Why would an airline put 15 passengers at once on standby?What is overbooking (of flights), and why do airlines all seem to do it?Online check-in, overbooking and EU compensation rights
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Why would an airline put 15 passengers at once on standby?
What is overbooking (of flights), and why do airlines all seem to do it?Online check-in, overbooking and EU compensation rights
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I've checked into a flight this morning with Delta, only to see a dreaded "Seat At Gate" on my boarding pass. I am aware that airlines routinely overbook their flights, so normally I'd expect that 3-4 passengers would be put on standby when checking in. However when I arrived to the airport, the overhead monitors showed that a total of 15 passengers were put on standby. In the end I got on the flight and as far as I could tell no one was bumped against their will.
Why would the airline out so many people on standby at once? Do they really overbook short haul planes by 15 seats or so?
overbooking
asked 8 hours ago
JonathanReez♦JonathanReez
51.1k45 gold badges265 silver badges543 bronze badges
add a comment
|
I've checked into a flight this morning with Delta, only to see a dreaded "Seat At Gate" on my boarding pass. I am aware that airlines routinely overbook their flights, so normally I'd expect that 3-4 passengers would be put on standby when checking in. However when I arrived to the airport, the overhead monitors showed that a total of 15 passengers were put on standby. In the end I got on the flight and as far as I could tell no one was bumped against their will.
Why would the airline out so many people on standby at once? Do they really overbook short haul planes by 15 seats or so?
overbooking
asked 8 hours ago
JonathanReez♦JonathanReez
51.1k45 gold badges265 silver badges543 bronze badges
1
Airlines have incredible revenue management analysis tools, they know very well how many no-shows they will typically get on a given route at any given moment and thus know how many seats they can overbook with minimal risk.
– Moo
6 hours ago
1
Another possibility is a last-minute aircraft switch, possibly for technical reasons or to avoid cascading delays.
– Relaxed
5 hours ago
add a comment
|
I've checked into a flight this morning with Delta, only to see a dreaded "Seat At Gate" on my boarding pass. I am aware that airlines routinely overbook their flights, so normally I'd expect that 3-4 passengers would be put on standby when checking in. However when I arrived to the airport, the overhead monitors showed that a total of 15 passengers were put on standby. In the end I got on the flight and as far as I could tell no one was bumped against their will.
Why would the airline out so many people on standby at once? Do they really overbook short haul planes by 15 seats or so?
overbooking
asked 8 hours ago
JonathanReez♦JonathanReez
51.1k45 gold badges265 silver badges543 bronze badges
I've checked into a flight this morning with Delta, only to see a dreaded "Seat At Gate" on my boarding pass. I am aware that airlines routinely overbook their flights, so normally I'd expect that 3-4 passengers would be put on standby when checking in. However when I arrived to the airport, the overhead monitors showed that a total of 15 passengers were put on standby. In the end I got on the flight and as far as I could tell no one was bumped against their will.
Why would the airline out so many people on standby at once? Do they really overbook short haul planes by 15 seats or so?
overbooking
overbooking
asked 8 hours ago
JonathanReez♦JonathanReez
51.1k45 gold badges265 silver badges543 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
JonathanReez♦JonathanReez
51.1k45 gold badges265 silver badges543 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
JonathanReez♦JonathanReez
51.1k45 gold badges265 silver badges543 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
JonathanReez♦JonathanReez
51.1k45 gold badges265 silver badges543 bronze badges
asked 8 hours ago
JonathanReez♦JonathanReez
51.1k45 gold badges265 silver badges543 bronze badges
51.1k45 gold badges265 silver badges543 bronze badges
1
Airlines have incredible revenue management analysis tools, they know very well how many no-shows they will typically get on a given route at any given moment and thus know how many seats they can overbook with minimal risk.
– Moo
6 hours ago
1
Another possibility is a last-minute aircraft switch, possibly for technical reasons or to avoid cascading delays.
– Relaxed
5 hours ago
add a comment
|
1
Airlines have incredible revenue management analysis tools, they know very well how many no-shows they will typically get on a given route at any given moment and thus know how many seats they can overbook with minimal risk.
– Moo
6 hours ago
1
Another possibility is a last-minute aircraft switch, possibly for technical reasons or to avoid cascading delays.
– Relaxed
5 hours ago
1
1
Airlines have incredible revenue management analysis tools, they know very well how many no-shows they will typically get on a given route at any given moment and thus know how many seats they can overbook with minimal risk.
– Moo
6 hours ago
Airlines have incredible revenue management analysis tools, they know very well how many no-shows they will typically get on a given route at any given moment and thus know how many seats they can overbook with minimal risk.
– Moo
6 hours ago
1
1
Another possibility is a last-minute aircraft switch, possibly for technical reasons or to avoid cascading delays.
– Relaxed
5 hours ago
Another possibility is a last-minute aircraft switch, possibly for technical reasons or to avoid cascading delays.
– Relaxed
5 hours ago
add a comment
|
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
They may have been non-revenue travelers. As a job perk, airlines commonly allow their own employees to travel for free or at nominal cost (e.g. paying only the taxes), even for personal travel. This privilege may also be extended to the employee's family or friends accompanying them, or to employees of other airlines. But all such travel will typically be standby, so that it does not displace paying customers.
If so, then it's not overbooking, because those people were never promised a seat in the first place. They wait until the last minute, and if seats are still available, they get to board. If not, they can try again on another flight, or maybe give up and go home. They knew all along this was part of the deal. If they really had to get there, they could pay full price for a ticket like everyone else.
answered 8 hours ago
Nate EldredgeNate Eldredge
29.5k10 gold badges102 silver badges126 bronze badges
add a comment
|
Airlines know very well how many non-shows they have on average for a specific flight, and how many non-revenue passengers.
Using those numbers they can predict quite accurately how many passengers they can safely overbook and put on standby and still not have to leave any paying customers stranded.
Most extreme example I ever had of that was a 747 from Curacao to Amsterdam. That leg was on average 50% overbooked, as it was this time.
They still did not have to leave anyone behind, and the aircraft wasn't quite full (but close) on departure. The number of no-shows was that high.
On that particular leg at the time this was in large part because of the extremely high number of drugs couriers that use the route. Many get cold feet at the last moment and abandon their journey, more get caught by immigration and customs and are offloaded.
KLM took no great risk when overbooking the flight by 50%, it was routine at the time for that leg (don't know what the numbers are now, probably lower as it's no longer a direct flight and therefore less attractive to drugs couriers, especially those ingesting capsules).
answered 31 mins ago
jwentingjwenting
7,7911 gold badge18 silver badges27 bronze badges
add a comment
|
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
They may have been non-revenue travelers. As a job perk, airlines commonly allow their own employees to travel for free or at nominal cost (e.g. paying only the taxes), even for personal travel. This privilege may also be extended to the employee's family or friends accompanying them, or to employees of other airlines. But all such travel will typically be standby, so that it does not displace paying customers.
If so, then it's not overbooking, because those people were never promised a seat in the first place. They wait until the last minute, and if seats are still available, they get to board. If not, they can try again on another flight, or maybe give up and go home. They knew all along this was part of the deal. If they really had to get there, they could pay full price for a ticket like everyone else.
answered 8 hours ago
Nate EldredgeNate Eldredge
29.5k10 gold badges102 silver badges126 bronze badges
add a comment
|
They may have been non-revenue travelers. As a job perk, airlines commonly allow their own employees to travel for free or at nominal cost (e.g. paying only the taxes), even for personal travel. This privilege may also be extended to the employee's family or friends accompanying them, or to employees of other airlines. But all such travel will typically be standby, so that it does not displace paying customers.
If so, then it's not overbooking, because those people were never promised a seat in the first place. They wait until the last minute, and if seats are still available, they get to board. If not, they can try again on another flight, or maybe give up and go home. They knew all along this was part of the deal. If they really had to get there, they could pay full price for a ticket like everyone else.
answered 8 hours ago
Nate EldredgeNate Eldredge
29.5k10 gold badges102 silver badges126 bronze badges
add a comment
|
They may have been non-revenue travelers. As a job perk, airlines commonly allow their own employees to travel for free or at nominal cost (e.g. paying only the taxes), even for personal travel. This privilege may also be extended to the employee's family or friends accompanying them, or to employees of other airlines. But all such travel will typically be standby, so that it does not displace paying customers.
If so, then it's not overbooking, because those people were never promised a seat in the first place. They wait until the last minute, and if seats are still available, they get to board. If not, they can try again on another flight, or maybe give up and go home. They knew all along this was part of the deal. If they really had to get there, they could pay full price for a ticket like everyone else.
answered 8 hours ago
Nate EldredgeNate Eldredge
29.5k10 gold badges102 silver badges126 bronze badges
They may have been non-revenue travelers. As a job perk, airlines commonly allow their own employees to travel for free or at nominal cost (e.g. paying only the taxes), even for personal travel. This privilege may also be extended to the employee's family or friends accompanying them, or to employees of other airlines. But all such travel will typically be standby, so that it does not displace paying customers.
If so, then it's not overbooking, because those people were never promised a seat in the first place. They wait until the last minute, and if seats are still available, they get to board. If not, they can try again on another flight, or maybe give up and go home. They knew all along this was part of the deal. If they really had to get there, they could pay full price for a ticket like everyone else.
answered 8 hours ago
Nate EldredgeNate Eldredge
29.5k10 gold badges102 silver badges126 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
Nate EldredgeNate Eldredge
29.5k10 gold badges102 silver badges126 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
Nate EldredgeNate Eldredge
29.5k10 gold badges102 silver badges126 bronze badges
answered 8 hours ago
Nate EldredgeNate Eldredge
29.5k10 gold badges102 silver badges126 bronze badges
29.5k10 gold badges102 silver badges126 bronze badges
add a comment
|
add a comment
|
Airlines know very well how many non-shows they have on average for a specific flight, and how many non-revenue passengers.
Using those numbers they can predict quite accurately how many passengers they can safely overbook and put on standby and still not have to leave any paying customers stranded.
Most extreme example I ever had of that was a 747 from Curacao to Amsterdam. That leg was on average 50% overbooked, as it was this time.
They still did not have to leave anyone behind, and the aircraft wasn't quite full (but close) on departure. The number of no-shows was that high.
On that particular leg at the time this was in large part because of the extremely high number of drugs couriers that use the route. Many get cold feet at the last moment and abandon their journey, more get caught by immigration and customs and are offloaded.
KLM took no great risk when overbooking the flight by 50%, it was routine at the time for that leg (don't know what the numbers are now, probably lower as it's no longer a direct flight and therefore less attractive to drugs couriers, especially those ingesting capsules).
answered 31 mins ago
jwentingjwenting
7,7911 gold badge18 silver badges27 bronze badges
add a comment
|
Airlines know very well how many non-shows they have on average for a specific flight, and how many non-revenue passengers.
Using those numbers they can predict quite accurately how many passengers they can safely overbook and put on standby and still not have to leave any paying customers stranded.
Most extreme example I ever had of that was a 747 from Curacao to Amsterdam. That leg was on average 50% overbooked, as it was this time.
They still did not have to leave anyone behind, and the aircraft wasn't quite full (but close) on departure. The number of no-shows was that high.
On that particular leg at the time this was in large part because of the extremely high number of drugs couriers that use the route. Many get cold feet at the last moment and abandon their journey, more get caught by immigration and customs and are offloaded.
KLM took no great risk when overbooking the flight by 50%, it was routine at the time for that leg (don't know what the numbers are now, probably lower as it's no longer a direct flight and therefore less attractive to drugs couriers, especially those ingesting capsules).
answered 31 mins ago
jwentingjwenting
7,7911 gold badge18 silver badges27 bronze badges
add a comment
|
Airlines know very well how many non-shows they have on average for a specific flight, and how many non-revenue passengers.
Using those numbers they can predict quite accurately how many passengers they can safely overbook and put on standby and still not have to leave any paying customers stranded.
Most extreme example I ever had of that was a 747 from Curacao to Amsterdam. That leg was on average 50% overbooked, as it was this time.
They still did not have to leave anyone behind, and the aircraft wasn't quite full (but close) on departure. The number of no-shows was that high.
On that particular leg at the time this was in large part because of the extremely high number of drugs couriers that use the route. Many get cold feet at the last moment and abandon their journey, more get caught by immigration and customs and are offloaded.
KLM took no great risk when overbooking the flight by 50%, it was routine at the time for that leg (don't know what the numbers are now, probably lower as it's no longer a direct flight and therefore less attractive to drugs couriers, especially those ingesting capsules).
answered 31 mins ago
jwentingjwenting
7,7911 gold badge18 silver badges27 bronze badges
Airlines know very well how many non-shows they have on average for a specific flight, and how many non-revenue passengers.
Using those numbers they can predict quite accurately how many passengers they can safely overbook and put on standby and still not have to leave any paying customers stranded.
Most extreme example I ever had of that was a 747 from Curacao to Amsterdam. That leg was on average 50% overbooked, as it was this time.
They still did not have to leave anyone behind, and the aircraft wasn't quite full (but close) on departure. The number of no-shows was that high.
On that particular leg at the time this was in large part because of the extremely high number of drugs couriers that use the route. Many get cold feet at the last moment and abandon their journey, more get caught by immigration and customs and are offloaded.
KLM took no great risk when overbooking the flight by 50%, it was routine at the time for that leg (don't know what the numbers are now, probably lower as it's no longer a direct flight and therefore less attractive to drugs couriers, especially those ingesting capsules).
answered 31 mins ago
jwentingjwenting
7,7911 gold badge18 silver badges27 bronze badges
answered 31 mins ago
jwentingjwenting
7,7911 gold badge18 silver badges27 bronze badges
answered 31 mins ago
jwentingjwenting
7,7911 gold badge18 silver badges27 bronze badges
answered 31 mins ago
jwentingjwenting
7,7911 gold badge18 silver badges27 bronze badges
7,7911 gold badge18 silver badges27 bronze badges
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Airlines have incredible revenue management analysis tools, they know very well how many no-shows they will typically get on a given route at any given moment and thus know how many seats they can overbook with minimal risk.
– Moo
6 hours ago
1
Another possibility is a last-minute aircraft switch, possibly for technical reasons or to avoid cascading delays.
– Relaxed
5 hours ago