easyJet 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 easyJet flights are covered
easyJet is a UK airline, so most of its flights are covered in both directions.
- Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
- Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
- Arriving in the UK from outside Europe: covered by UK261, because easyJet is a UK carrier.
- Arriving in the EU from outside Europe: not covered by EU261, because easyJet is not an EU carrier — though a UK departure on the same trip is.
Worked examples on easyJet routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (LGW) → London (LTN) | 82 km | UK261 | £220 |
| London (LGW) → Bristol (BRS) | 178 km | UK261 | £220 |
| London (LGW) → Manchester (MAN) | 283 km | UK261 | £220 |
| London (LGW) → Paris (CDG) | 308 km | UK261 | £220 |
What easyJet 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 easyJet
easyJet processes straightforward delay claims comparatively quickly, often inside three weeks, and generally pays without argument once the arrival delay is established.
Their group operates through separate companies — easyJet UK, easyJet Europe (Austrian-registered) and easyJet Switzerland. Which one operated your flight can change whether UK261 or EU261 applies. The operating company is on your booking confirmation.
A common rejection is that the delay was caused by a knock-on from an earlier rotation. Ask them to identify the original disruption and to show why the schedule could not absorb it.
CEDR handles their alternative dispute resolution. Do not go to CEDR before you have a final response or eight weeks of silence, because they will bounce it back.
Time limit: easyJet is based in United Kingdom, where claims run for 6 years from the date of the flight. How that works
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your easyJet denied boarding appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with easyJet’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.
easyJet denied boarding: common questions
How much can I claim from easyJet 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 easyJet’s routes.
easyJet 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 easyJet 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 easyJet denied boarding claim?
Where easyJet is based, the limit is 6 years. You can usually also claim in the country your flight departed from or arrived in, which may give you longer.
Other easyJet claims
- easyJet: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- easyJet: 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).
- easyJet: 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.
- easyJet: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.