Wizz Air UK denied boarding compensation
Compensation is due immediately when you are refused boarding against your will — most often because the flight was overbooked — provided you checked in on time with a confirmed reservation. It does not depend on how late you eventually arrived. If you volunteered your seat in exchange for benefits, the fixed compensation does not apply.
Which Wizz Air UK flights are covered
Wizz Air UK is a UK airline, so most of its flights are covered in both directions.
- Departing a UK airport: covered by UK261.
- Departing an EU airport: covered by EU261.
- Arriving in the UK from outside Europe: covered by UK261, because Wizz Air UK is a UK carrier.
- Arriving in the EU from outside Europe: not covered by EU261, because Wizz Air UK is not an EU carrier — though a UK departure on the same trip is.
Worked examples on Wizz Air UK routes
| Route | Distance | Rules | Per passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (LTN) → London (LGW) | 82 km | UK261 | £220 |
| London (LTN) → Birmingham (BHX) | 114 km | UK261 | £220 |
| London (LGW) → Birmingham (BHX) | 180 km | UK261 | £220 |
| London (LTN) → Paris (CDG) | 380 km | UK261 | £220 |
What Wizz Air UK is likely to say — and the answer
“You arrived at the gate late” — ask for the recorded gate-closure time.
“You volunteered” — only if you actually agreed to give up the seat in exchange for benefits.
“Operational reasons” or a “change of aircraft” to a smaller one — still denied boarding against your will.
Documentation or safety grounds — legitimate if genuine, but the airline must justify them.
Specific to Wizz Air UK
Wizz Air UK is a separate UK-registered company from Wizz Air Hungary. Check the operating carrier on your booking: a W9 flight number is the UK company and UK261 applies, while W6 is Hungarian and EU261 applies.
The group has been the subject of enforcement attention from the UK Civil Aviation Authority over the handling of passenger claims, so keep a clean paper trail — dated letter, dated reply, dated chase.
They route claims through an online portal and may ask you to re-submit the same information there. Send the letter anyway: a dated written demand is what starts the escalation clock.
Their fleet is concentrated on Central and Eastern European routes from Luton, most of which fall in the 1,500–3,500 km band.
Time limit: Wizz Air UK is based in United Kingdom, where claims run for 6 years from the date of the flight. How that works
Check it free, then send the letter yourself.
If your Wizz Air UK denied boarding appears eligible, the claim letter is £15 flat, with Wizz Air UK’s likely objection answered in advance. You keep 100% of what they pay. If the airline rejects your claim on eligibility grounds, we refund the £15. Forward us their reply and we refund within five working days.
Wizz Air UK denied boarding: common questions
How much can I claim from Wizz Air UK for a denied boarding?
Between €250 and €600 (or £220 and £520 under UK261) per passenger, depending on distance. The worked examples on this page show the figure for some of Wizz Air UK’s routes.
Wizz Air UK offered me vouchers to give up my seat. Should I take them?
That is your choice, but know what you are trading. If you volunteer, you get whatever you agree with the airline instead of the fixed compensation. If you are refused boarding without volunteering, you are entitled to the full fixed amount immediately, plus re-routing or a refund.
What reasons does Wizz Air UK give for refusing denied boarding claims?
The most common are: You arrived at the gate late; You volunteered; Operational reasons or a change of aircraft to a smaller one; Documentation or safety grounds. Most of these do not hold up against the Regulation or the case law.
How long do I have to make a Wizz Air UK denied boarding claim?
Where Wizz Air UK is based, the limit is 6 years. You can usually also claim in the country your flight departed from or arrived in, which may give you longer.
Other Wizz Air UK claims
- Wizz Air UK: delayCompensation is due when you arrive at your final destination 3 hours or more after the scheduled arrival time.
- Wizz Air UK: cancellationCompensation is due unless you were told at least 14 days before departure, or were told later but re-routed on a flight that fell inside the timing windows set by Article 5(1)(c).
- Wizz Air UK: denied boardingCompensation is due immediately when you are refused boarding against your will — most often because the flight was overbooked — provided you checked in on time with a confirmed reservation.
- Wizz Air UK: missed connectionWhere all your flights were on a single booking, a delay that makes you miss a connection is measured at your final destination.