Why are airlines still overbooking

[SuperPissed]

Just read the news about a family being kicked off a Delta airline flight after refusing to give up their 2 year olds seat! A 2 YEAR OLD!!

Blood is boiling after reading this:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39814586

Link to the video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p7pM8IyxpTc&feature=youtu.be

Couldn't even watch it all, just the first bit with the crew member telling the father him and his wife would go to jail and their child would be put in foster care left me

because they make more money

the 2 year old didnt have a ticket- no ticket no seat

The parents had purchased that seat though, and they were following Delta's own published guidance on over-2s on planes i.e. they advise that they have their own seat and safety harness.

Until passengers are happy to pay more for their flights, they will overbook because they know x number of people will not show up for y flight, based on the hard stats they have.

And why is a 2 year old (nominally) being selected so much worse, than say an OAP? OR a veteran? Or me? Or you?

(That isn't to say I agree with removing passengers after they have got on the plane and taken their seats, but that isn't usually how it works, hence why this and Dr Dao was news)

The parents had purchased that seat though, and they were following Delta's own published guidance on over-2s on planes i.e. they advise that they have their own seat and safety harness

They had purchased it for a completely different passenger. They tried to put their child in a seat that wasn't theirs. They were not following the rules.

It's always been standard practice, hotels do it too. I don't think it will change anytime soon as it's 'worked'for years. I think they'll just get cleverer at compensating those they are letting down, for PR reasons rather than actually caring about their customers. They really don't give a shit about people, it's all about the numbers.

It sounds like there could be more to this story; from reading that report it sounds like another member of their party chose to take an earlier flight and they decided to use his seat anyway, possibly without transferring the ticket to the two year old (who, by law should have had his own seat booked anyway?)

Sorry user, you're right, I'd skim-read.

more importantly, in this day and age, how did someone that did not have a ticket manage to get on a fully booked aircraft in USA

were no checks made about names on tickets and passports etc. how was this allowed to happen. lucky noone was shot, arrested or blown up

Parents bought ticket for Kid A. Kid A ends up on another flight. They assume they can still use Kid A's seat for Kid B

I think it must be ME who's missing something if that's the case.
If the parents legitimately paid for the seat, of course they should be able to use it!
Double booking seats is disgusting. Surely it's the same as say if I had five cars to sell? Although I list it as having ten cars to sell, and taking the money for all just in case five decide they don't want it anymore/drop out?
How is that in any way acceptable?

If the parents legitimately paid for the seat, of course they should be able to use it!

Why? That isn't what airline rules say.

In response to PP about not having an extra ticket for toddler, in the US up to 3yo can travel in an adult's lap.

How is it right that you pay for something and then don't receive it?

I understand the overbooking thing (annoying though it is) however when I've been in this situation they have always sorted it out before boarding. Why are they removing people from the flight? That's the odd bit!

They paid for something and then chose not to use it for the purpose it was bought for.
You can't just then use it for another reason.

2 year old didnt have a ticket- no seat

all flight tickets require the correct passenger name, you cant just turn up with any old ticket like on a bus. ticket name has to match id.

this is to prevent me buying all 200 seats at first release for cheap and then reselling them at a later stage for massive profit. and probably security too

Tickets are not transferable in the way the family were attempting.

This is true but I can see why the misunderstanding happened and the crew should have dealt with it more professionally and politely.

2 year old did have a ticket ...But even when they offered to hold the Kid delta said No .... DOn't know about you but right or wrong Delta handled this terribly they could have provided better customer service and flagged this up WAY BEFORE they got on the plane and explained clearly and offered to help the customer . Make me think that given the choice I would not fly Delta....

They were using the seat of their other child who hadn't checked in. The rules are clear there - the new child would not be able to use that seat.

The bit about them losing their kids if they went to jail is true, also. Airport authorities can charge troublesome passengers. Nobody lied here. The parents were in the wrong.

Whatever the case with the 2 year olds ticket...if another 4 passengers were waiting to board the previously full plane when this family was kicked off then IMO the child was only used as an excuse for the staff to find 4 seats for the overbooked plane.