You had a confirmed seat, a boarding pass, and you still got turned away because the flight was oversold. That is involuntary denied boarding, and it pays more than a delay does, up to $2,400 CAD, owed no matter what reason the airline offers.
What it pays
Denied boarding is treated differently from a delay or cancellation. Because overbooking is entirely the airline's doing, the compensation is always owed, and it is higher. The amount steps up with how late you arrive at your final destination.
Arrival delay at final destination
Large carrier
Small carrier
Less than 6 hours
$900 CAD
$300 CAD
6 to under 9 hours
$1,800 CAD
$600 CAD
9 or more hours
$2,400 CAD
$800 CAD
Owed regardless of cause. There is no safety or outside-control exception for denied boarding the way there is for delays. Overbooking is always within the airline's control. The airline should pay at the gate, in your original form of payment. If it offers a voucher instead, you can refuse.
Volunteering versus being bumped
When a flight is oversold, the airline must first ask for volunteers. What happens next decides what you get.
Your choice
You volunteer
You get whatever you negotiate
Often a voucher, not cash
Fixed amounts do not apply
Only take the deal if it clearly beats the fixed amount.
Against your will
You are bumped
Fixed compensation up to $2,400
Owed in cash
Plus rebooking or refund
This is involuntary denied boarding. The amounts above apply.
Do not volunteer cheaply. A gate agent may offer a modest voucher to clear the cabin. If you would be owed $900 or more as an involuntary bump, a small voucher is a bad trade. You can decline to volunteer and let the airline make the involuntary call, which triggers the fixed cash.
When a refusal is not denied boarding
Not every refusal at the gate counts. The APPR carves out a few situations, and airlines sometimes reach for them.
Safety, security, or conduct
Being refused for a safety, security, documentation, or conduct reason is not denied boarding and owes no compensation. These are genuine exceptions, separate from overbooking.
Oversold dressed up as something else
If the flight is actually oversold and the airline uses another label to refuse you, it is still involuntary denied boarding. Get the stated reason in writing so the true cause is recorded.
Document everything at the gate
Note the reason given, the names or IDs of staff, and the time. Keep your boarding pass. This is the evidence that turns a denied claim into a paid one.
Common questions
How much is denied-boarding compensation in Canada?
For large carriers, $900 CAD under 6 hours, $1,800 for 6 to under 9 hours, and $2,400 for 9 or more hours of arrival delay. Small carriers pay $300, $600, and $800. It is owed regardless of cause, because overbooking is always within the airline's control.
What is the difference between voluntary and involuntary bumping?
If you accept the airline's offer to give up your seat, that is voluntary, and you get whatever you negotiate. If the airline removes you against your will, that is involuntary denied boarding, which triggers the fixed cash amounts. Only volunteer if the offer clearly beats what you would otherwise be owed.
Can they deny boarding over bag count?
A refusal for a genuine safety, security, documentation, or conduct reason is not denied boarding and owes nothing. But if the flight is really oversold and the airline uses another excuse, it is still involuntary denied boarding. Get the reason in writing.