flight overbooked; does ac make changes (eg bumping) day before or day of travel?
Mar 6, 2016 | 4:15 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 13
flight overbooked; does ac make changes (eg bumping) day before or day of travel?
Our flight for Wed this week is overbooked (spoke to ac today). Does ac ever try to make changes (eg bumping) the day before or always on the day of the flight?
Mar 6, 2016 | 4:23 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: YXE
Posts: 3,050
Overbooking is routine, but its fairly rare that overbooking results in actual bumps. There is always a chunk of people who no-show, who mis-connect, who change their reservations.
Unless the situation is particularly severe (usually caused by a planned aircraft swap, for example), no, they don't do anything pro-actively. And even then, its often just editing reservations, ie: switching a connecting flight to a non-stop.
Unless the situation is particularly severe (usually caused by a planned aircraft swap, for example), no, they don't do anything pro-actively. And even then, its often just editing reservations, ie: switching a connecting flight to a non-stop.
Mar 6, 2016 | 4:57 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YEG
Programs: AC Lifetime SE100K, 3MM, SPG Lifetime Plat, Hertz PC, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,901
Overbooking is routine, but its fairly rare that overbooking results in actual bumps. There is always a chunk of people who no-show, who mis-connect, who change their reservations.
Unless the situation is particularly severe (usually caused by a planned aircraft swap, for example), no, they don't do anything pro-actively. And even then, its often just editing reservations, ie: switching a connecting flight to a non-stop.
Unless the situation is particularly severe (usually caused by a planned aircraft swap, for example), no, they don't do anything pro-actively. And even then, its often just editing reservations, ie: switching a connecting flight to a non-stop.
Mar 6, 2016 | 5:33 pm
#6
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Posts: 17,299
If you're lucky and you don't have anywhere pressing to go, you might get lucky and be able to volunteer to be bumped to a later flight for a few hundred bucks compensation.
Mar 6, 2016 | 5:57 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 13
We are on a connecting flight from Toronto via Montreal to Orlando. This is the last connecting flight. If they would bump us to a direct flight that would be good. Busy time of the year though for the Orlando flights.
Also, we have a short connection time in Montreal, so hoping they don't delay our flight if they need to bump people and sort all of that out.
Also, we have a short connection time in Montreal, so hoping they don't delay our flight if they need to bump people and sort all of that out.
Mar 6, 2016 | 6:29 pm
#8
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 17,299
Yes, in that case, you wouldn't really want to take a later flight. Hopefully things will work out, getting on the direct would be nice, but I wouldn't count on it.
Mar 6, 2016 | 6:38 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,280
The AC mobile checkin site, as of recently, has been offering to let me "take an earlier flight for free" if the flight seems overbooked on expertflyer.com (my fare classes did not otherwise qualify me for free change or free SDC).
So that seems to be another way AC proactively saves $ by not needing to pay overbook compensation as much.
So that seems to be another way AC proactively saves $ by not needing to pay overbook compensation as much.
Mar 6, 2016 | 6:47 pm
#10
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We are on a connecting flight from Toronto via Montreal to Orlando. This is the last connecting flight. If they would bump us to a direct flight that would be good. Busy time of the year though for the Orlando flights.
Also, we have a short connection time in Montreal, so hoping they don't delay our flight if they need to bump people and sort all of that out.
Also, we have a short connection time in Montreal, so hoping they don't delay our flight if they need to bump people and sort all of that out.
Mar 6, 2016 | 6:58 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: YVR
Programs: AC S100K
Posts: 978
AC will proactively phone to rearrange J passengers if an equipment change results in an oversell in that cabin.
Vouchers are offered and you can choose an earlier flight if you accept.
If they're proactive in other circumstances, I haven't experienced it.
Vouchers are offered and you can choose an earlier flight if you accept.
If they're proactive in other circumstances, I haven't experienced it.
