Go To Details of Study
July 7, 1999
A new report shows Delta Airlines ranks at the top of the list of carriers
that overbook flights -- then "bump" passengers off the planes.
News Specialist Pamela Davis has more on what passengers think about
being "bumped" -- and how Delta says it's trying do to better.
All airlines overbook their flights to try to avoid flying with empty seats.
When too many passengers show up for a flight, some of them have to be
"bumped" off the plane.
Passenger Laurel Olsen says, "They said, 'Well, we've oversold.' And it really
made us mad, because we didn't know if we were going to get home or not. We had
people waiting on the other end."
Sometimes the airlines will offer you travel vouchers to volunteer to give
up your seat.
Paul Freudenberger says, "They offered us additional coverage and offered us
first class on the way home the following day."
But sometimes you get no choice.
That's called an "involuntary bump."
Figures released this week by the Department of Transportation show that for
the first part of 1999, Delta Airlines overbooked the most flights and bumped
the most passengers of any major airline.
From January through March, Delta involuntarily bumped over 8,000
passengers.
That's only slightly less than all the other major carriers combined.
And for Delta, it's a huge increase in bumps from the same time last year.
A statement from Delta headquarters in Atlanta says: "These numbers are not
acceptable to Delta....A significant reduction in involuntary denied boardings
is now a corporate goal."
The airline says in September, it will unveil a new plan to improve its
"bumpy" record.
Other airlines with bad report cards for "bumpings" in 1999 include TWA and
Southwest Airlines.
