Most airlines over-book their flights and accept bookings for more seats than are available in order to minimize their impact on the percentage of passengers who either don\u2019t show up for the flight or who cancel their booking at the last-minute. Unfortunately, this business practice can sometimes backfire and inconvenience passengers if more individuals than expected show up for the flight.<\/p>\n
The Protocol for Overbooked Flights<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\nIndustry practice is that the airline must first make a request for volunteers<\/strong> willing to take a later flight before a passenger can be denied boarding when an over-booking situation arises. If there are no volunteers, this will result in a passenger being involuntarily denied boarding or bumped from a flight.\u00a0 Normally, the airline\u2019s customer service agents will help their passengers find a seat on the next available flight at no additional cost. However, depending on the individual\u2019s circumstances, this doesn\u2019t always remedy the problem, especially if the next available flight is several hours later or departing the next day.<\/p>\n![\"bumping](\"http:\/\/tico.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/bumping-flights.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n3 Travel Tips on How to Avoid Being Bumped From a Flight<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\nHere are 3<\/strong> travel tips<\/strong> that can assist in minimizing your chances of being bumped from a flight:<\/p>\nTip #1.<\/strong> Use the online check-in process before the flight. Some airlines will send you an email prompting you to check-in online 24 hours before<\/strong> the flight.<\/p>\nTip #2. Pre-select your seats<\/strong> when you check-in online. Completing the advance online check-in process, including selecting your seat, will save time at the airport and assist in securing your seat on the flight.<\/p>\nTip #3. Follow the airline\u2019s check-in times. <\/strong>Always arrive at the airport well in advance of departure to complete the check-in process. Each airline has deadlines for check-in times, baggage drop-off as well as the deadline to be present at the boarding gate. The times vary depending on whether you are travelling domestic, trans-border or international.\u00a0 These deadlines may appear to be unreasonable; however, they are in place to ensure travelers have allowed themselves sufficient time to board their flight.<\/p>\nHow to File Air Travel Complaints<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\nIf you have attempted to resolve your complaint with the airline and remain dissatisfied with the outcome, you may wish to turn to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) whose mandate includes assisting consumers through its Air Travel Complaints Process. The CTA will evaluate your circumstances against the airline’s legal obligations.\u00a0 Ultimately, the airline\u2019s tariff which sets out the airline\u2019s terms and conditions of carriage including the fare rules is the contract between you and the airline. It covers your rights and obligations as an airline passenger as well as your airline\u2019s rights and responsibilities to you.<\/p>\n
More information about the CTA\u2019s Air Travel Complaints process including the types of air travel issues it can assist consumers with and access to their complaint wizard may be found at\u00a0 www.otc-cta.gc.ca<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0Being more informed about air travel and following the travel tips provided should help avoid the possibility of being bumped from a flight when making your next journey.<\/p>\nFor more information on flying and travel, check out some of our other blogs: \u201cHow To Book Flight Tickets Online: Code-Share Flights Explained<\/a>\u201d and \u201c6 Travel Tips to Avoid Getting Dinged By Airline Baggage Fees<\/a>\u201d<\/h5>\n___________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n
Book with a TICO Registered Travel Agency<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\nTo verify if a travel agency or website is TICO registered, check\u202four online directory<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTake the\u202fTICO Traveller Quiz<\/strong><\/a>\u202fto see what type of traveller you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSign up to receive quarterly travel consumer protection email updates<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more travel tips and information, visit the\u202fSmart Traveller Guide<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are 3<\/strong> travel tips<\/strong> that can assist in minimizing your chances of being bumped from a flight:<\/p>\n Tip #1.<\/strong> Use the online check-in process before the flight. Some airlines will send you an email prompting you to check-in online 24 hours before<\/strong> the flight.<\/p>\n Tip #2. Pre-select your seats<\/strong> when you check-in online. Completing the advance online check-in process, including selecting your seat, will save time at the airport and assist in securing your seat on the flight.<\/p>\n Tip #3. Follow the airline\u2019s check-in times. <\/strong>Always arrive at the airport well in advance of departure to complete the check-in process. Each airline has deadlines for check-in times, baggage drop-off as well as the deadline to be present at the boarding gate. The times vary depending on whether you are travelling domestic, trans-border or international.\u00a0 These deadlines may appear to be unreasonable; however, they are in place to ensure travelers have allowed themselves sufficient time to board their flight.<\/p>\n If you have attempted to resolve your complaint with the airline and remain dissatisfied with the outcome, you may wish to turn to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) whose mandate includes assisting consumers through its Air Travel Complaints Process. The CTA will evaluate your circumstances against the airline’s legal obligations.\u00a0 Ultimately, the airline\u2019s tariff which sets out the airline\u2019s terms and conditions of carriage including the fare rules is the contract between you and the airline. It covers your rights and obligations as an airline passenger as well as your airline\u2019s rights and responsibilities to you.<\/p>\n More information about the CTA\u2019s Air Travel Complaints process including the types of air travel issues it can assist consumers with and access to their complaint wizard may be found at\u00a0 www.otc-cta.gc.ca<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0Being more informed about air travel and following the travel tips provided should help avoid the possibility of being bumped from a flight when making your next journey.<\/p>\n ___________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n To verify if a travel agency or website is TICO registered, check\u202four online directory<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take the\u202fTICO Traveller Quiz<\/strong><\/a>\u202fto see what type of traveller you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sign up to receive quarterly travel consumer protection email updates<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more travel tips and information, visit the\u202fSmart Traveller Guide<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/p>\n3 Travel Tips on How to Avoid Being Bumped From a Flight<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
How to File Air Travel Complaints<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
For more information on flying and travel, check out some of our other blogs: \u201cHow To Book Flight Tickets Online: Code-Share Flights Explained<\/a>\u201d and \u201c6 Travel Tips to Avoid Getting Dinged By Airline Baggage Fees<\/a>\u201d<\/h5>\n
Book with a TICO Registered Travel Agency<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n