“Airlines should be allowed to overbook”: IATA
In the wake of the drama involving a United passenger being dragged off an overbooked flight, IATA has weighed in on the debate, claiming airlines should be allowed to continue “long-established overbooking practices”.
Director General and CEO of IATA, Alexandre de Juniac, has also weighed in on the debate, attempting to distance United’s shady actions and poor apologies from the overall aviation industry.
In a paper from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), it stated its position on overbooking policies, they discussed governments considering regulations that would restrict the current practice.
“The airline business is unique in that once a flight takes off, the seats on that flight are no longer available for sale; it’s a time-sensitive, perishable product,” the paper said.
“Through sophisticated revenue management systems that airlines deploy, they know the historical percentage of no-show passengers for any given route.
“As a result, airlines can, with a degree of certainty, overbook a flight considering the number of no-shows expected, thereby maximizing the capacity available to customers.”
Protecting passengers in the case of denied boarding
According to 2016 stats, just 0.09 per cent of passengers in the US were denied boarding as a result of an overbooked flight.
“Where flights are overbooked, IATA supports, in the first instance, a call for volunteers in exchange for an agreed-upon offer the airlines extend to customers,” the paper stated.
But if not enough volunteers come forward, IATA said it “recognises the right to re-routing, assistance and proportionate compensation to those passengers involuntarily denied boarding”.
Director General and CEO of IATA, Alexandre de Juniac, shared his own thoughts on the United scandal and airline overbooking policies in an IATA blog.
“Everybody who watched the video of a passenger being dragged off UA flight 3411 earlier this week was shocked. That includes me,” de Juniac penned.
“Whatever the reason, what happened was clearly unacceptable. And United has recognized that.”
And while he said it’s not his job to judge or apologise for the situation, it is his duty to “defend the reputation” of the aviation industry.
“Each day some 10 million passengers board planes. And 100,000 flights will take them safely to wherever they are going, almost always without incident,” de Juniac said.
“That is no less than a modern day marvel of technology, coordination and dedication to safety.
“Aviation is also a challenging business. Every take-off and landing involves complex coordination among many different people. Bad weather, overcrowded infrastructure, strikes, natural disasters, and public health issues are among the long list of events on one side of the world that can lead to disruptions a continent away.
“Absolute dedication to safety could see a last minute change of aircraft or a flight delay to fix the problem.
And the 63 million people employed in making travel possible are human. Sometimes they make mistakes. In a service business amends need to be made swiftly and with the human touch.
“There can be no justification for what we saw on that video. But the response must be more thoughtful than headlines painting an entire industry with the hue of a single and very regrettable incident.
“Many political and opinion leaders have weighed in on a discussion that has gone global with amazing speed. Questions have been raised about passenger rights, procedures for denying boarding to passengers, the actions of local law enforcement, and overbooking practices.
We will learn lessons from this too. But at the risk of sounding old-fashioned, the best results will not come out of angry, knee-jerk responses that seek resolution in 140 characters, or a newspaper comment piece written before the entire incident has revealed itself.
“Where do we go from here? United has pledged to take immediate concrete action to ensure this never happens again and announced a thorough review of its relevant policies and actions addressing oversold situations and incentivizing volunteers, with a report by 30 April.
“But, if there is something in this incident that requires changes at an industry level the next step is a robust dialogue. To relieve any cynics out there, that’s not a stall tactic. Rather, it is a proven process to produce the best result.
“Airlines and governments both want passengers to reach their destination safely, efficiently and without incident. That’s our common goal—and a proven platform to make flying even better.”
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
-
Latest comments
Latest News
Voyages celebrates 40 years at Uluru with two new immersive experiences
No plans for celebrating your 40th this year? Here's a hot tip from us.
SkyDeck: The inflight entertainment you could never have imagined
Forget those external cameras you can live stream while in the air... With SkyDeck you can check it out for yourself.
Second Boeing whistleblower dies of ‘mystery infection’
Joshua Dean died from a fast-growing mystery infection on Tuesday.
Aussie winners of American Airlines ‘Sell Your Way to the USA’ announced
Show me the money! For the winners, Sell Your Way to the USA was worth getting involved in.
ANZCRO celebrates 30th with special edition of iconic New Zealand Book
Choice bro! ANZCRO celebrates its 30th with a special edition of its iconic New Zealand Book. Chur!
Room to move at Cairns Harbourside Hotel with ‘spacious’ new family package
Moody teens can eat two-minute noodles while younger brothers and sisters get to eat free with mum and dad. Win, win!
A&K unveils lavish around the world wildlife adventure in private jet
The kind of holiday that if you need to ask the cost, you probably can't afford it.
Flight Centre and Reforest hit one million trees target early
Nice one Flight Centre, we think you've earned an early Friday knockoff.
New cruise options spearhead stacked APT 2025 program
Just in case you thought you were running out of cruise itineraries, APT's here with a fresh batch.
Travel Weekly announces a new team to helm Australia’s No.1 travel trade title
Some shameless self-promotion from us, but we thought you needed to know who's bringing you the news.
IHG reveals plans for Brisbane’s first Kimpton in 2028
Just another reason to book that trip to Brisvegas. But don't jump the gun, it's not open until 2028.
Cruiseabout’s first store in five years opens in Perth
Perth gets a break from being behind the rest of the country with the addition of the first Cruiseabout store.
ATAS complaints process acknowledges non-economic loss
A High Court case win over 'disappointment and distress' on a cruise gone wrong prompts ATIA complaints change.
Cunard previews new Queen Anne
Yep, this one does exactly what it says on the tin.
Bunnik Tours unveils latest expansion to Iceland
Just as the Icelandic vikings did many years ago, Bunnik is expanding into new territories.
Australia’s first glamping retreat turns 25
25th anniversary gifts usually come in silver. Ours comes in the way of a news story.
Embrace the journey: Traversing the world with the Shokz OpenRun
If you’ve been on the wrong side of a final call in the airport, or missed the stop on rail journey, it might be time to invest in a pair of Shokz OpenRun headphones. Originally marketed as headphones for fitness fanatics, runners or cyclists with a keen to steer clear of a prang with a car, […]
Tourism Western Australia MD Carolyn Turnbull departs
Turnbull hints her new role will see her staying in the tourism and hospitality industry and who can blame her?
DriveAway launches Brit-Euro Blitz campaign
If agents can put the foot down quick enough and get involved, there are some great prizes to be won.
Fly and Stay Free with the Great Southern
Unlike those dodgy scam phone calls you're getting more and more of, there's no strings attached to this deal.
Sober travel and TikTok guide Australian Gen Z trips
Can you call it a sober holiday if you enjoy a few glasses of red on the flight? We think yes.
Travel DAZE Exec Agenda REVEALED: top execs to speak on airline competition
As the industry reels from Bonza's implosion, it is more important than ever to ask the big questions.
TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips
The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]
Skroo says Rex will need deep pockets to fill lost Bonza slots
The door is open for Rex, and anyone else who wants to launch a regional Aussie airline...
Sno’n’Ski Holidays unveils 2025 mega famil to Colorado!
Let the games begin - this is certainly not a famil that you will want to miss!
Walk Japan launches Kyoto: Mountains to the sea walking tour
There are two types of people, one who enjoys walking on holiday and another who enjoys sipping Mojitos by the pool.
Which destination had a 48% boost in bookings following 10 MILLION TikTok views?
Here's a clue: it's not Malabar Beach.
Asher Telford appointed General Manager of SeaLink Whitsundays
Telford has plenty of reasons to smile after SeaLink doubles down and makes him GM after buying his tourism operation.
Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak
Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]
Hilton Expands Presence in North Queensland with the signing of Hilton Garden Inn Townsville
Heading to a North Queensland Cowboys clash? Hilton Garden Inn Townsville is set to open, but not until 2026.
Rail Europe ANZ: making dream journeys come true
Rail Europe's running a lottery! You're not going to win millions, but you might just snag a free holiday.
UPDATE: Bonza hole deepens as administrators investigate financial affairs
Administrators dig deeper as struggling airline unlikely to be revived.
Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa
Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]
Nielsen Data reveals brands spending big to attract Aussie tourists
Trip A Deal, Virgin and Ignite Travel walk into a bar, blow their cash on travel advertising instead of the pokies.
Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards
Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]
Jetstar offers 200,000 return for free flights to celebrate 20th anniversary
Jetstar hits 20 and everyone else gets the presents with free return flights to domestic and international destinations.
Airlines should no longer be allowed to overbook to the extent that they do. They “want their cake and eat it too”. The new age of airlines are using the gentile days of travel past and incorporating it to a money grab in today’s airline culture.
In all classes of travel today, not just the inexpensive restricted flights, airlines are automatically charging hefty cancellation fees. These amounts are not invoiced; they are automatically deducted from agencies and passengers from their residual refunds, (that is if there is any refund to be had). “Through sophisticated revenue management systems” they
are able to do this. Individual airlines now pick and choose their own rules and are not following to the letter IATA rules at all. Oh I should say if the IATA rules are in their favour they do, but if not they make up their own rules. They rule by holding your bank account hostage. An alternative could be to have a more effective standby mechanism. Freight is
another revenue enabler. Perhaps the “standby passenger and freight” option could be a more amenable solution than dragging people off boarded flights. Surely the “sophisticated management systems” would know which staff needs to be where and when. Poor
management perhaps? Or is it that they do it because they can? Whatever the actions of airlines today, there is no excuse for their bullying stand over tactics.
I see no excuse to deplane a paying passenger in a lottery system just because the airline has no idea what staff need to be seated in advance. So in effect; the airline gets the money from the boarded passenger, gets to fly their staff in that paying passenger’s seat, puts the passenger in an awkward situation, and delays the flight and causes distress for everyone onboard.
One could say that if the airline uses the last one booked as the deplaning lottery (or whatever they deem appropriate), against is that passenger has probably paid a ridiculous last minute booking fare, more likely flying because it is an emergency and really needs to be on that particular flight. If being a standby passenger I suggest this would be a different story, but the airline should still have known that they needed staff to fly. If there was an emergency to board the flight than people who weren’t on a deadline to be somewhere, would more than likely volunteer to give up their seat. Never for a staffing issue. Perhaps all flights over a certain holding capacity should be made to have seats available for an emergency at the very least. It is evident that one particular airline needs to sort out their staff rosters.
Unfortunately in the Dr Dao incident the credit offer couldn’t be done before boarding commenced. Even then, no guarantee anyone will volunteer. The airline has then very little option but select passengers to disembark. Dr Dao will get damages but he also broke the law. The findings of the court case will be very interesting. There will certainly be some changes on how these matters will be treated in future.
another storm in a teacup. All United had to do, was up the United credit offered, until they had enough volunteers, BEFORE boarding commenced. Would have cost them very little.