Overbooking: What You Need to Know and How to Protect Your Rights
Overbooking is a strategy used by airlines and hotels to maximize profits by booking more seats or rooms than are actually available. While this can lead to problems for travelers, there are ways to understand and manage the situation. Learn how overbooking works, the different types, and how to protect yourself from potential issues during your travels.
Table of contents:
- What is Overbooking?
- Compensation for Overbooking: Your Rights and How to Enforce Them
- How to Handle Overbooking?
- What to Do When an Airline Fails to Meet Its Obligations in Overbooking?
- FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Overbooking
- What is Bumping?
- How Does an Airline Select Passengers for Bumping?
- Overbooking vs. Bumping: What Are the Differences?
- Can Airlines Choose Passengers to Wait for the Next Flight?
- Am I Entitled to Compensation If I Voluntarily Give Up My Seat?
- Why Does Overbooking Happen?
- How Often Does Overbooking Occur?
What is Overbooking?
Overbooking is a situation where more seats are sold than are available, such as on airplane flights. Airlines do this to avoid empty seats, as some passengers may not show up. If everyone shows up, there will be a shortage of seats, and some passengers may not be allowed to board.
Compensation for Overbooking: Your Rights and How to Enforce Them
In a situation where all passengers show up for a flight, and there are not enough seats on the plane, the airline is obligated to offer compensation or alternative solutions for passengers who cannot board. Passengers can expect:
- A refund of the ticket cost or an alternative flight to the destination (you have a choice!).
- Provision of meals, drinks, and accommodation if the replacement flight is the next day (including transportation to the place of accommodation).
- Additional compensation, the amount of which depends on the flight length, according to Regulation EC 261/2004.
It is important to note that airlines can reduce the compensation by 50% if the alternative flight does not cause a delay of more than 2-4 hours, depending on the route length (European Consumer Centre) (Compensation Zone).
The compensation for denied boarding is as follows:
- 250 euros for flights up to 1500 km.
- 400 euros for flights between 1500 and 3500 km.
- 600 euros for flights over 3500 km outside the EU.
How to Handle Overbooking?
If you find yourself in an overbooking situation, remember the following steps:
- Keep all your travel documents.
- Find out about your rights and demand that they are respected.
- Consult a company specializing in flight compensation if you need additional help, or use the Airline Passenger Rights Calculator.
Remember that if you voluntarily give up your seat on the plane in exchange for an offer from the airline, you will not be entitled to additional financial compensation.
By knowing your rights, you can effectively claim compensation and receive reimbursement for any inconveniences caused by overbooking.
What to Do When an Airline Fails to Meet Its Obligations in Overbooking?
If the airline fails to meet its obligations related to overbooking, such as providing alternative transport, a refund, accommodation, or meals, and you are forced to handle these matters on your own, remember the following steps:
- Keep all receipts and documents – They will be necessary for filing a complaint.
- Submit a written complaint – Contact the airline, provide evidence, and request compensation.
- Report the issue to the European Consumer Centre (ECC) – If the airline does not address the complaint or fails to meet its obligations, the ECC can assist in resolving the matter at the European level.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Overbooking
What is Bumping?
When more passengers show up for a flight than there are seats, airlines must ask some of them to voluntarily or involuntarily give up their seat. If passengers do not voluntarily volunteer to give up their seat, airlines can apply “bumping” and select passengers who must wait for the next flight. Usually, these passengers are compensated with vouchers, refunds, meals, or accommodation depending on the airline’s policy and the length of the delay.
How Does an Airline Select Passengers for Bumping?
Although airlines do not officially disclose the specific criteria for selecting passengers for bumping, in practice, it is often those with the cheapest tickets and those who checked in last. Contrary to popular advice from influencers, it is not recommended to check in at the last minute to minimize the risk of being selected to wait for the next flight.
Overbooking vs. Bumping: What Are the Differences?
Overbooking is a practice where airlines sell more tickets than available seats on the plane, anticipating that some passengers will not show up for the flight. Bumping is a consequence of overbooking. When more passengers show up for the flight than there are seats, airlines must address the situation. If there aren’t enough volunteers to give up their seat, airlines may forcibly select passengers who will have to wait for the next flight. In such cases, passengers are usually compensated for the inconvenience.
Can Airlines Choose Passengers to Wait for the Next Flight?
Yes, airlines have the right to choose which passenger must wait for the next flight in the case of overbooking. When the plane is overbooked, airlines inform passengers about the situation and offer compensation in exchange for voluntary flight cancellation. If there are not enough volunteers to give up their seat, airlines may forcibly select passengers who must wait for the next flight (Bumping).
Am I Entitled to Compensation If I Voluntarily Give Up My Seat?
No, if you voluntarily give up your seat on the plane and agree to a voucher, a seat on the next flight, or another form of compensation, such as a seat in a higher class, you are not entitled to additional compensation. If the offer is satisfactory to you, it’s worth accepting, but remember that in this case, you lose the right to benefit from Regulation EC 261.
Why Does Overbooking Happen?
Overbooking occurs when airlines sell more tickets than there are available seats on the plane. This happens because airlines anticipate that some passengers will not show up for the flight for various reasons, such as changes in plans, being late for the flight, or double bookings. By selling more tickets, airlines maximize seat utilization and increase their profits. However, when all passengers show up for the flight, overbooking becomes an issue, leading to bumping of some passengers.
How Often Does Overbooking Occur?
Overbooking, which involves selling more tickets than available seats, is a relatively rare occurrence. Statistically, only about 0.09% of air passengers experience overbooking, meaning that a small percentage of travelers need to be rebooked onto another flight.
If my article helped you plan your route and gather the necessary information, I would be grateful for your support in making my dreams come true by buying me a coffee!
