Imagine you are all packed for your flight, boarding pass in hand, ready to go. But then, comes the announcement: some passengers will have to give up their seats. This is known as “bumping.” It occurs when airlines sell more tickets than there are seats on the plane, hoping some passengers won’t show up. When too many people show up, then the airline has to figure out who will be bumped. If you have ever wondered How Do Airlines Decide Who to Bump?, or what to expect if it happens to you. Let us break it down on how airlines determine who to bump and what you can do about it.
What is Bumping and Why Does it Happen?
The airlines issue more tickets than the seat capacity of the plane.They do that because they expect many passengers not to show up. Airlines know that due to some other reasons of delay, traffic, and, many miss their flights. Overbooking is done to ensure maximum occupancy of all seats of the plane.
Why Does This Happen?
An airline tries to sell every seat so as to increase profit. Unfortunately, sometimes everybody checks in, and a problem occurs. As a result, an airline has to decide which passenger to “bump”.
How does an Airline Decide Which Passenger to “Bump?
When passengers are more than the number of seats, the airlines have to decide who to bump. They consider a few things in deciding this:
- Who Checked in First: It is less likely that such people will be bumped. The earlier you check in, the better your chance of not getting bumped and retaining your seat.
- Ticket Price: Passengers who have paid for more for their ticket will get less bumped. Air lines tend to favor people with higher fares to avoid antagonizing them.
- Frequent Flyer Status: A person whose frequent flyer status is more high (frequent travelers with the airline) gets to be favored. He or she is a more loyal customer; the air line is going to try and retain him on the flight.
- Seat Assignment: If you have a seat assigned in advance, you are much more likely to keep it. If you are on standby or have not yet chosen a seat, you are more likely to be bumped.
Does the Airline Ask for Volunteers?
Yes, prior to involuntarily bumping someone, airlines ask volunteers to cancel their seats. If sufficient volunteers are identified, no one will be bumped. Here is how it works:
Incentives for Volunteers: The airlines also provide compensation to passengers willing to give up their seats. This may be in terms of vouchers or free tickets and even cash. Compensation amount will be small at the beginning. It may go high if some volunteers fail to cancel their trip.
If you don’t mind flexibility and a later flight, you may be rewarded. In fact, some passengers have received vouchers of hundreds of dollars by volunteering. If nobody volunteers, the airline will begin to bump passengers. This is how they normally choose who will be bumped:
- Late check-in: A person that has checked in late is usually bumped off more than someone who has checked in time, thereby grabbing a seat on the aircraft.
- Lower Fare: The passengers that have used a low fare to secure a seat in the airplane are mostly bumped off more than others.
- Frequent Flyers: If you have a high status within frequent flyers, you are a little safer. Chances are less that they are going to bump you off your flight if you’re a customer they value.
- No Seat Assignment: If you had not reserved a seat on the airplane or if you were standing by, the risk of bumping was possibly greater for you.
What to do if You Get Bumped?
If you are bumped from a flight, then you have certain rights, and airlines are required to compensate you in certain situations. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has clear rules on this.
- Compensation for Involuntary Bumping: If you’re bumped involuntarily, the amount of compensation you receive depends on how long the delay is.
- Short Delays: If the airline can get you to your destination within 1 hour for domestic flights or 1-4 hours for international flights, then you will not be compensated.
- Longer Delays: If the delay is more than that (1-2 hours for domestic flights, 1-4 hours for international flights), then you are entitled to 200% of your one-way fare, up to $675.
- Major Delays: If you are delayed more than 2 hours for domestic flights or more than 4 hours for international flights, or if the airline does not provide any alternative travel arrangements, you can get 400% of your one-way fare, up to $1,350.
- Refunds for Additional Services: If you paid for services like seat selection or checked bags and these services aren’t provided on your new flight, the airline must refund you for these.
- Exceptions: There are a few exceptions where compensation may not be given, such as if the bumping happens because of safety concerns or if you’re on a charter flight.
How Can I Avoid Being Bumped?
While airlines will try to avoid bumping passengers, there are a few things you can do to reduce your chances of being bumped:
- Check in early: The people who check in on time go first. So check in as soon as you can.
- Get assigned a seat: This can be confirmed before even getting to the airport. Thus, it would help you ensure that you would not get bumped, especially if the flight is full.
- Be flexible: If you do not mind taking a later flight, you may be compensated for your trouble. Airlines sometimes offer great incentives to passengers who volunteer their seats.
- Fly with Airlines that Don’t Overbook: Some airlines, like Southwest, do not overbook as frequently as others. If you are worried about getting bumped, flying with these airlines may reduce the chances of it happening.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Once you are on the flight, airlines cannot bump you, except for safety or security reasons. So, the chance of being bumped when already seated is very small.
Not at all. Even though you do have a seat assignment you could still get bumped and airlines tend to favor the seat confirmed passengers.
The compensation can be different from airline to airline and even from case to case. You could get vouchers, travel credits, or sometimes even cash. If the airline is having trouble finding volunteers, they might offer more compensation.
Yes, you can negotiate for better compensation if you’re bumped. The more flexible you are, the better you might get.
Yes, there are some exceptions. For example, when the flight is changed due to operational reasons, the plane becomes smaller or, in the case of charter flight, you may not get compensation.
Yes, in case you decline taking the alternative flight offered by the airline, you are eligible for a refund of the original flight.
Conclusion
Being bumped off a flight is a terrible experience, but knowing how airlines determine who gets bumped makes the situation more easier. Airlines have specific rules, such as checking in early and having a confirmed seat assignment, which can help you avoid being bumped. Knowing your rights and how compensation works can help reduce frustration if you are bumped. The best advice is to be prepared—check in early, be flexible, and understand your options if you are bumped from a flight.