’t pay at the airport, fill in the EU261 form in the ryanair.com help centre with the booking reference, flight number and the amount you’re claiming. Keep the case number.
5If Ryanair doesn’t pay or rejects the claim
Denied boarding cases are among the strongest against Ryanair: it can’t rely on extraordinary circumstances, so a rejection is usually a mistake or a delaying tactic.
If a month has passed with no answer
You can complain free of charge to AESA. For flights from 2 June 2023, its decision is binding on Ryanair: if it doesn’t pay within a month, you can have it enforced before the juzgado de primera instancia. We cover this step by step in our guide on what to do when Ryanair doesn’t respond, linked at the end of this article.
You can also sue directly, without going through AESA: up to €2,000 without a lawyer or court agent, always before the juzgado de primera instancia, never the commercial court. Or let AviFly handle it for you: 15% + VAT if you get paid out of court and 30% + VAT if it goes to court.
AviFly claims your Ryanair overbooking compensation
Nothing upfront. We only charge if you get your compensation.
Claim my overbookingFrequently asked questions
Does Ryanair overbook flights?
Yes. Like most airlines, Ryanair sells more tickets than the aircraft has seats, based on how many passengers usually don’t show up. It’s legal; what Regulation (EC) 261/2004 regulates is what happens when everyone shows up and someone can’t fly.
Does Ryanair pay the compensation at the airport?
It may offer it on the spot, but in practice it usually directs you to the EU261 form on ryanair.com to process it afterwards. If it doesn’t pay there and then, you can still claim it later.
How long do I have to claim from Ryanair for overbooking?
In Spain the generally accepted time limit is 5 years from the flight date (Art. 1964 of the Spanish Civil Code). Claiming sooner makes it easier to keep hold of the documentation.
What if I volunteered and the replacement flight had problems?
By volunteering you give up the fixed compensation for the original flight in exchange for what was agreed, but the replacement flight is a new flight: if that one is delayed or cancelled, you have the usual EU261 rights over it.
Can Ryanair deny me boarding for another reason and not pay?
Yes: it can refuse boarding for safety, incorrect documents or inappropriate behaviour, and compensation doesn’t apply in those cases. Only denied boarding without a reasonable ground — usually overbooking — entitles you to the €250–600.