Reasons why a traveler may not be allowed to board a plane

Passenger is late for check-in or boarding

Check-in usually ends 40 minutes before departure, boarding – 20 minutes. If there is a risk that your carrier has different rules, you need to find out in advance.

A passenger who is late for check-in has a chance to get on the flight if the airline gives the go-ahead. But it often happens that a traveler who has already passed all types of inspection and got to the boarding waiting area is delayed somewhere in a cafe.

There are no more free seats in the cabin — an overbooking situation has arisen

Unfortunately, sometimes airlines sell more tickets than there are seats on the plane. Sometimes this situation can arise due to a technical error or due to the replacement of an airliner with another, smaller-capacity plane. Therefore, it is worth arriving at the beginning, and not at the end of check-in, or go through this procedure online. But if you are already at the airport and you are told that there is not a single free seat left on your plane, then you will not get on board.

Yes, the airline is obliged to issue the passenger a ticket for another flight. Or refund the money for the ticket. Even if it was issued at a non-refundable rate, because the cancellation of the trip was forced and did not occur due to the fault of the passenger.

If, due to an error by the carrier, a traveler has to spend more than four hours at the airport waiting for a new flight, the airline must provide him with a hot meal. And for parents with children under 7 years old — a place in the mother and child room. If the wait for the plane is more than 8 hours, the traveler has the right to demand a place in a hotel. But all this is just compensation for the fact that he was unable to fly on his flight.

The passenger’s carry-on baggage does not meet the airline’s standards

Each air carrier has the right to set its own standards for carry-on baggage: its weight and dimensions. Usually, a passenger has the right to take a bag or backpack weighing at least 5 kg on the plane. In addition, he can have a handbag or briefcase with documents, a bouquet of flowers, a suit in a travel case, baby food, medicine, crutches. Bags from duty-free shops are also allowed.

The passenger urgently requires medical assistance

It’s simple here. If the passenger’s condition requires immediate medical assistance, he may not be allowed on the plane. Most likely, they will try to provide him with medical assistance before departure, and if the arriving ambulance team deems it necessary, they will send the passenger to the hospital.

A person is behaving inappropriately and aggressively

If a passenger arrives for check-in in a state of severe alcohol or drug intoxication, he may be considered dangerous to other travelers. Especially if he behaves aggressively and provokes a conflict.

It happens that such passengers check in, but begin to behave inappropriately right before boarding. Or already in the cabin of the plane before departure. In such cases, the pilot-in-command can remove the traveler from the flight. He is responsible for the safety of the flight, and all participants in the flight are obliged to follow his orders. If the pilot-in-command decides that one of the passengers is threatening the safety of the others, he can send the troublemaker back to the airport and call the police.

And the offender may not only lose the opportunity to fly. He faces administrative liability – from a fine to arrest for fifteen days.