If your flight is overbooked you cannot get on it. This is not a rare occurrence. Now it has been decided that in China the airline has some responsibility.
China Southern Airlines, one of the country’s biggest carriers, lost a lawsuit after a court ruled it had failed to notify a customer that his flight might have been overbooked.
his is important because, as far as is known, this is the first time it has happened in China.
Overbooking is a common problem because airlines want an aircraft full and there is always a significant number of no-shows –
passengers not turning up. Airlines often overbook by a factor of 5% to make sure ever seat is filled. But sometimes every one turns up and in other countries the airline immediately starts offering bonuses to anyone who will go on a later flight. So far this has not happened in China. This court ruling may change that.
The passenger, a Beijing resident known only by his surname, Xiao, sued China Southern for not allowing him to board an overbooked flight for which he had bought a ticket. Xiao had purchased a ticket that had been discounted by 30% for flight CZ3112 from Beijing to Guangzhou on July 21, 2006. He paid RMB1,300 ($168). However, when he tried to check in, he was not allowed to board.
Airline staff told him everyone had boarded the flight and that Xiao’s ticket had been bumped by overbooking. Now they probably will have to be a lot more careful, a little more passenger friendly. This was a big win for airline passengers.
Source: China Daily
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