Why Do Airlines Kick People Off Planes

When you consider all the steps that go into planning a trip or vacation, the last thing you think of is getting kicked off a flight.  Just think about it.  You are thrilled because you got a great deal on a flight that leaves at a convenient time, flies into the airport you desire, and arrives just in time to connect with your family members as you prepare for the big Mother’s Day bash.  You even used a Groupon coupon for CheapOair to save lots of money on the flight.  That’s a smart move, but if you don’t behave like Mom taught you, you could find yourself being dragged off the plane for getting into a fight or for failing to follow the instructions of the crew.

Many people believe it to be the height of hypocrisy for an airline to sell you a seat, allow you to board the plane and take that seat, then randomly decide to kick you off to ease an overbooked flight.  You get the feeling that airline operators see you as a number and not a person.  However, it’s the number crunching that determines when someone will get involuntarily bumped, or “denied seating”, in airline parlance, and it’s not fun.  Travelers going on their honeymoon or to the funeral of a relative have been caught in the snare.  Usually operators of an overbooked flight will ask people to voluntarily give up their seats and usually enough people do.  These volunteers are fairly compensated with tickets and accommodations. As things stand now, if there is still a shortage of seats, the airline has a right to ask randomly deny seating.

Using a service like CheapOair takes away a lot of the stress of planning your trip.  And by using Groupon, you can save $40 off selected flights, use promo codes to unlock exclusive deals and find flights for as little as $199 round trip.  Their customer service agents will gladly answer your questions so you’ll know if the flight is full, or if there will be enough room to stretch out a bit.

Experts say the decision to kick a passenger off a plane is not made lightly.  There are many reasons why you could be asked to deplane before your trip gets underway.  News reports of disruptive passengers fighting over seats, drunken tirades, or belligerence toward a crew member are certainly reasons for removing a passenger.    So, if you’re approached and asked to give up your seat and have no other option, it’s best to comply with the agents.  They’ll do their best to get you on the next available flight to your destination and in some cases, they can get you there faster.

 

Leave a reply