News
Airlines overbooking
18 October 2006
A number of airlines in the US have come under fire after it was revealed that the number of overbooked flights rose by 40% in the last year.
The US Department of Transportation says the number of passengers involuntarily prevented from boarding their flight jumped by 40%, while the number that voluntarily left increased by 10%.
Airline companies say that they need to double book in order to cover themselves against people who do not show up, reports the Wall Street Journal.
The firms use masses of data to calculate how many no-shows there are likely to be on a particular flight and usually they get it very close to right.
However, for the months of April, May and June of 2006, they did not.
Passengers that are prevented from boarding a flight because of overbooking are usually given some form of compensation, but a spokesperson for US airliner Continental says: 'That is not always acceptable to the customer.'
'We are always sorry when a customer is denied boarding involuntarily.'
© Adfero Ltd
The US Department of Transportation says the number of passengers involuntarily prevented from boarding their flight jumped by 40%, while the number that voluntarily left increased by 10%.
Airline companies say that they need to double book in order to cover themselves against people who do not show up, reports the Wall Street Journal.
The firms use masses of data to calculate how many no-shows there are likely to be on a particular flight and usually they get it very close to right.
However, for the months of April, May and June of 2006, they did not.
Passengers that are prevented from boarding a flight because of overbooking are usually given some form of compensation, but a spokesperson for US airliner Continental says: 'That is not always acceptable to the customer.'
'We are always sorry when a customer is denied boarding involuntarily.'
© Adfero Ltd
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