Denied Boarding: Glossary

Confirmed Booking

• A booking for transportation by air that the airline or its agents or servants represented to the passenger as having been accepted and registered.

Involuntary Denied Boarding

• Refusal of the airline to carry a passenger on the flight on which the passenger holds a confirmed booking, although they presented themselves for check-in and boarding on time, except where there are reasonable grounds to deny them boarding, such as reasons of health, security, or inadequate travel documentation.
• Passengers who are involuntarily denied boarding are entitled to prescribed compensation.

Voluntary Denied Boarding

• Voluntarily giving up a confirmed booking on a flight, at the airline's request, in exchange for benefits offered by the airline.
• Passengers who volunteer to be denied boarding are not entitled to compensation beyond what has been offered by the airline and accepted by the passenger.