What to do when you’re overbooked on a flight

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After the horrifying story of an overbooked passenger being forcefully removed from an overbooked flight, I wanted to but share a step-by-step guide on what to do next time you’re overbooked. Several news outlets posted articles on how there should be additional legislation to prevent airlines from this popular practice to fill their pockets, however nobody mentioned there are already strict rules in place that dictate the rules of the passengers, as long as they know how to ask for what they’re entitled to.

When the video was posted about the removal of the passenger, curiously I clicked the link, not expecting to witness the (almost?) inhumane events that followed. I wonder if I had stayed on the plane myself had I been on that flight. Would you have recorded it from your seat, or would the entire plane voluntarily disembarking have made a louder statement than the negative Tweets, media attention and politically correct statements that followed. We’ll never know.

Being a frequent traveler, I’ve had my share of issues with many airlines – however United Airlines spans the crown. Every once in a while I’ll jump on one of their international flights, after all they’re the airline that brought me to beloved Buenos Aires – for free, that is (watch the video here). But check any of their United States domestic flight departure gates, and the screens will almost always tell you their flight is overbooked. Personally, I think overbooking is daylight theft and should be outlawed, but for now it’s something travellers have to deal with. Luckily, there’s something you can do. Passengers do have rights, after all – even though airlines try to work around those when it contributes to their bottom line, however some more than others.

Voluntary bumping

Almost any group of airline passengers includes some people with urgent travel needs and others who may be more concerned about the cost of their tickets than about getting to their destination on time. Our rules require airlines to seek out people who are willing to give up their seats for some compensation before bumping anyone in- voluntarily. Here’s how this works. At the check-in or boarding area, airline employees will look for volunteers when it appears that the flight has been oversold. If you’re not in a rush to arrive at your next destination, you can give your reservation back to the airline in exchange for compensation and a later flight. But before you do this, you may want to get answers to these important questions:

• When is the next flight on which the airline can confirm your seat? The alternate flight may be just as acceptable to you. On the other hand, if they offer to put you on standby on another flight that’s full, you could be stranded.
• Will the airline provide other amenities such as free meals, a hotel room, phone calls, or ground transportation? If not, you might have to spend the money they offer you on food or lodging while you wait for the next flight.

DOT has not said how much the airline has to give volunteers. This means carriers may negotiate with their passengers for a mutually acceptable amount of money-or maybe a free trip or other benefits. Airlines give employees guidelines for bargaining with passengers, and they may select those volunteers willing to sell back their reservations for the lowest price. If the airline offers you a free ticket, ask about restrictions. How long is the ticket good for? Is it “blacked out” during holiday periods when you might want to use it? Can it be used for international flights? Most importantly, can you make a reservation, and if so, how far before departure are you permitted to make it?

Involuntary bumping

DOT requires each airline to give all passengers who are bumped involuntarily a written statement describing their rights and explaining how the carrier decides who gets on an oversold flight and who doesn’t. Those travelers who don’t get to fly are frequently entitled to an on-the-spot payment of denied boarding compensation. The amount depends on the price of their ticket and the length of the delay:

• If you are bumped involuntarily and the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to get you to your final destination (including later connections) within one hour of your original scheduled arrival time, there is no compensation.
• If the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to arrive at your destination between one and two hours after your original arrival time (between one and four hours on international flights), the airline must pay you an amount equal to your one-way fare to your final destination, with a $200 maximum.
• If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally), or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the compensation doubles (200% of your fare, $400 maximum).
• You always get to keep your original ticket and use it on another flight. If you choose to make your own arrangements, you can request an “involuntary refund” for the ticket for the flight you were bumped from. The denied boarding compensation is essentially a payment for your inconvenience.

Like all rules, however, there are a few conditions and exceptions:

• To be eligible for compensation, you must have a confirmed reservation. An “OK” in the Status box of your ticket qualifies you in this regard even if the airline can’t find your reservation in the computer, as long as you didn’t cancel your reservation or miss a reconfirmation deadline.
• You must meet the airline’s deadline for buying your ticket. Discount tickets must usually be purchased within a certain number of days after the reservation was made. Other tickets normally have to be picked up no later than 30 minutes before the flight.

In addition to the ticketing deadline, each airline has a check-in deadline, which is the amount of time before scheduled departure that you must present yourself to the airline at the airport. For domestic flights most carriers have a deadline of 10 minutes before scheduled departure, but some can be an hour or longer. (Many airlines require passengers with advance seat assignments to check in 30 minutes before scheduled departure, even if they already have advance boarding passes. If you miss this deadline you may lose the specific seats you were promised, although not the reservation itself.)

Check-in deadlines on international flights can be as much as three hours before scheduled departure time, due partially to security procedures. Some airlines may simply require you to be at the ticket/baggage counter by this time; most, however, require that you get all the way to the boarding area. If you miss the ticketing or check-in deadline, you may have lost your reservation and your right to compensation if the flight is oversold. Always check with your airline for the latest information.

Do you want more tips, including some of my best practices on how to prevent being overbooked in the first place? Get yourself a copy of my travel hacking book The Freedom Project. Available worldwide on Amazon, as well as at www.freedomprojectbook.com.

P.S. Questions? Text me: 604-210-8668. Your support means the world to me, so if this post helped you, please consider buying a book (for you), a coffee (for me), or checking out a more in-depth course (for free). Thanks! 🙂