Passenger bumping at record low among US carriers
There is a smaller chance than ever of getting bumped off a flight involuntarily in the US, according to new statistics.
Fewer passengers were bumped off their flights in 2017 than ever before, the US Department of Transportation said.
On average, about 0.34 passengers were bumped for every 10,000 passengers that flew in 2017, compared to 0.64 per 10,000 a year earlier.
The Department of Transportation said it was the lowest rate since it began recording the data in 1995.
Earlier in the year was a watershed moment for the industry culture of overbooking following the violent removal of passenger Dr David Dao from a United Airlines flight, sparking an outcry.
United overhauled its overbooking policies while Delta Air Lines significantly upped its financial incentives to persuade fliers get to give up a seat on overbooked flights.
Last year, 341,703 passengers voluntarily gave up their seats while airlines were forced to bump 23,223 fliers.
Southwest Airlines accounted for about one-third of all bumped passengers at 8,279, although Spirit Airlines had the highest bumping rate of one in every 12,000 passenger journeys.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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