New data shows that over 6.5 million air passengers are denied boarding annually despite having valid tickets. Passengers reportedly “crashed” from the flight due to airline overbooking.
Overbooking is when an airline sells tickets for more flights than the number of seats on the plane. This is done on the assumption that some travelers will not compete in the flight, but too many passengers arrive can cause a major delay for those who “clap” them. go.compare used Civil Aviation Authority persons and survey data to find that approximately 20.9 million passengers per year are estimated to be feeling the effects of overbooking over the past decade. About a third of affected passengers told insurance comparison sites they were unable to fly as a result. This equals the approximately 6.6 million travelers who refused to board annually during this period.
If flights are overbooked, the airline is legally required to manage affected travelers by providing alternative flights, compensation and assistance.
Of the travelers surveyed, most (84%) of those who were denied boarding were booked for another flight. It amounts to about 1 million passengers each year, and the journey is not relocated.
Of these few passengers, almost two-thirds said they lost their money as a result. However, less than half of these have decided to claim travel insurance. Insurance comparison sites are urging passengers to know their rights in case this occurs during their trip this year.
Rhys Jones, travel insurance expert at Go.comPare, said:
“If that happens to you and you are not allowed to board the plane, the first thing you should do is to confirm with the airline that you have been denied boarding due to overbooking. Get this in writing if possible.
“Next, I would like to discuss what your airline is going to do to get your trip back on course, plans to help you, and the compensation they provide.
“Don't forget to keep all relevant documents, including boarding passes, communications from the airline, and receipts for accommodation and meal costs, which the airline should cover for these costs.
“Be aware that you can complain to the airline if necessary, and even if it has not been resolved, file a complaint with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme.
“Travel insurance won't cover you due to overbooking, but you should be able to claim coverage from the airline for the specific costs that result in.
“And some insurance policies offer optional travel disruption coverage, which allows you to protect if the airline can't provide a proper alternative flight. So it's worth checking out whether the provider will provide this and what's included.”
