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Six million air travellers denied boarding annually as airlines overbook
Over 20 million travelers are affected by overbooked flights each year. Of those, nearly a third—about 6.6 million—aren’t allowed on board at all.
With summer travel reaching its peak, a rising number of airline passengers are finding themselves stranded at airports despite holding confirmed tickets.
New research cited by the Daily Mail reveals that more than 6 million travellers are denied boarding each year due to overbooking, a practice where airlines sell more tickets than available seats, anticipating that some passengers will not show up. When that gamble fails, it’s the passengers who pay the price.
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20 million travelers are affected by overbooked flights
Go.Compare looked at data from the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and found that over 20 million travelers are affected by overbooked flights each year. Of those, nearly a third—about 6.6 million—are completely denied boarding.
As per law, the airlines have to provide the full assistance to the passengers who were denied boarding the aircraft. The assistance includes booking another, providing compensation or providing coverage for meals and accommodation. As per reports, 84% of passengers were provided alternative flights while 1 in 6 did not—leaving close to 1 million travelers stranded without backup. Of those, 71% reported financial losses as a result.
Only 44% of passengers claim their travel insurance
Only 44% of passengers affected tried to claim money back using their travel insurance.
Rhys Jones, a travel insurance expert at Go.Compare, said people need to be prepared. He said, “Flight overbooking happens more than we’d like to think, and it can make for an extremely stressful start to any trip for the passengers affected."
He added, “If it happens to you, and you’re not allowed to board a plane, the first thing you should do is confirm with the airline that you were denied boarding because of overbooking. Get this in writing if possible.”
Jones advises asking the airline what they’re going to do to help—whether it’s rebooking your flight, covering your expenses, or giving you compensation.
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Keep all relevant document
He also suggests holding on to any paperwork, "Remember to keep all relevant documents like boarding passes, communications from your airline and receipts for accommodation or meal costs. Your airline should compensate these expenses.”
And if you’re not getting help? “Know that you can complain to your airline if necessary, and even, if it isn’t being resolved, take your complaint to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme,” Jones said.
Regular travel insurance usually doesn’t cover overbooking, but Jones said some plans offer “travel disruption” coverage. It’s a good idea to read the fine print before you fly.
