Why do airlines always sell tickets for more seats than they have?

The reported reason why airlines routinely oversell their seats is to recover costs the airline incurs for seat cancellations and for travelers who do not show up to take the flight. (On any given flight, some number of previously allocated seats go empty just before departure.)



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Overbooking is how airlines ensure that there are no available seats when a flight departs. So they sell more tickets in advance than there are seats on the plane. The point of all this is to ensure that the plane is full when it takes off, because empty seats are a financial burden for airlines.

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Whether you're flying from New York or New Orleans, Lisbon or London, airlines continue overbooking to compensate for “no-shows” all the time. Simply put, they sell more tickets than they have available seats. And it's not an illegal practice.

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Sometimes, when an airline asks for volunteers to give up their seats and fly on a different flight, there are not enough volunteers. When this occurs, the airline will select passengers to give up their seats. This is called “involuntary denied boarding” or “bumping.”

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In fact, most regular airlines now charge for seat selection anyways. It's often around $10-$30 per seat per flight segment, so if you cave in and pay for that, it can add up quickly. You shouldn't do it. No matter which airline you're flying on, don't ever pay to select a seat.

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It means the flight's overbooked and you didn't make the “defnite” list, probably because others have either paid for seat assignments or because they have longer history with the airline. In these circumstances, if everyone with an assigned seat shows up, you will not be able to fly and will be offered compensation.

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You can increase your chances of getting a free upgrade to first or business class if you:
  1. Dress well and ask nicely. Leave the sweatpants at home and choose a nice airplane outfit instead. ...
  2. Travel during peak hours. You're more likely to get that upgrade on a full flight than on a half-empty one.
  3. Travel solo.


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As an EarlyBird Check-In Customer, you'll have the benefit of an earlier boarding position, a better opportunity to select your preferred available seat, and earlier access to overhead bin storage for your carryon luggage.

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British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will allow you to select a seat free of charge. Easyjet, Emirates, Norwegian, Jet2 and Ryanair say you'll be allocated a suitable seat free of charge.

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Yes, Airlines Do Have the Right to Change Your Seat Without Warning.

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Contrary to popular belief, airlines don't cancel flights just to save money, for instance if there aren't enough passengers to make it worth their while. But they do cancel flights to prevent even wider cancellations and delays.

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If there are not enough passengers who are willing to give up their seats voluntarily, an airline may deny you a seat on an aircraft based on criteria that it establishes, such as the passenger's check-in time, the fare paid by the passenger, or the passenger's frequent flyer status.

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Your seat will not be assigned until after you check in to your flight. If your seat number does not appear on your boarding pass, your seat will be assigned at the gate before you board.

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What is SSSS? Secondary Security Screening Selection, or SSSS, is a designation by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that flags passengers for extra security screening. SSSS can happen on any flight to, from, or within the U.S., including inbound international flights.

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This seat decision usually happens at the time of booking. However, if you didn't get the option you're after then, you can always approach the counter before boarding to see if there are open seats available. Or, try asking the crew upon boarding if you can swap seats during the flight.

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Some parents assume they will automatically be seated with their kids. Others may end up separated from their families if they are rebooked due to a cancellation. Regardless of the reason, airlines are not legally required to seat families together.

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A: If you get bumped from first class to economy — that's called an involuntary downgrade — you should get a prompt and full refund of the fare difference.

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If there are not enough passengers who are willing to give up their seats voluntarily, an airline may deny you a seat on an aircraft based on criteria that it establishes, such as the passenger's check-in time, the fare paid by the passenger, or the passenger's frequent flyer status.

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