It happens more than you think.
With the recent ruling from the United States Department of Transportation that provides additional protection for airline passengers, there’s been a lot of discussion lately about compensation for canceled or significantly delayed flights. But what happens if you get downgraded to a lower cabin class?
Fifteen minutes into a recent flight, we returned to the airport for a mechanical issue. As the hours stretched on, I rebooked a flight for the following morning while convincing the gate agent to keep me on the original itinerary in case it wasn’t canceled. It eventually departed, but because I was technically on two itineraries, I was somehow removed from the upgrade list on the original flight. I explained my situation to the gate agent, who actually downgraded a passenger so I could take their spot since my status trumped everyone else’s on the list. This got me thinking about how often this scenario happens.
Whether you pay for business or first class or get upgraded with miles or your status, you’ve earned that premium seat. However, situations exist where you might have to relinquish it. On the flip side, someone might be occupying a seat that ends up being rightfully yours. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s passenger rights for bumping and oversales, says that downgraded passengers are entitled to a refund for the difference in price, whether in money or miles. However, expectations can vary depending on the airline and situation.
For flights departing from the E.U. to the U.S. and some other countries and connecting flights within the U.S. operated by U.S. partners of E.U. countries, compensation is more definitive and swift thanks to the Air Passenger Rights Regulation, commonly called EU261. Thanks to this legislation, downgraded passengers are entitled to a refund within seven days of between 30% and 75% of the price of the ticket, depending on the distance of the flight; in some instances, it’s a lump-sum payment. Alternatively, you can ask to be rebooked on the next available flight in the class of service you originally booked.
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After posting in a frequent traveler’s private Facebook group, I discovered that getting de-upgraded—or bumping someone else— happens more frequently than you might think. And it doesn’t matter if you purchased your upgrade outright or it was a perk of status—you’re at risk either way. Here are some of the reasons that passengers have been de-graded or bumped on their flights.
Your Seat May Be Non-Operational
If your entertainment system isn’t working or the seat doesn’t fully recline, it’s a minor annoyance. When there’s a major lack of functionality or a safety issue, however, that’s a different story. One passenger traveling cross-country on a full-fare business class ticket was pulled aside by the gate agent, who told him his seat was no longer available and that he’d have to take the next flight.
“As I needed to be in SFO for an event, I pressed for any viable option, including being bumped down,” he recalls. “Another gate agent stepped in, apologized, and worked the computer, and in a few moments, she found me another business class seat”—bumping someone else.
After he boarded and inquired what had happened, the purser reluctantly told him that a non-operational oxygen mask in the jump seat area forced maintenance to flag two seats as malfunctioning and, therefore, unavailable.
The Flight Could Be Oversold
Gate agents routinely make announcements looking for volunteers on an oversold flight to take a later one, or you may see it as an option at check-in. And it’s not only economy seats that get oversold. A husband and wife were upgraded on the way to Frankfurt (FRA), only to find out their first-class seats were needed to accommodate passengers from a canceled flight. They were given seats in economy plus and a $250 voucher—but regret not holding out for more.
There’s a Change of Aircraft
If you’re booked on, say, a 777 that gets swapped out for a 767, it can wreak havoc on seating charts and diminish the size of the first-class cabin. Two passengers (one with top-tier status, one with none) returning from Dublin to New York were told at check-in that their flight had just undergone a change in aircraft and there were no longer enough seats in business class; they were downgraded to economy—with no mention of compensation.
After a bit of negotiation, they received a partial refund in the form of a travel voucher and were promised an empty seat in between them as an added perk, but an off-duty flight attendant ended up occupying the seat. Another flier fared better: after being downgraded, she received a $1,000 unsolicited voucher and the same food as those in business class.
Your Flight Might Be Awaiting a Passenger With a Tight Connection
Whether due to a mechanical, weather, or air traffic delay, sometimes you just don’t have enough time to get to the gate and board your connecting flight. After taking his ticketed seat in economy plus, a passenger was moved up to first class by a flight attendant who said the flier originally seated there wasn’t going to make it. He ended up arriving right before they closed the doors. But rather than shuffle people around at the last minute, they downgraded him to coach.
A few years ago, that same passenger had a first-class seat but arrived from his connecting flight with just 15 minutes to spare until takeoff. As he ran to the gate, the agents asked for his name, then proceeded to take a standby passenger from the flight, move an upgraded passenger back to the economy, and put him in his original seat.
“I walked by the standby passenger as I was boarding,” he recalls. “He didn’t seem so happy.”
The Seat Might Be Reserved for Safety
Federal air marshals are onboard some flights, quietly protecting us from danger. One passenger shares that her mother was bumped from a paid first-class seat not once but twice.
“After the second incident, we learned never to reserve the aisle seats in the middle rows of the first-class cabin,” which she says tend to be frequented by air marshals. Another passenger suggests shying away from seats 2B or 2C, specifically.
A Pilot May Be Repositioning or Need to Rest
It’s often in a pilot’s contract that if they need to get from point A to point B to fly their next flight, they’ll do it in an upgraded cabin. Ditto for the crew who needs to sleep during a long-haul flight; if there’s not a dedicated cabin for crew rests like on larger aircraft like the Airbus A-380, one or several pilots may need to set up shop for a few hours in a lie-flat seat to catch those precious zzz’s.
A Passenger May Die Mid-Flight
It’s estimated that around 72 passengers pass away onboard airplanes every year. Airlines have protocols in place when this tragic occurrence takes place; unfortunately, that could mean keeping the deceased person in their seat. A frequent commuter from Newark to Montreal was mid-flight when his seatmate in 2A went into convulsions. He alerted the crew, but despite their best efforts, sadly, the man didn’t make it. They put a blanket over his body and moved the other passenger back to economy.
The Bottom Line
if you’re a bump-ee befallen by any of these scenarios, ask (and do your own research) about your rights and options for compensation: money, flight credit, miles, or a rebooked flight in your original cabin. If you have the time, talk to the on-the-ground gate agent before departing to see what, if anything, they can offer. If not, head to the customer service counter later, call the support desk, or fill out an online form when your trip is over. If you’re the bump-er, well, here’s hoping you can avert the passenger whose seat you end up occupying and enjoy the ride.