United Airlines piloting technology to manage the problem of oversold flights

Re:United Airlines piloting technology to manage the problem... by bryanlarsen on Thursday July 13, 2017 @10:04AM (#14761300)

WestJet here in Canada is currently running ads emphasizing that they never overbook their plans. The ads have been very effective and I suspect that the increased business has more than made up for any gain they could have made from overbooking.

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Re:United Airlines piloting technology to manage the problem... by macintux on Thursday July 13, 2017 @11:57AM (#14762374)

If everyone took that approach, the increased business would vanish and they'd all be leaving money on the table.

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Re:United Airlines piloting technology to manage the problem... by quantum_magpie on Thursday July 13, 2017 @08:02PM (#14766388)

Yes, but they have no right to that money in the first place, since their physical plane does not fit the extra customers. They have already got all the money available from the flight. Plus, every no-show is pure profit already since their luggage needs no handling and there's no fuel consumed for hauling them.

I guess the only way to force them out of this habit would be to make the compensation mandatory at 10x the ticket price, in cash, on the spot. And a seat on the next plane, plus free accomodation for the bumped person if the next plane is more than 8 hours away.

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