Overbooking, Essay Example

Airlines often overbook flights, according to the ATA. Overbooking is the practice of selling more tickets for a flight than there are seats available. Airlines justify this practice by using historical analysis of traveller behavior.

Often, travelers don’t show up for a flight that they have a reservation for, or they don’t make it to the gate in time. There are also travelers who reserve seats on multiple airlines and flights to ensure their travel plans. The ATA reports that airlines take great care in selecting which flights to overbook. They look at a flight’s history of noshows and try to match the overbook number to that.

Obviously, overbooking can sometimes cause problems, such as when more people show up for a flight than there are seats available. When that happens, airlines give special incentives to travelers who are willing to give up their seats. Usually, these volunteers are given free fare on another flight. If an airline is forced to bump a passenger involuntarily, the airline must compensate that person.