Why do airlines overbook flights?

[beautybutterfly]

My friend has just been bumped into the next flight (with free worldwide flight etc like others on here have been) I just wondered why this was happening so much lately? Why are airlines overbooking so much, I know they over book a little because there's always people who don't turn up but I read on here that they'd overbooked by 26!

Just curious

[WhereIBelong]

statistically, some passengers will not show up. Not soooooooo much on holiday flights to Orlando, but to places like New York/Atlanta/Philly - where lots of indirect flights go - since these 'noshows' are mainly business or first- class passengers with flexible tickets.

[beautybutterfly]

Originally Posted by WhereIBelong

statistically, some passengers will not show up. Not soooooooo much on holiday flights to Orlando, but to places like New York/Atlanta/Philly - where lots of indirect flights go - since these 'noshows' are mainly business or first- class passengers with flexible tickets.

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Ahh I bet that's how it's happened to my friend cos she had a connecting flight in Atlanta do she's in Atlanta for a night

[Lisa29]

I'm sure I read on another thread that there had been a system error which meant they had overbooked by more than they usually would.

[beautybutterfly]

Originally Posted by Lisa29

I'm sure I read on another thread that there had been a system error which meant they had overbooked by more than they usually would.

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Yeah I've just read that, does seem very odd how there's been quite a few people on here all doing the same thing when I don't think I've heard of it happening before

[donna100]

Could also be a last
Minute aircraft Change and in some instances this can really cause a flight to go over by a lot x

[skalexander]

Originally Posted by donna100

Could also me a last
Minute aircraft Change and in some instances this can really cause a flight to go over by a lot x

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This happened to us in 2011. We were supposed to be on a 3 class 777, but it went technical and was replaced with a 4 class 777. The addition to the service of 14 first class seats resulted in the loss of about 60 economy seats, and it was a full plane. As it happens, we got to enjoy one each of those first class seats as there were no economy seats for us. It was like winning the lottery

[Guest]

Not all airlines do it. Mostly on the route which "big" aircraft operate. For example we have aircraft ranging from 8 seats to 88 seats and overbook NO flights at all. When the seats are sold, the are sold.
We can however still need to "bump" or DBC (as it's called in the trade) people due to operational factors like reduced payload due to operational or climatic reasons. i.e on very warm, still days here in Orkney (very rare!) our aircraft cannot take off with such heavy payloads due restrictions on payloads caused by the warm air and not enough, or cross winds. Warm air = less performance from engines. Throw in a cross wind, or a calm day means less air going over the wings so less lift. Combine the two and we need to loose weight from the aircraft i.e a passenger and their bags!

[WhereIBelong]

Ha - don't get me going about our trips up to Orkney (from Birmingham) to visit mum that have been delayed, rerouted or magically disappeared

our last conversation at the airport in Kirkwall consisted of - "oh, the Edinburgh plane has broken so we're using the Aberdeen plane in its place, so you will be going home via Glasgow instead" after something similar happened the previous time, we refer to our flights home as the magical mystery tour of Scotland .

I would HATE to be a scheduler... it must take a special sort of methodical person.

[cartoonp]

Originally Posted by beautybutterfly

My friend has just been bumped into the next flight (with free worldwide flight etc like others on here have been) I just wondered why this was happening so much lately? Why are airlines overbooking so much, I know they over book a little because there's always people who don't turn up but I read on here that they'd overbooked by 26!

Just curious

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A full plane better then a half empty plane more bums on seats mean more money. It cheper to asked people to fly next day and give them say free tickets then to fly a half empty plane (IE fule wages ect)