Russian airlines to pay up to 200% for overbooking

The government of Russia is set to oblige its airlines to reimburse passengers up to 200% of the ticket value in the event of overbooking, as reported by the Izvestiya newspaper.

Notably, the Ministry of Transport has proposed legalizing overbooking in Russia to grant airlines official permission to remove any passenger from a flight, but only with their consent.

If a passenger has a layover, the reimbursement they would receive may vary from 25% to 200% of the ticket value. The final amount will depend on the length of the delay — the longer the wait, the higher the compensation. However, passengers must not change their itinerary.

Certain categories of passengers will be protected from removal. These include passengers with small children, disabled individuals and their caregivers, active military personnel and transit passengers.

In addition, authorities will impose a limit on the number of debarking airlines can have per year. If they exceed this limit, overbooking may be banned in Russia starting next year. The Ministry of Transport has not yet disclosed the specific limit. Earlier this month, some media outlets reported on the initiative to fine airlines for overbooking in Kazakhstan. Allegedly, the fine could reach up to $385.