Oct 20, 2009 11:00 pm US/Eastern
Airlines Stranding More Passengers At The Gate
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Stephen Brashear/Getty Images
When you're waiting at the airport, the last thing you want to hear is that you've been bumped from your flight. The struggling airlines are stranding more passengers at the gate these days. In fact, it's at a 14 year high.
One traveler at Logan Airport said he had to wait five hours to get another flight after being bumped off his first flight. Another man said he was told his flight was overbooked when he tried to print a boarding pass at home.
Overall, most passengers think it's wrong that the airlines are selling more tickets than they have seats.
Anne Banas of
SmarterTravel.com says the worst thing for an airline is to have any empty seats because they represent lost revenue which they can never recapture. It might sound crazy the airlines can do this, but it is actually allowed under federal law. The airlines are allowed to overbook flights to accommodate no shows and cancellations.
The Department of Transportation has doubled the penalties for when a paying passenger is refused a seat.
"If you are involuntarily bumped, airlines have to compensate you up to $400 if you arrive with two hours of your original flight. If it is later than that, they have to compensate you up to $800," Banas explained.
Read:
Consumer Flying Rights
With dreams of booking a second vacation, many travelers have been willing to give up their seat for a later flight. But these days, getting re-booked can take a day or two, and the incentives for being bumped are not as generous as they once were.
"Sometimes the vouchers have very heavy restrictions, have black out dates, so you might want to negotiate and get cash compensation," according to Banas.
It also is important which airline you choose. Banas said US Airways has the highest bumping rate. They're followed by United, Alaska Airlines, Continental, Southwest, Delta, and American.
It's a situation that maddens some passengers, and leaves others resigned. One man at Logan said he didn't make too much of fuss about it. "Just kind of accepted that's that what it was," he said.
To reduce your chances of getting bumped, Banas suggests you print your boarding pass online and make sure you have a specific seat assignment.
Then, make sure you get to the airport early.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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