# Does Delta Airlines overbook flights?



## ValHam (Dec 12, 2006)

Does Delta often overbook flights?  I was able to book a flight and had it cancelled  due to a flight change - Now I am hesitant to rebook with Delta.  Thanks kindly.


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## bigfrank (Dec 12, 2006)

I could be wrong and I hope Dave will correct me if I am wrong but I believe every airline out there just about over books. AeroMexico is IMO the worst offender but lets not go there.


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## Dave M (Dec 12, 2006)

Yes, most airlines overbook flights, just as hotels, car rental companies and many other travel entities do. The cancellation rate in the travel industry by people like us and, more especially, business travelers, makes it necessary for travel companies to overbook in order to get a mostly full plane, hotel or other travel commodity.

Overbooking shouldn't scare you off from making a reservation with any airline. Simply make your reservation, try to get a seat assignment, check in early (online, when practical) and show up at the gate for your flight well before boarding starts. 

Will you be denied the chance to board the plane for which you have a reservation? Almost certainly not. Relatively few flights wind up with more confirmed passengers than there are seats. When that bad result does happen, the airlines first make offers of cash, vouchers for future travel worth several hundred $$$ or a free ticket for future travel to those willing to take a later flight. Only if the airline doesn't get enough volunteers to fly later will it involuntarily deny boarding to anyone. And it's likely that one or more of those without seat assignments will be the ones who don't get on the flight. 

What are the chances that you would actually be denied the opportunity to board? In 2005, only about 48,000 out of 540 million passengers were involuntarily denied boarding. That means that only about 1 in every 11,000 passengers was not allowed to board! And you can improve your odds dramatically by doing the things I suggested in my second paragraph.

One more thing: Airlines regularly cancel flights. In advance, they cancel flights or change times because of flight schedule changes, known weather problems and other reasons. On the day of the flight, there are cancellations or delays because of weather, mechanical issues, crew shortages and other issues. However, in almost every case, the airline will do what it can to get you to your destination as soon as practical.

I fly regularly. I have flown on 28 weekends and have been on 81 flights so far this year, all for non-business travel. That's typical of my travel in recent years. Yet, I have never in my life been involuntarily bumped from a flight, thanks in part to following the advice in my second paragraph and the sheer unlikely chance that I would be bumped anyway, considering the referenced statistic (1 in 11,000)!  

Bottom line: Book your ticket with the airline that has the best price and most convenient routing for you. Accept that occasionally things will go wrong and you might get delayed. Rarely will you be tremendously inconvenienced.


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## ValHam (Dec 12, 2006)

Thanks kindly for the information.


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## camachinist (Dec 13, 2006)

Then there's those of us who actually look to be VDB and IDB.  

For the OP, Delta seems to have a propensity for cancelling flights; this has been oft-discussed here. It's not unique, but seems to be mentioned about them more than other airlines (on TUG).

The trick is to book a routing/dates which offer the most options in case of a cancellation. 

FWIW, other than the ice storms which closed ATL in Feb 2005 and cancelled most of the DL (and other) flights there on that day, I haven't had a flight cancelled in nearly 200,000 miles of flight over the last 3 years, nor at all prior. Delayed, yes. Mechanicals, yes. Weather issues, yes. But not one arbitrary cancellation.

Overbooking (oversell) is common. Some of us like it 

Pat


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## DWM (Dec 20, 2006)

You can check the DOT site for passenger denied boardings  http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/atcr06.htm.  All carriers overbook, it comes down to how good or bad they are at it.  As a general rule from my experience, the smaller the aircraft the poorer the forecast; thus the greater chance of oversells resulting in being 'bumped'.  

Delta operates within the same standards with all US carriers and do not cancel flights differently than others.  Flight cancellations can also be tracked at the above mentioned site.

Good luck.


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## JeffW (Dec 20, 2006)

Cancelling is a REALLY tricky thing to do.  Your flight from A-B isn't just about getting passengers from A-B, it's also needed to reposition the plane to B, so it can continue on (usually as different flight numbers) to other airports.  End of day flights are easiest to cancel.  

If say the last ATL-PHL flight is cancelled, you might see it's corresponding PHL-ATL morning flight also cancelled.  That might not be bad, as that plane that would have gone ATL-PHL-ATL is still in ATL, so it's remaining flights can continue.  However if that late night ATL-PHL flight would have been a PHL-SLC flight in the morning, then you have a logistical issue.  I think that's why you see some flights so empty, but still flying - it's worth it because one you need that plane for a later flight.

Jeff


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## McFail (Dec 20, 2006)

VDB's are good. I've gotten about $5k of bumps in the last 6 years from Delta. That has translated into a lot of free flying and FF miles.


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## JeffW (Dec 20, 2006)

Northern Willy said:
			
		

> VDB's are good. I've gotten about $5k of bumps in the last 6 years from Delta. That has translated into a lot of free flying and FF miles.



If airlines don't get too cheap then VDB's usually handle all the potential IDB's.  I've had two on Delta: ones was to take a JFK-SEA flight 5 hrs later (for that, moved us to First Class, gave us $400 (which we used for Milan later that year), other time was to go 1hr later from I think SLC to COS (for that, also moved us to FC, $200 voucher).

On the A&E show Airline, about Southwest Airlines, I've several times seen not enough volunteers for IDB, so they do end up bumping people.  I think it's a combination of: low compensation (think $200 is the max I've seen), later flights are still full, and they don't interline with other airlines, so if Southwest can't get you there, you're not going. 

Jeff


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## mishugana (Dec 20, 2006)

I'm a plat on aa Last flight JFK HNL Via DFW they canceled my JFK DFW  flight  the day before the DFW HNL segment was full in first class so I got rerouted via LAX  with free upgrades all the way


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## McFail (Dec 20, 2006)

I've flown about 700,000 miles in the last decade and can only remember seeing IDB's on 1 flight that I was on. It pained me that I could not pocket the VDB money. 

You are much more likely to have some sort of problem to cause you to be late getting to an airport than being IDB'd. 

My best VDB was getting $250 for a Boston to Chicago flight where I landed minutes prior to my original flight (which was ontime) while being upgraded to 1st class back when it got you a shrimp cocktail...

Contrast that with my Delta first class flight tonight where it was crackers or Sun Chips...


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