A passenger can be removed from a flight not "for any reason at the discretion of the crew," but only on grounds specified by law. There are eight such grounds, listed in Article 107 of the Air Code, and it's useful for both parties to know them.
Eight grounds
1. Violation of passport, customs, sanitary, and other requirements related to transportation. On international flights, also the rules of the state of departure, destination, or transit.
2. Refusal to comply with federal aviation regulations.
3. A health condition that requires special transportation arrangements or threatens the safety of the passenger or others, as confirmed by medical documentation, or causes disorder and unavoidable inconvenience to others.
4. Refusal to pay for the carriage of one's luggage in the amount and under the terms of the carriage agreement.
5. Refusal to pay the fare for a child traveling with a passenger.
6. Violation of onboard conduct rules that create a threat to flight safety or a threat to the life or health of others, as well as failure to comply with the captain's orders.
7. Presence of prohibited items or substances in carry-on baggage, checked baggage, or cargo.
8. Non-arrival at the time and place of transfer for a passenger with a disability using their own electric wheelchair with a removable battery at the airport, if they were informed about it. This grounds was added in 2025.
The main rule in favor of the passenger
Clause 1.1 of the same article formulates it briefly and directly: the burden of proof for grounds for contract termination lies with the carrier.
So, by default, there's no grounds for it. It's not the passenger who explains why they can't be removed, but rather the airline that proves why they removed them. In practice, this means that documents and recordings of what happened work in your favor.
Regarding health separately: the law requires medical documents, not the impression of an employee at the counter. And there's also a caveat - the carrier is not entitled to classify services that it is obliged to provide to passengers with disabilities as "special transportation conditions."
When do you get the money back
Point 3 of Article 107 lists the grounds for which a refund is due: these are points 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8.
For a return ticket, money is refunded after deducting a penalty of twenty-five percent of the fare and the carrier's actual expenses incurred. Reducing the penalty is the carrier's right, not an obligation.
Two cases when there will be no money
A careful reader will notice what is missing from the return list: items 3 and 6.
This is a health condition that requires special conditions or threatens safety, and a violation of onboard rules of conduct with non-compliance with the captain's orders.
So, if you're removed for behavior, the law doesn't return anything in this manner. This is perhaps the most expensive line in the entire article, and it's worth remembering for those who consider onboard conflict a conversation with no consequences.
What does this mean in practice
Luggage. Ground number four: refusal to pay for carriage. A dispute about excess baggage at the check-in counter can formally result in being removed from the flight, and the money will be returned, minus a quarter and expenses.
Documents. The number one reason most often occurs on international flights: passport expiration date, lack of a transit country visa, or non-compliance with sanitary requirements.
Prohibited Items. Paragraph Seven does not distinguish intent: the mere presence of the item or substance in hand luggage or checked baggage is what matters.
Behavior. The sixth ground rule is the only one where the wording is tied to flight safety threats and the commander's orders. That's precisely why arguing with the crew in the air is pointless: their orders have a separate legal status.
If you were filmed
First. Establish the basis. Ask for the specific item under which the decision was made—it should be concrete.
Second. Save everything: the ticket, the boarding pass, correspondence, employee names. The carrier will prove the grounds, and your materials will work against them.
Third. See if your case falls under the list of grounds for return. If it does, demand your money back. The deduction is limited to a quarter and actual expenses.
Fourth. Do not sign documents whose meaning you do not understand. Rushing will not help you here.
