Fury as airlines deny 6.6m passengers boarding despite having tickets

Over six-and-a-half million air passengers are denied boarding every year, despite having a valid ticket, according to new data. Passengers are reportedly being 'bumped' from flights because of airlines overbooking.

Overbookingis when airlines sell more tickets for a flight than the number of seats on the plane. This is done on the assumption that some travellers won't turn up for the flight, but it can sometimes result in too many passengers arriving to board, leading to significant delays for those who are 'bumped'. Using Civil Aviation Authority figures and survey data, Go.Compare found that around 20.9 million passengers annually are estimated to have felt the impact of overbooking over the past decade. Around a third of affected passengers told the insurance comparison site that they were unable to board their plane as a result. This is equal to around 6.6million travellers denied boarding per year during this period.

When a flight is overbooked, airlines are legally required to manage any affected travellers by providing alternative flights, compensation and assistance.

Among the travellers surveyed, most (84%) of those who had been denied boarding were booked onto another flight. That equals around one million passengers each year whose journey is not rearranged.

Out of these few passengers, almost two-thirds said they lost money as a result. However, just under half of these decided to claim on their travel insurance. The insurance comparison site is urging passengers to know their rights in case this happens to them while travelling this year.

Rhys Jones, travel insurance expert at Go.Compare, said: "Flight overbooking happens more than we'd like to think, and it can make for an extremely stressful start to any trip for the passengers affected.

"If it happens to you, and you're not allowed to board a plane, the first thing you should do is confirm with the airline that you were denied boarding because of overbooking. Get this in writing if possible.

"Next, you'll want to discuss what your airline intends to do to get your trip back on course, how they plan to assist you and what compensation they're offering. They should try to book you onto another flight when possible.

"Remember to keep all relevant documents like boarding passes, communications from your airline and receipts for accommodation or meal costs. Your airline should compensate these expenses.

"Know that you can complain to your airline if necessary, and even, if it isn't being resolved, take your complaint to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme.

"While travel insurance likely won't cover you for overbooking, you should be able to claim compensation from your airline for certain costs incurred as a result, like if you missed your connection or have to cancel part of your trip.

"And, some insurance policies do offer optional travel disruption cover, which can protect you if your airline fails to provide a suitable alternative flight. So it's worth checking if your provider offers this, and the details of what's included."