Can the airline deny me boarding due to overbooking?

What the Law Says

The Carriage by Air Act governs air travel rights in Singapore, including passenger protections when denied boarding due to overbooking.

Under Singapore law, airlines are permitted to overbook flights, but they cannot deny boarding arbitrarily. If a passenger is denied boarding against their will — for example, because the flight is overbooked — the airline must provide compensation and assistance as required by law.

Section 3 of the Carriage by Air Act gives effect to international air conventions (including the Montreal Convention) in Singapore. While the statute text itself does not list detailed compensation amounts or procedures for overbooking, it incorporates binding international standards that require airlines to compensate and assist passengers denied boarding involuntarily.

In practice, this means airlines operating to/from Singapore must comply with obligations such as offering re-routing, care (meals, accommodation, communications), and monetary compensation — unless the denial was due to reasonable cause like safety, security, or passenger conduct.

Statutory Text

Cap. 32A, 2001 Rev Ed

— Carriage by Air Act, s. 3 — Application of Conventions

What to Do

Sources