Cabin Downgrade

You were seated in a lower class of travel than you paid for

EC261 Art.10 mandates a mandatory refund when passengers are downgraded to a lower class. The percentages are fixed by law: 30%, 50%, or 75% of your ticket price, depending on route distance.

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Compensation

30–75% of your ticket price

Regulation

EC261 Art.10

Time Limit

2–6 years (varies by country)

What Counts

What is a Cabin Downgrade?

A cabin downgrade is when the airline seats you in a lower class of service than you booked and paid for — Business to Economy, First to Business, Premium Economy to Economy. This triggers a mandatory percentage refund under Art.10.

This qualifies if…

Booked Business Class, seated in Economy
Booked First Class, seated in Business or Economy
Booked Premium Economy, seated in Economy
Aircraft swap resulted in fewer premium seats
Airline 'upgraded' you on a segment but downgraded on a longer connection

Legal Basis

EC261 Art.10: Airlines must reimburse 30% (short), 50% (medium), or 75% (long haul) of the ticket price when downgrading a passenger. This is a mandatory refund — not compensation — and applies in addition to any other EC261 rights.

How Much

How much are you owed?

Art.10 mandates specific refund percentages based on route distance — calculated on the downgraded segment(s).

Scenario / Distance	Example	Amount	Note
Up to 1,500 km	London → Paris	30% of ticket price	—
1,500 – 3,500 km	London → Athens	50% of ticket price	—
Over 3,500 km	London → New York	75% of ticket price	—

Do I Qualify?

Eligibility checklist

Check these against your situation — the more you can tick, the stronger your claim.

You held a confirmed booking in a higher class (Business, First, Premium Economy)

Required

You were seated in a lower class than booked

Required

The downgrade was not your choice

Required

Flight is covered by EC261

Required

Not sure if you qualify? Submit your details via our free claim checker — we assess eligibility at no cost and no obligation.

Know Your Defences

Common excuses airlines use — and why they're wrong

"We upgraded you on the first segment — overall you're not downgraded."

EC261 Art.10 applies per segment. An upgrade on one leg does not offset a downgrade on another. Each segment is assessed independently.

"We offered you a refund of the fare difference — that satisfies EC261."

Only the mandatory Art.10 percentages satisfy EC261. If the fare difference is less than 30%/50%/75%, you are still owed the statutory amount.

"The aircraft change was beyond our control."

EC261 applies regardless of the reason for the downgrade. Whether caused by aircraft swap, technical issues, or overbooking, the Art.10 refund obligation is absolute.

How It Works