You’ve made it to the airport on time, your travel documents are valid, and you’re holding a confirmed LOT boarding pass — yet you’re suddenly told you can’t board. When this happens, the most common cause is LOT flight overbooking. Airlines, including LOT, sometimes sell more seats than are available, and when every passenger shows up, there simply aren’t enough spaces on the aircraft.
So, what to do if your LOT flight is overbooked and you’re denied boarding?
Here’s a clear guide to your rights, next steps, and how to claim compensation.
Check your compensation online.
What Is Overbooking in Airlines?
Airlines, including LOT, overbook flights when they sell more tickets than there are seats, anticipating that some passengers won’t show up.
Problems arise only when everyone arrives to board.
This is called flight overbooking.
What to Do if Your LOT Flight Is Overbooked?
What to do if your LOT flight is overbooked?
Here are a few simple steps.
1. Don’t Volunteer — Compensation Only Applies if You’re Denied Boarding Involuntarily
When LOT overbooks a flight, the airline may ask for volunteers to take a later flight, booked free of charge. You’re not required to accept this offer — but if you do, you could lose your right to flight compensation.
That’s why it’s crucial to understand the difference between voluntary and involuntary denied boarding:
Involuntary Denied Boarding
This occurs when you are refused boarding without being given a choice, despite arriving on time with valid documents.
If this happens, you are typically entitled to:
- EU261 denied boarding compensation of up to 600 euros
- A full refund or rebooking
- Care and assistance (meals, drinks, hotel if needed)
Voluntary Denied Boarding
If you give up your seat for a rebooked flight, LOT vouchers, or immediate cash compensation (usually less than EU compensation), you’re volunteering.
When you volunteer:
- You lose your right to EU flight compensation, because you agreed willingly.
- You still receive the incentives LOT offered (like vouchers, instant cash compensation, miles, etc.)
- You retain the right to refunds or rebooking, depending on what you accept.
- You still have the right to care and assistance (meals, hotel stay)
If you want to keep your right to EU flight compensation of up to 600 euros, do not volunteer.
2. Get Proof of Denied Boarding
Ask LOT staff to issue written documentation confirming that you were denied boarding because the flight was overbooked. Make sure it clearly states that the denial was involuntary and that you did not volunteer to give up your seat.
Take photos of all relevant documents, including your boarding pass, any notices or disruption slips, and airport display screens showing your flight details and status. Be sure to also photograph the written statement confirming that you were denied boarding.
3. Ask About Rebooking or a Refund
Visit the LOT service desk and clearly request your available options.
You can choose to be rebooked on the next LOT flight or receive a full refund of your ticket.
If the wait for the next available LOT flight is long, ask whether they can rebook you on an alternative flight — either with a partner airline or another carrier — so you can reach your destination sooner.
4. Request Meals and Drinks While You Wait
If you’re waiting at the airport, ask for meal and drink vouchers.
If they’re not provided right away, politely remind LOT of your right to care under EU regulations, especially during long delays. If the airline still does not offer meals, purchase what you need yourself and keep all receipts — you can claim reimbursement for these expenses later.
Read more: Right to Care from LOT
5. Secure Accommodation for Overnight Delays
If the LOT flight overbooking forces you to stay overnight, request both hotel accommodation and transport between the airport and the hotel.
Make sure you receive all details in writing — whether by email, voucher, or printed document.
If you do not get the free hotel stay, pay for the hotel yourself, and keep all the receipts and booking confirmations. You can claim reimbursement for these expenses later. But normally, a free hotel stay should be offered to you if you are denied boarding, both involuntarily and voluntarily. The same applies to the right to care.
6. Check If You Qualify for EU261 Denied Boarding Compensation
What to do if your LOT flight is overbooked? Are you entitled to flight compensation?
When it comes to denied boarding due to overbooking, the rules in the EU are very simple – you have a right to compensation if you have been denied boarding involuntarily.
If you’re flying to or from Europe with LOT, and you are denied boarding due to overbooking, you are entitled to flight overbooking compensation (EU denied boarding compensation) up to €600.
EU261 compensation amounts are based on flight distance:
- €250 — for flights up to 1,500 km
- €400 — for flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km
- €600 — for flights over 3,500 km (long-haul flights)
Keep in mind that this flight compensation only applies to LOT overbookings. If you are denied boarding because you didn’t have a visa, or if your passport is about to expire, you aren’t entitled to denied boarding compensation.
If you voluntarily give up your seat, you are not entitled to LOT denied boarding compensation. However, you still retain important rights — including the right to care, a new flight, or a full refund (if you don’t want to accept the new flight).
Read more: LOT Denied Boarding Compensation
How to Claim LOT Denied Boarding Compensation?
You can claim flight overbooking compensation yourself.
The other option is to work with professionals.
Claiming compensation from LOT yourself. Contact LOT customer support center. Use the contact form on their website or contact them via social media channels. Request overbooking compensation, referring to the above mentioned EU regulations. Keep in mind that it may take months until you receive the denied boarding compensation LOT owes you.
You can also take the easiest path — legal representation.
Register your LOT compensation claim with a flight compensation company. In this case, you don’t have to do much. It will take only a few minutes of your time. Just fill in the compensation claim form, and the rest will be done by the flight compensation company.
Our partners offer such services.
When choosing this option, here is all you will have to do:
And that’s it — the rest is handled by professionals.
* Your boarding pass and passport or ID copy.
Read more: How to Claim LOT Compensation?
What to do if your LOT flight is overbooked? Start by understanding the difference between voluntary and involuntary denied boarding — this determines whether you’re entitled to compensation.
Featured photo by Adrien Olichon from Pexels