Overbooking phenomena

[DannyVDB]

Dear all,

Recently I had several cases of overbooking on SN. Leaving for BCN a few weeks ago I was upgraded to business class because this overbooking and they were still looking for several passengers to go on a later flight (in return for 250€). The plane was a A320.

Returning last week, the same. The husband of a woman sitting one row before me could not return with her because no seat left ...

And yesterday, again, when leaving for BIO (Bilbao) they were asking volunteers for taking the flight via Munich instead.

I have two questions:
1) Is overbooking happening a lot, more than before, and is this in case of SN not an indication they need bigger airplanes (maybe a few A321 and replacing A319 by A320). What with other airlines? Why overbooking at all?
2) How do they decide to 'leave' one or more persons if they do not have enough volunteers? Can they just appoint a person ("you can not fly with this flight today").

Your thoughts and experiences are appreciated.

Cheers,
Danny

Note: years ago I had a very extreme case with LH to SIN when there were on a B747 70 (!) overbookings ...

[Stij]

It was always that way... even Transavia overbooks their flights...
And that sometimes leads to frustration and even anger.
A few weeks ago the police had to intervene on a Transavia flight to Malaga.

Yes, if they don't find enough volunteers they can appoint someone. However, I don't know how they do it... Probably the computer takes FF status, order of check-in, price paid, age and connections in consideration.

[oldblueeyes]

Overbooking is a calculated thing.
Simply because there are always no show offs, flexible last minute rebookings both ways etc.
If you would fly a trunk route in the US you'll see almost every flight having such offers.

Planes are typically not an issue, as airlines have demand charts and try to optimize offering. What they can't is to catch up with demand spikes.

I also experienced eg at the time of a festival in a city an overbooked plane with a large group arguing at the gate for the last seats. Asked calm if i can have one and voila! i was on the way into a small turboprop.

Often when large trade fairs, sports events or similar disrupt the demand, such things happen.

[Established02]

Note: years ago I had a very extreme case with LH to SIN when there were on a B747 70 (!) overbookings ...

LH codeshares with SQ on their daily FRA-SIN, both LH and SQ leaving at similar evening times. LH may be aware of a trend that passengers that are initially booked on the LH flight rebook themselves on the SQ/LH flight once they show up at the airport. LH must be confident that a bunch of overbookings may 'no show' or that they can be rebooked on the SQ/LH flight if needed.

In 2005 I once showed up at the gate in FRA with a standby ticket for LH's FRA-SIN. That was a pretty naive thing to do, especially as I had not prepared a strong back up plan. Presenting myself at the gate, LH staff immediately made me clear that my chances to get on were very slim. Nevertheless I kept waiting until the very last moment, but to no avail. My situation had suddenly become desperate, but fortunately somebody advised me to try my luck with QF in Terminal 2. So I quickly ran away and I arrived in T2 out of breath, when everybody was already on board and the gate was about to close. It turned out that my standby ticket was actually not valid on QF, because the paid fee was too low, but very fortunately the gate supervisor had mercy upon me and allowed me on their FRA-SIN flight. If not, I would have been stuck at FRA at midnight! Had a great flight on the Qantas 747!

[longwings]

2) How do they decide to 'leave' one or more persons if they do not have enough volunteers? Can they just appoint a person ("you can not fly with this flight today").

Almost always passenger without status on the cheapest ticket goes first (check-in time is the final criteria when several passengers paid the same fare). Then they make their way up ticket prices through passenger without status. Some airlines have an automated process, and some do it manually where the results do not always follow the rule (e.g. if four seats are needed, a gate agent may find it easier to boot a family of four who may have paid slightly more than four separate passengers who paid slightly less)

Unaccompanied minors and passengers flying with human remains (coffin in the hold) are protected.

Upgrades due to overbooking in economy follow the opposite logic. Passenger with highest status on the airline first and on down to lower status, then the same with passengers with status on their alliance partners. Passengers with no status almost never get upgraded, because there is almost always someone with status ahead.