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Interestingly, Ryanair claim that they do not overbook their flights, and claim to be the only airline in Europe which don't. See section 9 here: https://corpor

Interestingly, Ryanair claim that they do not overbook their flights, and claim to be the only airline in Europe which don't. See section 9 here: https://corporate.ryanair.com/about-us/passenger-charter/ https://corporate.ryanair.com/about-us/passenger-charter/

mannykannot 9y ago
Yes - this seems to support that claim: https://conversation.which.co.uk/travel-leisure/flight-airline-overbooking-bumped-compensation-benefits-easyjet-virgin/ https://conversation.which.co.uk/travel-leisure/flight-airli... This also mentions that EasyJet claims to limit its overbooking to about 1%. You are probably aware that overbooking has become a problem in the US - I don't know whether European airlines are allowed to do it to the same extent.
- plantain 9y ago
  The compensation for being bumped is defined in consumer law in the EU, and it's very punitive - ~300 euros minimum.
  - TrickyRick 9y ago
    Yeah, thanks to 261/2004 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_Compensation_Regulation_261/2004 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_Compensation_Regulation...) airlines generally have incentive to make sure people get to their destination ASAP. Although it's kind of a prisoner's dilemma at the gate when they ask for volunteers to take a later flight, if someone agrees to compensation which is less than the regulated amount the airline will of course take that.
    - mannykannot 9y ago
      At least if someone volunteers for less, no-one can claim to have been unfairly treated. I would argue that this is so even if the volunteer was unaware that the regulated amount was higher.
- dmurray 9y ago
  Overbooking doesn't seem to be a problem in Europe. In hundreds of flights I've never missed one because of overbooking and I don't know of anyone else missing one either. In the same time I've had 3-4 flights cancelled or rescheduled due to weather or mechanical issues. The queues or electronic waiting lists for standby seats (people at the gate who aren't yet confirmed on this flight) are something I notice when travelling in the US that I don't really see in Europe.

mannykannot 9y ago

Yes - this seems to support that claim: https://conversation.which.co.uk/travel-leisure/flight-airline-overbooking-bumped-compensation-benefits-easyjet-virgin/ https://conversation.which.co.uk/travel-leisure/flight-airli... This also mentions that EasyJet claims to limit its overbooking to about 1%. You are probably aware that overbooking has become a problem in the US - I don't know whether European airlines are allowed to do it to the same extent.

plantain 9y ago
The compensation for being bumped is defined in consumer law in the EU, and it's very punitive - ~300 euros minimum.
- TrickyRick 9y ago
  Yeah, thanks to 261/2004 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_Compensation_Regulation_261/2004 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_Compensation_Regulation...) airlines generally have incentive to make sure people get to their destination ASAP. Although it's kind of a prisoner's dilemma at the gate when they ask for volunteers to take a later flight, if someone agrees to compensation which is less than the regulated amount the airline will of course take that.
  - mannykannot 9y ago
    At least if someone volunteers for less, no-one can claim to have been unfairly treated. I would argue that this is so even if the volunteer was unaware that the regulated amount was higher.
dmurray 9y ago
Overbooking doesn't seem to be a problem in Europe. In hundreds of flights I've never missed one because of overbooking and I don't know of anyone else missing one either. In the same time I've had 3-4 flights cancelled or rescheduled due to weather or mechanical issues. The queues or electronic waiting lists for standby seats (people at the gate who aren't yet confirmed on this flight) are something I notice when travelling in the US that I don't really see in Europe.