Quick Q? are all flights overbooked?

kissmekate_2

Hi

Can you solve an argument between me and my Dad? I think that most/all flights are deliberatly overbooked by the companies. So you should always aim to check in as soon as the checkin desk opens, otherwise if everyone turns up you might get bumped off the fight. Dad says this is too silly...if you have bought a ticket then you have a seat.

who is right? gulp
regards
kissmekate

Sam_Bee

Scheduled Carriers (i.e. BA) overbook.

Low Cost Carriers & Charters (i.e. Ryanair) do not overbook.

Both right?

Woby_Tide

well technically your dads right saying that if you have a ticket, you have a seat, it's just the seat may not be on the flight/date printed on the ticket

I'd be surprised if the low cost carriers didn't overbook mind, especially with their business models

(likewise, now most airlines allow you to prebook seating, how do they hide the fact when it gets overbooked? i.e. you buy your ticket then on the seat booking screen you see none available?)

Sam_Bee

It's more historical - Scheduled Airlines had a large amount of full fare, fully flexible business customers who just didn't turn up for the flight. This is now being discouraged! But even if you book a seat online, and turn up late, there is the possibility they will give it to someone else who wasn't late.

However, I don't know a low-cost airline who does overbook. There is this fascinating (:D) report that goes into depth about the issue - 'Overbooking: a sacred cow ripe for slaughter?' - http://www.umwelt-campus.de/ucb/fileadmin/users/72_r.klophaus/Veroeffentlichungen/Overbooking_Poelt_Klophaus_2006.pdf

puffinmuffin

It's happened to me once, a few years ago, on a KLM flight from Manchester to Amsterdam. We were late, although check-in was still officially open, and got bumped to the next flight (got some compo for the "inconvenience")