Art 10
You were moved to a lower class
Downgrading is its own right, separate from delay and cancellation, and it is often overlooked entirely.
The short answer
If the airline put you in a lower class than you paid for, it owes you a percentage of the ticket back — 30%, 50% or 75% by distance.
The one thing to know: The refund is a share of the price of the flight you were downgraded on, not the whole trip. It is owed automatically, not as a goodwill gesture.
How it actually works
- The percentages
- 30% of the ticket for flights up to 1,500 km, 50% for most other intra-EU and medium-haul flights, and 75% for long-haul over 3,500 km.
- On the affected leg only
- The percentage applies to the cost of the flight you were downgraded on, worked out fairly if the ticket covered several flights.
- No charge for an upgrade
- If the airline moves you up a class for its own reasons, it cannot charge you for it.
No claims service can help where no compensation is due — anyone who says otherwise is selling. Your care and refund rights still stand.
What to do now
- Photograph the evidence — the departure board, the app before it updates, the arrival time when the door opens. The full checklist →
- Write to the airline, quoting the article and the flight. Use the template →
- Give them 28 days, then escalate free to the national enforcement body.
- Check your time limit — it ranges from one year to six by country. See yours →
Questions
You were moved to a lower class: am I owed compensation?
If the airline put you in a lower class than you paid for, it owes you a percentage of the ticket back — 30%, 50% or 75% by distance.
How do I claim it?
Write to the airline first, quoting the article and flight, and allow 28 days. It is free and you keep the whole amount. Escalate to the national enforcement body if refused.