Just curious to know what the most fair method of determing which passengers get priority for the next flight, when their original flight is cancelled?

For example, if you're traveling on a British Airways flight London to Berlin, leaving around 4 PM, and that flight gets cancelled, and there are only say 20 seats total available on the next and last flight of the day, which leaves, say around 6 PM, which 20 passengers get to get on the 6 PM flight?

Presume there are 100 stranded passengers, and only 5 business class seats available at 6 PM, and only 15 economy seats available at 6 PM. Which passengers get to go at 6 PM, and which must overnight, and take a flight the next morning?

Should TOP priority go to:
full fare ticket holders

highest level frequent flyer program

passengers traveling with small children

those who checked in for the flight earliest

those whose originating connecting travel was earliest

all confirmed business class passengers

those that beg the best, usually claiming they have a super important meeting the next morning

those who were ticketed the furthest in advance

those who were randonly selected by a computer

alphabetically by last name, either A to Z, or Z to A

those who physically ran and pushed their way hardest to the front of the rebooking line


Just curious to know what is considered most equitable and fairest. If you usually travel in a premium class, try to be objective, remembering that everyone's ticket confirmed status was equal, indicating "OK".