Overbooked flights are flights that are scheduled to have more passengers than there are available seats on a plane. When this happens, some passengers may be asked to give up their seat in exchange for an alternate flight – often with a voucher or other compensation – while the remaining passengers board the plane.
Unfortunately for passengers, this practice is common and not illegal. In this article, we’ll discuss what happens if your flight is overbooked, who gets bumped on an overbooked flight as well as how to get compensation for a delayed flight if you were denied boarding.
What causes airlines to overbook?
Airlines overbook flights because there is a common trend of passengers’ late arrivals, last-minute cancellations, and no-shows — people who bought tickets but did not show up for their flight or changed their plans after buying one. Airlines bank on this trend to maximize their profit, so they will book more tickets than there are seats available in anticipation of some of these no-shows.
When all passengers with tickets show up for their flight, the airline must attempt to accommodate them all.
An overbooked flight: who gets bumped?
Generally, the airlines’ goal is to encourage passengers to voluntarily delay their travel and give un their seats. In return, they are providing a later fight and compensation. Even though the amount of compensation for being bumped is usually large enough, it’ll still cost less to the airline than managing unsatisfied passengers.
If the number of passengers who are ready to get bumped for compensation isn’t enough, a carrier can refuse to provide a seat according to established criteria. These usually are the passenger’s check-in time, frequent flyer status, and others.
Note that it’s important to first evaluate the benefits and drawbacks before agreeing to give up your seat.
Be aware of your passenger rights
It’s crucial to know your rights as a passenger who got involuntarily bumped. Airline bumping policies vary from one airline to the next, however, most airlines have some sort of policy in place.
As mentioned earlier, the first step airlines have to follow is to ask passengers to voluntarily give up their seats. Then, airlines start offering a variety of solutions to avoid or reduce the chances of bumping passengers. These options usually include re-booking passengers on the next available flight, providing vouchers for future flights, and/or offering some kind of compensation for the inconvenience that occurred.
When it comes to compensation amount, travelers, who are flying to Europe on a European airline or out of Europe on any airline, are protected by the European law EC 261. Under this law, the maximum compensation amount is $700 if passengers did not volunteer to give up their seats in exchange for vouchers or other perks. Travelers can claim compensation up to three years after a denied boarding.
However, they are not covered for flight disruptions caused by extraordinary circumstances that are not an airline’s fault, such as bad weather conditions.
Think twice before signing a document to get bumped
Being bumped is definitely an unenjoyable experience, but you might get generous overbooked flight compensation. To make sure you get a fair deal, do the following:
- Book the next available flight where you’re sure your seat is confirmed, so you won’t get frustrated again;
- If your flight is delayed for 2-4 hours, you may be eligible for a food voucher;
- If you have to stay overnight, you can also ask for a hotel voucher;
- If you have enough time to leave the airport and need transportation, you can request to be reimbursed;
- Request the highest financial compensation allowable under your airline’s policy for the denied boarding;
- In addition to compensation for an overbooked flight, consider negotiating other perks. These might be lounge access, future flight vouchers, and even first-class seat.
Bottom line
When dealing with an overbooked flight, the best thing you can do is to stay calm, patient and, as cliché as it may sound, get the most out of this experience. Remember that it is legally required for airlines to provide compensation for a denied boarding due to an overbooking situation.
Even though overbooking and denied boarding is rather frustrating, at least you have some opportunities to explore the city you are in. Arriving late can definitely ruin your plans, but at the very least, you will know that you have more opportunities to travel in the future — be it in the form of reimbursement or a travel voucher.
