Flying can undoubtedly be a stressful experience, despite the excitement and joy travel can bring. Delays, lengthy security lines, and turbulence can all contribute to an unpleasant air travel journey. Another, albeit less common, challenge is getting bumped from a flight, which occurs when an airline overbooks a flight and has more passengers than available seats. According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), in 2022, the number of passengers bumped on major US airlines (either voluntarily or involuntarily) rose to 317,707, up from 182,719 the previous year. While this scenario is certainly possible during your travels, it's still a rare occurrence, and there's no need to worry excessively. This ultimate travel guide will provide you with all the information you need about overbooked flights and what to do if you find yourself in that situation. Let's get to it!
Overbooked flights: what are your rights?
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What is overbooking?
Airlines often sell more tickets than the number of seats available on a flight. This practice is known as "overbooking." Airlines do this to make up for passengers who typically don't show up for their flights. By looking at historical data and statistical probabilities, airlines can usually predict the right number of seats to oversell. However, if all the ticketed passengers do show up, the airline will first ask for volunteers to give up their seats in exchange for compensation, such as travel vouchers or hotel stays. If there aren't enough volunteers, the airline may then have to involuntarily deny boarding to some passengers, which can be inconvenient for those affected. This practice of overbooking is legal, but it can certainly cause frustration for passengers.
Reasons for airline overbooking
Airlines have a strategic approach to managing their seat inventory. By analyzing data, they can predict which seats are likely to go unfilled on a flight, whether due to passengers missing their connections or canceling at the last minute. An empty seat represents lost revenue, so airlines work to ensure that every seat is occupied and generating income. This helps the airlines maximize their profitability and offset the costs of operating the flights. The strategy has proven effective, as flights are now fuller than ever before. However, this approach also leaves less room for error if unexpected issues arise during the travel process.
Airlines with the highest overbooking rates
Overbooking is a common practice in the airline industry, but some carriers do it more than others. According to data from the DOT, the low-cost airline Frontier Airlines involuntarily bumped the most passengers last year, denying boarding to about 4 out of every 10,000 travelers. American Airlines had the second-highest number of bumped passengers, with Spirit Airlines coming in third. On the other end of the spectrum, Delta Air Lines, Allegiant Air, and Hawaiian Airlines had the fewest instances of involuntarily bumping passengers.
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What to do if you're bumped from an overbooked flight
Airlines have to follow very specific rules set by the DOT when it comes to involuntarily bumping passengers. As of 2024, the amount of compensation depends on the ticket price, how long the delay is due to the denied boarding, and whether the flight is domestic or international from the United States. For domestic flights, airlines must pay passengers 200% of their one-way ticket value if their arrival is delayed between 1 to 2 hours past the original schedule. However, airlines can cap this compensation at $775. If the delay is more than 2 hours, the compensation goes up to 400% of the one-way ticket price, with a cap of $1,550.
For international flights departing the United States, the compensation of 200% of a one-way fare applies for delays up to 4 hours. For delays over 4 hours, the compensation increases to 400%. The same price caps apply for international flights too. Airlines have to make sure that passengers who are involuntarily bumped receive their compensation on the same day while they're still at the airport.
It's important to note that these are the minimum required monetary compensations – there's no legal limit on what you can negotiate with the airline. After a 2017 incident where a passenger was forcibly removed from a plane, airlines are now more willing to offer thousands of dollars in compensation to avoid bad publicity. So, if your travel plans are flexible and you're interested in getting paid to change your flight, don't just accept the airline's initial offer.
How to prevent getting bumped
It's more typical for passengers to volunteer to give up their seat rather than being involuntarily bumped, but airlines may unfortunately need to deny boarding to passengers on occasion. The process is usually random, but travel experts advise that passengers booked in a higher fare class or those with frequent flyer status are unlikely to be the first ones selected. For the average economy passenger, it's recommended to select your seat in advance, check in to your flight as early as possible, and, if checking luggage, check it and proceed to your gate with plenty of time to spare.
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In addition to our ultimate travel guide, we would also like to provide you with some more useful information on traveling, which will be handy for those who prefer doing this by air.
If you use your own car to reach the airport, you know it's critical to park it safely for the duration of your trip. Almost every airport has special on-site parking for this purpose. However, travelers aren't ready to spend a lot of money at the beginning of their trip, as this option is pretty costly. So what should we do then?
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What is actually off-site parking, and which advantages has this parking type, you may ask? So let's take a closer look at this question.
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Secondly, off-site parking services are faster. It might seem that it's faster to park your car at the airport, but that's not always the case. Off-site parking offers you the following convenience: when you drive directly up to the entrance, a staff member pulls your luggage out of your vehicle and loads it into the shuttle. Then they park your car for you. After your baggage is loaded, you can take your seat in the shuttle, which will bring you and your bags to the airport. It's a hassle-free option that is usually faster.
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Thirdly, it's much more convenient. People are always stressed before the trip, as there are many things you should keep in mind. Not to be late when taking off, fighting traffic, finding a parking place, wondering how long the shuttle service will take, and more can leave you annoyed before you step foot inside the airport. If you choose off-site parking, you are using the assistance of a private company that caters to travelers' needs. Such services can make your trip much more comfortable when you arrive at the airport and return home.
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