Bulgaria Air Denied Boarding Compensation

Bulgaria Air overbooking compensation / Bulgaria Air denied boarding compensation.

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

Your flight is overbooked. The airline has sold more tickets than there are seats on the plane, but everyone who had tickets has arrived. As a result you have been denied boarding. It may happen. Unfortunately, this is a common practice. At the same time, in the EU, there are laws that protect passengers if this happens. If you have been denied boarding, you have a right to care, and, possibly, to EU denied boarding compensation.

There are two ways you can claim this compensation.

1. Bulgaria Air Overbooking Compensation: EU Denied Boarding Regulations

Have you been denied boarding by Bulgaria Air? 

What the airline is obliged to do if this happens? What are your rights? Are you entitled to Bulgaria Air denied boarding compensation?

When it comes to denied boarding in the EU, there are laws that protect passengers. If you’re flying to or from Europe with Bulgaria Air, and you are involuntarily denied boarding due to overbooking — you may be entitled to flight overbooking compensation (EU denied boarding compensation) up to €600.

This only applies to overbookings.

If you are denied boarding due to something else (like problems with your travel documents, or visa), you can’t get denied boarding compensation. Also you can’t get compensation if you voluntarily give up your seat (voluntary denied boarding).

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?

There are different types of denied boarding. 

Your flight is overbooked. The airline has sold more tickets than there are seats on the plane, but everyone who had tickets has arrived. Now some passengers can’t get on the plane because of that, as there are not enough seats. 

The airline has to look for volunteers who will give up their seats. You too may be asked to give up your seat in exchange for a new flight and instant compensation in the form of vouchers or cash. If you are offered compensation like this and you accept it, it’s called voluntary boarding denial.

In this case, you aren’t entitled to denied boarding compensation from Bulgaria Air.

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. As a result, the airline has to deny boarding to some of its passengers. If that’s what has happened to you, know that it’s called involuntarily denied boarding, and you can get Bulgaria Air denied boarding compensation.

What happens in case of involuntary denied boarding?

• The airline has to give you a choice between a new flight and full refund (you can choose either);
• In addition to that, you are entitled to receive care from the airline*;
• You are entitled to compensation up to €600 per passenger. 

* Bulgaria Air 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, Bulgaria Air must provide you with free accommodation and free transfer from and to the airport.

1.3 Right to Care

All passengers travelling with Bulgaria Air have a right to care.

Are you stranded at the airport waiting for your flight? If you have to wait for 3 or more hours, you have a right to receive care from Bulgaria Air.

The EU regulations cover other flight disruptions, including those that are caused by extraordinary circumstances. What does it mean for you as a passenger?

Bulgaria Air 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 is leaving only on the next day, a free hotel stay (including free transfer) must be offered.

If you agree to this, it won’t affect your chances of getting compensation.

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

2. How to Claim Bulgaria Air Flight Compensation? How to Claim Flight Overbooking Compensation?

You can claim Bulgaria Air overbooking compensation yourself.

The other option is to work with professionals.

Claiming compensation from Bulgaria Air yourself. Contact the airline using the email or the contact form provided on the airline’s website. Refer to the above mentioned EU Flight Compensation Regulation (EC) No 261/2004. If you are claiming compensation yourself, keep in mind that it could take months, and a few reminder emails, until you receive your denied boarding compensation from Bulgaria Air.

You can also take the easiest path — legal representation.

Register your Bulgaria Air compensation claim with the help of a flight compensation company. In this case, you don’t have to do much. You will need to fill in and sign one document, and that’s all. The rest will be done on your behalf. You won’t need to contact and negotiate with the airline. Our partners offer such services.

Read more:

• How to Claim Bulgaria Air Compensation?
• Bulgaria Air Missed Connection Compensation
• Is Your Bulgaria Air Flight Compensation Claim Denied? What’s Next?

2.1 How Long Does It Take?

It depends on a number of factors.

If everything goes well, you can get the money after 2-3 months. But it’s not always the case. Often airlines are not cooperative, and it could take months until you receive your compensation. Often the airlines don’t cooperate or give false reasons for delay and cancellation. You need to be persistent when you claim compensation on your own. 

To avoid this hassle, work with a compensation claim company. It could take less time, because you will be working with professionals who know the process and what to do in every situation. 

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 Bulgaria Air denied boarding compensation yourself:

When your destination is within the EU/UK:

When your destination is outside the EU/UK:

3.1 Bulgaria Air Voucher Code, Discounts or Cash?

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

However, airlines do not always obey the law. Airlines take advantage of people’s lack of knowledge and offer affected passengers coupons instead of money. Bulgaria Air, just like most airlines, may initially offer you a voucher refund instead of money. You don’t have to accept vouchers from the airline. Request a bank transfer instead.

Airline compensations and refunds in the EU have to be paid in cash or by bank transfer.

4. Why Airlines Overbook Their Flights?

The main reason for overbooking flights is to maximize the airline’s revenue.

Flights are expensive to operate, and they need to be profitable to stay in business. By overbooking, airlines are essentially hedging their bets, assuming that some passengers won’t show up, and they can sell their seats to others. This practice helps airlines operate more efficiently, keep fares lower, and offer more flight options.

Unfortunately, situations can arise where all passengers arrive for their flight, leading to insufficient seating capacity. In such cases, airlines may offer incentives to passengers, encouraging them to voluntarily give up their seats on overbooked flights. These incentives can include various forms of compensation, ranging from cash payments to vouchers for future flights or even seat upgrades.

In some cases, however, the airline may have to involuntarily remove passengers from the flight. This can happen when not enough volunteers are found to give up their seats. If you find yourself in this situation, you have certain rights as a passenger. Airlines must compensate you for the inconvenience of being bumped from your flight.

4.1 How to Avoid Being Denied Boarding on an Overbooked Flight?

There are several ways to avoid being bumped on an overbooked flight.

It’s always a good idea to check in for your flight as early as possible. Airline staff usually select passengers to bump off the flight based on their check-in time. If you check-in early, your chances of getting a confirmed seat increase, and you’ll avoid getting bumped off the flight. Always take advantage of online-check in.

Don’t be the last to board. Boarding early can help you avoid being bumped on an overbooked flight. Because when airlines are looking for volunteers to take a later flight, they often start with the last few passengers to board. To ensure that you are able to board early, make sure to arrive at the gate well before boarding begins.

Choosing to travel on off-peak days is another way to avoid being bumped on an overbooked flight. During peak travel times like holidays and weekends, flights are often more crowded and overbooked. By traveling on a weekday or during a less popular season, you can increase your chances of getting a seat on your desired flight.

Bulgaria Air Denied Boarding Compensation: FAQ

Problems With Visa or Passport

EU – Non-EU Flights, Tourists

Other Situations

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