When it comes to overbooked flights, no one is safe.
Economist Nouriel Roubini tweeted on Thursday that his Nobel Prize-winning colleague, economist Robert Shiller, was bumped off a United Airlines UAL, -1.62% flight after he and his wife, Virginia, had already taken their seats on the airplane. Shiller, who teaches at Yale University, Roubini tweeted, was a victim of over-booking.
It’s a risk every traveler takes when flying, and not everyone believes a Nobel Prize winner should be given preferential treatment over another passenger. “Is there a rule which says Nobel winners should get preferential treatment?” one person tweeted.
But Shiller, who was traveling with wife Virginia, did not expect special treatment because he won a Nobel Prize. “Bob would never think because he’s a Nobel Prize winner that he deserves anything better than anyone else,” his wife Virginia, who was also on the flight, told MarketWatch. The Shillers were among those told to leave the plane because, she says, she bought their tickets on a travel website. “Apparently, our fare was the lowest,” she says. “I will never do that again.”
Economist Nouriel Roubini tweeted on Thursday that his Nobel Prize-winning colleague, economist Robert Shiller, was bumped off a United Airlines UAL, -1.62% flight after he and his wife, Virginia, had already taken their seats on the airplane. Shiller, who teaches at Yale University, Roubini tweeted, was a victim of over-booking.
It’s a risk every traveler takes when flying, and not everyone believes a Nobel Prize winner should be given preferential treatment over another passenger. “Is there a rule which says Nobel winners should get preferential treatment?” one person tweeted.
But Shiller, who was traveling with wife Virginia, did not expect special treatment because he won a Nobel Prize. “Bob would never think because he’s a Nobel Prize winner that he deserves anything better than anyone else,” his wife Virginia, who was also on the flight, told MarketWatch. The Shillers were among those told to leave the plane because, she says, she bought their tickets on a travel website. “Apparently, our fare was the lowest,” she says. “I will never do that again.”
So what happened? “They said if nobody was volunteering, they’re going to have to pick someone,” she adds. “They said, ‘You’re going to have to get off the flight. It was just extraordinarily difficult and inconvenient. What if your daughter was pregnant or you were going to a funeral? They ended up paying us $2,700, which did not cover the alternative arrangements we had to make. Never in my wildest dreams did I think they would walk up to us. They did not listen to any of our explanations.”
It would have made more sense for United Airlines staff to offer a larger incentive for passengers (who did not have to be at their destination that evening) to agree to take a later flight, she adds. “It was totally irrational. They probably could have gotten a volunteer to take $2,700. They have these formulas. It’s like something they do in socialist countries.”
A spokeswoman for United Airlines said the company would be happy to speak to the Shillers, but could not comment on the details of this case, without knowing all the details of the flight. She said the compensation for those who are denied boarding — or, in the case of the Shillers, actually asked to leave the plane — vary according to the circumstances.
United Airlines’s official policy states: “The priority of all other confirmed passengers may be determined based on a passenger’s fare class, itinerary, status of frequent flyer program membership, and the time in which the passenger presents him/herself for check-in without advanced seat assignment.” If alternative plans are more than four hours after the original planned arrival time, United will pay compensation to passengers denied boarding involuntarily from an oversold flight at the rate of 400% of the fare to the passenger’s first stopover, or a maximum of $1,350.
Travel experts and consumer advocates say there’s a pecking order and, as such, there are ways to avoid getting booted off a flight, and the Shillers fell victim to one of those rules: They booked their flight via an online travel website and were in possession of one of the cheapest tickets on that particular flight. These might be worth doing if you have a pressing engagement — a wedding or business meeting or, equally important for others, even the first day of their vacation.
“Checking in and getting to the gate late sets passengers up for involuntary bumping, since airlines are quick to read latecomers as no-shows in over-booking situations,” says Christine Sarkis, editor at travel advice site Smartertravel.com. “Being late is especially risky if you’re flying on a popular route or during a busy travel season.”
Airlines have different methods for deciding who does and doesn’t get to fly on overbooked flights, but elite status flyers are generally safer from being bumped, says Rick Seaney, the chief executive and co-founder of ticket aggregator site FareCompare.com. “Some might be the amount of money paid for the ticket,” he says, “or it could be done alphabetically using the spelling of your last name. “It’s done by some pre-defined algorithm. If airlines can’t get enough voluntary bumping, they have to move to involuntary bumping.”
And, he says, that’s when the trouble (and angry tweets) start.
Those who purchased an economy or discounted fare from a travel website could be on the chopping block first, says Cory Miller, owner of TheFlightExpert.com, a site that features travel deals advice for flyers. A passenger who is not a member of the airline’s or a partner airline’s frequent flyer program is also at risk.
“Increasingly, though, airlines are bumping even basic members of their own frequent flyer programs in favor of those with elite status,” Miller says. One tip to avoid being bumped: Book online and print out your boarding pass before leaving for the airport, he adds.
And, he says, that’s when the trouble (and angry tweets) start.
Those who purchased an economy or discounted fare from a travel website could be on the chopping block first, says Cory Miller, owner of TheFlightExpert.com, a site that features travel deals advice for flyers. A passenger who is not a member of the airline’s or a partner airline’s frequent flyer program is also at risk.
“Increasingly, though, airlines are bumping even basic members of their own frequent flyer programs in favor of those with elite status,” Miller says. One tip to avoid being bumped: Book online and print out your boarding pass before leaving for the airport, he adds.
“Airlines can over-sell ad nauseum, with no restrictions on the number of over-sales,” says Kate Hanni, a co-founder of the nonprofit organization FlyersRights.org who started campaigning after she and her family were stuck on a runway for nine hours (and 17 minutes) in Austin, Texas, on Dec. 29, 2006. FlyersRights.org has fought for and won an increase in bumping compensation, she says. “We also fought for language that is to be delivered at the gate to prospective travelers who are being offered substandard compensation, in order to further expand the airlines margins,” she adds.
In 2011, the Department of Transport doubled the amount of compensation for bumping passengers due to over-booking, and it has also been raised to keep pace with inflation. They are now entitled to cash compensation equal to the value of their tickets, up to $400, if the airline can get them to their destination within 1 to 2 hours of their scheduled arrival time for domestic flights and 1 to 4 hours for international flights. Bumped passengers are entitled to double the price of their tickets, up to $800, if they are delayed for more than that, and could receive four times the value of their ticket, up to $1,300.
Airlines will seek volunteers to receive travel vouchers in the case of an over-booked flight, says Melanie Hinton, a spokeswoman for Airlines for America, a trade organization representing U.S. airlines. From April to June 2015, there were 13,363 “involuntary denied boardings” (or bumps) by U.S. airlines or 0.79 per 10,000 passengers (versus 15,443 or 1 per 10,000 a year earlier) and 144,846 “voluntary boardings,” up from 125,622 a year ago. For involuntary denied boardings airlines should make an offer of compensation in cash, travel or miles, as outlined by the Department of Transportation, she adds.
Airlines, depending on their level of desperation (and/or how crowded the flight is), offer incentives such as cash, free air vouchers, meals, free drinks, and even upgrades, Sarkis says.
Clearly, many travelers are willing to wait for the next available flight, as long as they like what’s on offer. “What feels like a major inconvenience for most is an opportunity in disguise for passengers with a bit of patience and flexibility,” Sarkis says. “There’s a breed of flyers that jumps at the chance to be bumped, people who find the rewards associated with voluntary bumping worth a few extra hours in the airport.”
MarketWatch