What To Do If Airline Downgrades Your Seat? AirAdvisor CEO Explains

Anton Radchenko, the founder and CEO of AirAdvisor, has advised passengers to request a refund if their airline downgrades their seat from the original class. He also explained the reasons behind such occurrences, noting that airlines sometimes overbook premium seats or adjust seating arrangements due to operational changes.

Mr Radchenko said it was pretty common for airlines to push back on giving compensation because most passengers were unaware of their rights.

Sharing his experience with CNN, Mr Radchenko said he was involuntarily downgraded twice in 2023 but managed to address the issue effectively due to his awareness of passenger rights. It happened on a Delta Airlines flight from New York to Frankfurt and a British Airways flight from London to Los Angeles.

According to airline regulations, compensation for involuntary downgrades ranges from 30 per cent to 75 per cent of the ticket price, depending on the length of the flight.

Mr Radchenko said he claimed a refund of $1,000 (approximately Rs 86,000) from Delta Airlines. Meanwhile, his flight from London to Los Angeles, which covered more than 3,500 kilometres, gave him a 75 per cent refund under the compensation rule. As a result, he received Euro 7,500 approximately Rs 7.9 lakh) of his Euro 10,000 (approximately Rs 10.5 lakh) ticket price from British Airways.

According to Mr Radchenko, overbooking was the most common reason for involuntary downgrades. Airlines often sell more tickets than available seats to maximise revenue, ensuring flights remain full even if some passengers cancel or miss their flight.

But if all passengers arrive, some may be downgraded. A downgrade means a passenger is moved to a lower travel class than what was originally booked, which can happen for various reasons.

In some cases, downgrades occur due to crew requirements. Mr Radchenko explained that if designated crew rest areas are unavailable, a crew member may need to use a first- or business-class seat during their break, leading to passenger downgrades.

He advised affected passengers to document everything carefully when making a compensation claim. He recommends obtaining a written reason for the downgrade and keeping records such as a photo of the new seat, the boarding pass, and any communication from the airline.