Flights Airline Overbooking

[aap519]

There's been a lot of talk now in the states on airline overbooking. Maybe I am stupid, but there are a couple of things I don't understand. Maybe someone can explain what I am missing:

1. The airlines say they have to overbook due to the number of no shows, but the no shows have already bought a ticket, correct? so there's no loss to the airlines correct? I don't get it.

2. The airlines say if they eliminate overbooking, ticket prices would rise due to no shows. Haven't the no shows bought a ticket? so there's no economic loss, correct? I don't get it.

 

[Ian Sutton]

As far as I understand it...
That's correct, though some tickets allow last minute cancellation / rescheduling for a modest admin fee, whilst others don't. They're using the extra seat sales to allow for cancellations on these more flexible tickets.

So on some tickets there would be a 'loss' to the airline. Of course the alternative is to introduce a cut off period on all tickets such that (say) if you cancel / reschedule within a week of the flight, then the penalties are high enough (much closer to full ticket price) to cover the airline.

Another option being touted, is to come at it from the reverse angle, of booking the exact number of people, but also allow for 'standby' tickets for those happy to take their chances on a cancellation / plane not being full. This option might hit the airlines harder financially?


Personally I'd rather have honest pricing.

 

[Andrew]

A complex matter, but bringing to mind with a little thought:

• Full fares will likely allow a rebooking after a no-show.
• People might have missed the connection from a late flight on the same airline, so the airline is responsible for rebooking them.
• Airlines to some extent have a "flat tire" rule, where something happened on the way to the airport, or perhaps at security in the airport, and the passengers missed the flight in spite of allowing adequate time, and they'll get some leeway to stand by for a later flight.

All this while the airlines want to fill every seat. I'm not sure if the recent United incident was really an overbooking, when they wanted to make room for a crew to work a flight the next day, and did they in fact miss an earlier connection, and the airline decided they were the top priority for re-accommodation?

 

[Pauline]

A letter in the Guardian today says that if you have checked luggage they won't choose to remove from a flight that is overbooked because it takes too long to get the luggage.

 

[aap519]

I've only ran into the overbooking situation once. A few years back, we had a niece come to visit us and she was bumped off her return flight at Midway Airport in Chicago. They did find another flight for her that day, but it was at O'Hare Airport in Chicago, which she accepted. She had carry on luggage, so checked luggage may have prevented it. We didn't think about asking for compensation

Are there other transportation industries that overbook? Do cruise ships overbook and leave people on the dock? Trains? Does Amtrak overbook and leave people at the train station? Buses? Does Greyhound overbook and leave people at the bus depot?

 

[CharityB]

Oh, for the good old days when there were empty seats on which you could stretch out on overnight flights. Sigh...

 

[Pauline]

I overbook my day and leave tasks undone

You have a good point - who else oversells like the airlines? No one.

 

[Ian Sutton]

Oh, for the good old days when there were empty seats on which you could stretch out on overnight flights. Sigh...

I once explained to someone at work, how I was lucky enough to get 4 centre aisle seats all to myself, so I could stretch out a little, though the armrests made it a little awkward. To which they replied: "You do realise the armrests can be moved..."