NYT Article on US Overbooking

[bofie]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/30/business/30bump.html?hp

 

[JS]

Interesting article!

 

[AstroLounge]

Interesting article on WHY airlines OVERBOOK. What is even more intriguing is when you get a customer who questions/critiques an airline for the level of service (meal vs. no meal, etc). Every business operates to MAKE A PROFIT- so IF the last minute business traveller who is seated in F/C on a meal flight decides THEY WOULD RATHER take a later flight, WHO PAYS for the meal that is provisioned? Oh, I think I got it...."It's All about Me....I'll show up when I want, IF I want and you are still going to cater TO ME 🙄 ". People LOVE to criticise the airlines about EVERY issue and only see the part of the equation that BENEFITS Them. People need to look at the BIG PICTURE!

 

[Zarah]

Okay, how long did they have to wait around to find passengers dressed that nice?

=)

 

[PHL]

Interesting article on WHY airlines OVERBOOK. What is even more intriguing is when you get a customer who questions/critiques an airline for the level of service (meal vs. no meal, etc). Every business operates to MAKE A PROFIT- so IF the last minute business traveller who is seated in F/C on a meal flight decides THEY WOULD RATHER take a later flight, WHO PAYS for the meal that is provisioned? Oh, I think I got it...."It's All about Me....I'll show up when I want, IF I want and you are still going to cater TO ME 🙄 ". People LOVE to criticise the airlines about EVERY issue and only see the part of the equation that BENEFITS Them. People need to look at the BIG PICTURE!

There are unreasonable customers in every line of business that can never be pleased. But it's no revelation that the way some airlines have operated with regards to service levels (and I don't just mean a meal) has declined dramatically. This summer is going to really suck because a.) airlines will continue to overbook and b.) the overall capacity of the aircraft is less than 7 years ago. This will create a nasty ripple effect, stranding more passengers in more cities with no alternatives but to sleep on airport floors since the old "it's weather" excuse will absolve the airlines of helping the wayward masses. Sure, it's weather. We know. But maybe, given the reams of historical data that can almost pinpoint which flights/times of day/regions will be likely to experience delays, the airlines can put some breathing room into the schedules and be a little more conservative in overbookings on flights where thunderstorms and late day travel go together like peas and carrots. That would at least minimize the disruptions and customer ill-will.

 

[SKY HIGH]

We know. But maybe, given the reams of historical data that can almost pinpoint which flights/times of day/regions will be likely to experience delays, the airlines can put some breathing room into the schedules and be a little more conservative in overbookings on flights where thunderstorms and late day travel go together like peas and carrots. That would at least minimize the disruptions and customer ill-will.

sky high states: First of all, why do airlines overbook? So, seats dont go out EMPTY! Why would they go out empty? Because sometimes someone RESERVES that seat and doesnt SHOW UP. And once the plane takes off, with that EMPTY SEAT, that is REVENUE LOST. OVERBOOKING IS A GOOD THING.


only stating opinions

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Of the ticketed passengers that are no-shows, what percentage is that those passengers happened to fly back on an earlier flight? Tickets I purchase I book are generally last minute no restrictions. I schedule my return for when I believe I will be returning and done with business that I had to take care of. My outbound flight I am always on, as its a ticket bought withing 24 hours of travel. My return I usually am on, but there are occasions where an on-site problem will take longer to rectify and I will either have to take a later flight or the next day. But that is a rare occurance. For every 50 trips that may happen 2 or 3 times. And I purchase my tickets on-line so I just book a RT ticket.
What I am questioning here is that if a person takes an earlier flight back, is their record still holding a seat on their booked flight, or in que?

 

[Justme]

the old "it's weather" excuse

Ha. Ha. How timely. To make sure that my wife and two boys didn't get "stuck" in Florida on a visit to Grandmother's house we purchased a ticket on AA direct from DFW to FLL. They are at the airport now. Their flight was scheduled for a 1205 departure.

There's a bad storm over the metroplex right now (that's 1120 EDT) and so what does AA do? Of course, cancel the flight. What's up with that? Is that typical of their operation? Does it have something to do with the gate holds that were discussed on here last year about a flight from San Diego to Philly being put on a 6 hour hold because there was a storm in Philly at that moment?

And everything on AA looks really full all day today and tomorrow. I know! She can non-rev on U in the morning through either PHL or CLT and make it with no problem. Unless, of course, AA fills them via interline with all the people from (at least) 2 flights that have already been canceled from FLL to DFW.

Oh well. And we thought that all the excitement in air travel would be over when we started buying tickets.

And oh, by the way Mr. or Mrs. PHL....How's the weather up there? Sorry for the combination hijack/rant, but it was easier than starting my own thread.

We'll see ya'll around the hubs!
Larry

 

[JayBrian]

Is the article infering that most no shows hold full fare non-restricted tickets? If that is the case are they the ones given unvoluntary bumps? I'm guessing that it is usually those last to check in are the first to get bumped.

 

[Travels2mch]

Of the ticketed passengers that are no-shows, what percentage is that those passengers happened to fly back on an earlier flight?

What about the misconnects on inbound flights?

 

[BuffaloJoe]

What about the misconnects on inbound flights?

That too would factor in. I was just doing a Point A-B. Is SHARES capable of highlighting if a passenger is on an inbound plane for connection? That could tell the GA whether to give up the seat or not.

I understand that the airline wants you at the gate 10-15 minutes prior to departure. Guess what, that is not a luxury that some of the passengers have, if their origininating flight is late, the computer should spit out that info. The passenger runs from one plane to the other, makes it with 5 minutes to spare, only to find out they gave their seat up. Is that fair to that flyer? Even the delay doesn't have to be the airlines fault, it could have been ATC hold or weather. But that still isn't right to give the seat up in that case. I agree if the passenger was originating at the location, but coming in from another flight is beyond their control. It all comes down to the computer system being able to put out the info properly. The GA should see that "Mr. Jones and His wife" checked in and are on their flight, coming into gate X and the status of the flight. All that should be made to come up on 1 screen, not several different where as you have to type in commands every step. But that's at the programmers level, and for the company to see that option is available. Overbooking is a no-win situation if everybody happens to show up. You can overbook a flight for 7 days straight by 5 people. 6 of those 7 days you would have seats to spare, but its that 1 day that everybody shows up.

 

[FenixFlyer3]

That too would factor in. I was just doing a Point A-B. Is SHARES capable of highlighting if a passenger is on an inbound plane for connection? That could tell the GA whether to give up the seat or not.

Yes. All you need to do is look at the inbound conx. It lists every inbound flight, the ETA, the number of pax and number of bags.

 

[EMBFA]

I'm guessing that it is usually those last to check in are the first to get bumped.

I believe it's last booked lowest fare. Mr Business may have bought his ticket an hour ago for $899, but Bob Priceline got his 7 months ago for $76, and was the last to get that fare, so he will get bumped. It makes sense. We need the $899, not the $76. Whatever restrictions and rules for each ticket apply but I understand thats the basic idea.

Is SHARES capable of highlighting if a passenger is on an inbound plane for connection? That could tell the GA whether to give up the seat or not.

LOL! I sure hope so! Its the basic idea of what gate agents do.

I love when customers ask you to use your magic telephone to "call the flight" and let them know they are on thier way. Um, do they really think that each individual computer/agent is only aware of the goings on of thier own flight? That they dont see in the computer exactly what flight you're on, when it lands, when it is in the gate, where you were sitting? Do they really think this thing is really just chugging along with people standing around puzzled to the whereabouts of the customers. "I wonder where they are? Are they stuck in traffic? Maybe they are on ANOTHER flight! Geez, you'd think if somethings up, someone would call on the phone and let me know. Should I hold the flight?" The operation isn't quite THAT chaotic and clueless. 🙄

 

[SKY HIGH]

You can overbook a flight for 7 days straight by 5 people. 6 of those 7 days you would have seats to spare, but its that 1 day that everybody shows up.

I had a roommate many years ago, that told me, no shows were quite common for flights. He had access to check the overbooking ratio. For San Juan flights, it was common to see a "TWENTY PERCENT" overbooking ratio on those flights. They had to book it that high, for the flights to go out FULL.
Over sold--------> compensation. EVERYONE WINS.


only stating opinions.

 

[BoeingBoy]

The operation isn't quite THAT chaotic and clueless. 🙄

Ya gotta admit - there's been times since Mar 4 that make you wonder.....

Jim