Cathay Pacific denied boarding compensation
Compensation is due immediately when you are refused boarding against your will — most often because the flight was overbooked — provided you checked in on time with a confirmed reservation. It does not depend on how late you eventually arrived. If you volunteered your seat in exchange for benefits, the fixed compensation does not apply.
Which Cathay Pacific flights are covered
Cathay Pacific is registered in Hong Kong — outside the EU and UK — so only flights leaving Europe are covered.
- Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
- Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
- Flying into the UK or EU from Hong Kong or elsewhere: not covered by either, because Cathay Pacific is not a UK or EU carrier.
- That means a return trip is usually half-protected: the outbound from Europe counts, the flight home does not.
Worked examples on Cathay Pacific routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (LHR) → Hong Kong (HKG) | 9,631 km | UK261 | £520 |
| Hong Kong (HKG) → London (LHR) | 9,631 km | — | Not covered |
| Paris (CDG) → Hong Kong (HKG) | 9,591 km | EU261 | €600 |
| Hong Kong (HKG) → Paris (CDG) | 9,591 km | — | Not covered |
Notice the asymmetry: the same route pays in one direction and not the other, because Cathay Pacific is not a UK or EU airline and only departures from Europe are protected.
What Cathay Pacific is likely to say — and the answer
“You arrived at the gate late” — ask for the recorded gate-closure time.
“You volunteered” — only if you actually agreed to give up the seat in exchange for benefits.
“Operational reasons” or a “change of aircraft” to a smaller one — still denied boarding against your will.
Documentation or safety grounds — legitimate if genuine, but the airline must justify them.
Specific to Cathay Pacific
Not an EU or UK carrier. London, Manchester, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Milan departures are covered; the returns from Hong Kong are not.
Hong Kong connections onto the rest of Asia and Australia on a single booking are measured at the final destination.
Every Europe–Hong Kong route is well over 3,500 km, so the covered direction is £520 or €600.
They typically respond within about six weeks with a specific operational reason.
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your Cathay Pacific denied boarding appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with Cathay Pacific’s likely objection answered in advance. You keep 100% of what they pay. If the airline rejects your claim on eligibility grounds, we refund the £15. Forward us their reply and we refund within five working days.
Cathay Pacific denied boarding: common questions
How much can I claim from Cathay Pacific for a denied boarding?
Between €250 and €600 (or £220 and £520 under UK261) per passenger, depending on distance. The worked examples on this page show the figure for some of Cathay Pacific’s routes.
Cathay Pacific offered me vouchers to give up my seat. Should I take them?
That is your choice, but know what you are trading. If you volunteer, you get whatever you agree with the airline instead of the fixed compensation. If you are refused boarding without volunteering, you are entitled to the full fixed amount immediately, plus re-routing or a refund.
What reasons does Cathay Pacific give for refusing denied boarding claims?
The most common are: You arrived at the gate late; You volunteered; Operational reasons or a change of aircraft to a smaller one; Documentation or safety grounds. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.
How long do I have to make a Cathay Pacific denied boarding claim?
It depends on where you bring the claim, usually where the flight departed or arrived. Six years in England and Wales; two to five years in most EU countries.
Other Cathay Pacific claims
- Cathay Pacific: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- Cathay Pacific: cancellationCompensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c).
- Cathay Pacific: denied boardingCompensation is due immediately when you are refused boarding against your will — most often because the flight was overbooked — provided you checked in on time with a confirmed reservation.
- Cathay Pacific: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.