Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Liz Fleming
What?!
There's no seat on that flight?
But I have my ticket right here!
And I have a meeting I can't miss!
We've all seen it happen. Delays and overbooked flights leave
travelers languishing in the departure lounge when they should
be winging their way to far-flung destinations. It's annoying,
but a simple fact of life in the travel world.
In order to offset operating costs, airlines are legally able
to oversell flights and do so, banking that a few no-shows will
make things work out in the end. Most of the time, that's the
case, but when everyone shows up, ticket in hand, a few unlucky
passengers will be bumped from the flight.
You've heard the announcements: "If there are any passengers on
flight AC 327 who would be willing to take a later flight,
please see the ticket agent at Gate 134."
And you've heard the deals offered. Take that later flight and
you'll receive a $200 voucher for your next trip with that
airline. If the delay will be greater than a few hours or the
distance is particularly long, you might do even better than
that. In some cases, those willing to give up their seats are
offered larger compensation fees, hotel rooms, meal vouchers
and seat upgrades on the flights they finally take.
If you're in no particular rush, it might be worth your while.
If you're late checking in for your flight, you might have no
choice!
Airlines have the ability to set their own rules regarding
check-in times for their flights - and cut-offs can range from
10 minutes prior to boarding to half an hour. If you aren't
checked in, you could find yourself left behind, waiting for
the next available flight. You're wise to check in at least an
hour in advance for domestic flights, and two to three hours
for international.
What's your best strategy if you find yourself bumped from your
flight?
If your situation is time-sensitive and being bumped will mean
missing an important meeting, make that clear in a polite
manner and ask if an announcement could be made asking if any
other passenger might volunteer to switch. Who knows? You could
get lucky.
What if you check in on time and have a seat, but discover that
your flight has been seriously delayed?
Sometimes, airlines will work in co-operation with one another
to accommodate passengers whose flight delays are causing real
problems. If you're offered a switch to another airline in that
circumstance, you'll need to be easily transferred - and that
means no checked luggage. Once your luggage has gone aboard a
plane, safety regulations demand that you fly on that plane as
well. If you want to remain flexible, stick with carry-on.
In all situations, remember what your mother's advice for
social success - use your party manners. The ticket agent
doesn't have the ability to create extra seats on an overfilled
plane, but he or she does decide who gets on the next available
flight and may have discretion when it comes to handing out
compensatory vouchers and upgrades. When things get tough, it's
to your advantage to be the most pleasant and understanding
passenger in the line.
