Air travellers denied a seat despite carrying a confirmed ticket saw a sharp rise in May, showed data released by the civil aviation ministry.<\/p>\n
The peak summer travel month saw 1,873 cases of denied boarding, the highest this year, and more than double witnessed in May 2015 (862). Also, the rise in such travellers was nearly 40% more over April, which was highest until now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am wary about booking flights during vacations,\u201d said Suraj Tomar, an Airoli resident, who was denied a seat during the recent Easter weekend as the flight to Goa was overbooked.<\/p>\n
The 37-year-old entrepreneur spent Rs 2,500 above the full refund to get spot tickets for the packaged tour.<\/p>\n
Airlines are permitted to sell seats up to 15% above a plane\u2019s capacity in anticipation of last-minute cancellations and stray passengers who missed their flights. But it seemed they might have miscalculated the festive rush, said ministry officials.<\/p>\n
\u201cFlight-booking patterns have become extremely dynamic with the use of smartphones. Airlines need to have a relook at overbooking quotas particularly during peak travel periods,\u201d said an official.<\/p>\n
Most airlines use software programmes, which suggest selling more than the available number of seats in a flight based on an algorithm drawn from last-minute cancellations observed earlier.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany leisure travellers book flights up to seven to nine months earlier to take advantage of flash sales. A significant section of such bookings are cancelled or revised closer to the date of travel. As a result, airlines continue to overbook,\u201d said an executive with a travel portal.<\/p>\n
But the menace could be short-lived, said industry experts hinting at the flier-friendly new civil aviation policy draft. It has proposed maximum compensation of Rs 20,000, five times higher than the existing rules in addition to a full refund.<\/p>\n
Compensation proposed in new draft<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n If an airline fails to provide alternative flight within an hour of the booked ticket<\/i><\/p>\n 1. Maximum compensation of Rs10,000 if an airline provides an alternative flight within 24 hours<\/p>\n 2. Maximum compensation of Rs20,000 if the alternative flight is provided beyond 24 hours<\/p>\n 3. Maximum compensation of Rs20,000 and full refund if a passenger refuses to take alternative flights<\/p>\n How to avoid being denied a seat<\/b><\/p>\n Web check-in or check-in early: <\/b>One of the best ways to avoid being denied a seat is to check-in early. Web check-in for many airlines open 48 hours before the journey. In case you are unable to do so, collect your boarding pass from the self check-in booths, instead of waiting in a queue.<\/p>\n Pick a seat: <\/b>When an airline assigns you a seat, it becomes cumbersome for the crew to deny you a journey. But budget carriers charge extra for large leg-room seats. So, if you don\u2019t wish to spend more, pick a seat in the middle isle.<\/p>\n Avoid rush hours:<\/b> If possible, avoid taking flights during peak rush hours \u2014 7am to 10am and 6pm to 9pm \u2014 particularly if you are shuttling between metros. It\u2019s also prudent to skip travel dates that coincide with festivals and long weekends.<\/p>\n Budget airlines could be a good option: <\/b>Some no-frill carriers have a no-overbooking policy. So, for urgent trips, such as a medical emergency at home, travel operators advise avoiding full-service airlines.Royalty programmes:<\/b> Airlines tend to give first preference to travellers belonging to their frequent flier schemes; offloading such passengers could be the last thing on their mind. Therefore, pick airlines that offer such programmes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n