BRU-CPH overbooked, fly from AMS instead?
Jul 19, 2018, 7:18 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 3
BRU-CPH overbooked, fly from AMS instead?
I received an e-mail a few days ago that my flight BRU-CPH on SAS of this Monday morning is overbooked and that they are looking for volunteers to give up the seats. The problem is that I have a connecting flight in CPH to Greenland, which is booked separately, so I absolutely need to be in CPH by Monday afternoon.
There is no feasible option for a different flight from BRU, neither same day nor the day before. Now, my idea was to ask SAS to change my booking to AMS-CPH Sunday evening. According to their e-mail, I would get a free hotel and €200 additional compensation, which would easily cover the train ticket from BRU-AMS. I like sitting in trains, so I wouldn't mind doing this, for the sake of saving my complete 3-week trip to Greenland.
Is this a good idea? The agent on the phone told me that she's 99% sure that I could get on the flight from BRU Monday morning as planned and that I shouldn't worry, but if it does go wrong then a LOT of money is gone and my summer is ruined. What if AMS-CPH is overbooked too?
There is no feasible option for a different flight from BRU, neither same day nor the day before. Now, my idea was to ask SAS to change my booking to AMS-CPH Sunday evening. According to their e-mail, I would get a free hotel and €200 additional compensation, which would easily cover the train ticket from BRU-AMS. I like sitting in trains, so I wouldn't mind doing this, for the sake of saving my complete 3-week trip to Greenland.
Is this a good idea? The agent on the phone told me that she's 99% sure that I could get on the flight from BRU Monday morning as planned and that I shouldn't worry, but if it does go wrong then a LOT of money is gone and my summer is ruined. What if AMS-CPH is overbooked too?
Jul 19, 2018, 7:34 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: AY+, SK EB
Posts: 2,958
Usually they find people to volunteer which is good for both sides so that's why I agree with the "99% sure".
AMS-CPH in the late Sunday afternoon seems to be quite full but not as bad as the other flights so that would probably be the option.
AMS-CPH in the late Sunday afternoon seems to be quite full but not as bad as the other flights so that would probably be the option.
Jul 19, 2018, 9:30 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: SK-EBD
Posts: 1,273
I received an e-mail a few days ago that my flight BRU-CPH on SAS of this Monday morning is overbooked and that they are looking for volunteers to give up the seats. The problem is that I have a connecting flight in CPH to Greenland, which is booked separately, so I absolutely need to be in CPH by Monday afternoon.
There is no feasible option for a different flight from BRU, neither same day nor the day before. Now, my idea was to ask SAS to change my booking to AMS-CPH Sunday evening. According to their e-mail, I would get a free hotel and €200 additional compensation, which would easily cover the train ticket from BRU-AMS. I like sitting in trains, so I wouldn't mind doing this, for the sake of saving my complete 3-week trip to Greenland.
Is this a good idea? The agent on the phone told me that she's 99% sure that I could get on the flight from BRU Monday morning as planned and that I shouldn't worry, but if it does go wrong then a LOT of money is gone and my summer is ruined. What if AMS-CPH is overbooked too?
There is no feasible option for a different flight from BRU, neither same day nor the day before. Now, my idea was to ask SAS to change my booking to AMS-CPH Sunday evening. According to their e-mail, I would get a free hotel and €200 additional compensation, which would easily cover the train ticket from BRU-AMS. I like sitting in trains, so I wouldn't mind doing this, for the sake of saving my complete 3-week trip to Greenland.
Is this a good idea? The agent on the phone told me that she's 99% sure that I could get on the flight from BRU Monday morning as planned and that I shouldn't worry, but if it does go wrong then a LOT of money is gone and my summer is ruined. What if AMS-CPH is overbooked too?
By now, they have possible several volunteers, so question is probably academic right now.
Personally, I wouldn’t do this hassle to get 150 Euro.
To raise your chance from 99 til 99,9 percent I would check in as early as possible. OLCI normally opens T -36 hours.
Last edited by Tango Alpha; Jul 19, 2018 at 1:54 pm Reason: typo
Jul 19, 2018, 1:35 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 3
Quick update, the lady on the phone said that all flights on Sunday and Monday from BRU to CPH are overbooked and that there was one single seat left for AMS-CPH Sunday evening. What's interesting is that she said "no, we won't overbook this flight". I wonder when airlines go "yeah, let's stop overbooking, we've already made a big mess".
After all, I get 200€+160€ for the hotel, and now I'm sure to get to CPH in time
After today's mess in the Belgian airspace, that might be a good idea anyway...
Oh and btw, the Thalys that I booked also turned out to be overbooked
But that only means I might have to stand the 1h30min journey, which is fine (sort of).
After all, I get 200€+160€ for the hotel, and now I'm sure to get to CPH in time
After today's mess in the Belgian airspace, that might be a good idea anyway...Oh and btw, the Thalys that I booked also turned out to be overbooked
But that only means I might have to stand the 1h30min journey, which is fine (sort of).
Jul 20, 2018, 3:51 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Oslo, Norway
Posts: 557
Quick update, the lady on the phone said that all flights on Sunday and Monday from BRU to CPH are overbooked and that there was one single seat left for AMS-CPH Sunday evening. What's interesting is that she said "no, we won't overbook this flight". I wonder when airlines go "yeah, let's stop overbooking, we've already made a big mess".
...
After today's mess in the Belgian airspace, that might be a good idea anyway...
...
After today's mess in the Belgian airspace, that might be a good idea anyway...
I don't think you can get a ticket to the Thalys without a reserved seat (at least it was like that). But there are also regular trains with free seating operation between BRU and AMS. I have done the journey earlier on regular trains, even they are a bit slower, the time-table for Thalys did not fit my plan.
Jul 20, 2018, 4:00 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 3
What exactly is the difference between the two terms? I haven't been able to find any clear information on that.
Overselling is when beforehand, the airline sold too many tickets to account for no-shows and overbooking is what occurs when things go wrong in the planning? Is that right?
Does SAS sell too many tickets, in general?
Overselling is when beforehand, the airline sold too many tickets to account for no-shows and overbooking is what occurs when things go wrong in the planning? Is that right?
Does SAS sell too many tickets, in general?
Jul 20, 2018, 5:48 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,975
In my by book overbooking becomes overselling when they took a wrong bet on the number of rebookings and cancellations. All airlines (even the LCCs) overbook, but only during very busy times (especially in the holidays) there are much fewer cancellations or rebookings (as business travelers change their plans much more often while only very few people reschedule their long booked family vacation) which in turn means they sold to many seats.
Jul 20, 2018, 8:37 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Oslo, Norway
Posts: 557
SAS oversell flights, but I guess they are not overselling on all routs. Depends on the destination and ticket-types sold (no-flex/flex). For example not uncommon with a now-show of 10-30 pax on longhaul, esp. segments that have a lot of inbound passengers (which might experience delays etc).
But in general - my point is that in most cases it is not the overselling that is the problem, but irregular situations that makes the things fall apart, like cancellations, ATC/weather-problems, and esp. equipment-changes. If you go from a 737-800 to 737-600 you will for sure run into problems. Both passengers and press often miss this point, and blaim the airline for selling to many seats. If a 737-800 is replaced with a 737-600 it does not really matter if SAS have oversold with 5 or 10 seats
You might say that some of them do, but don't say for sure that all do as long as you don't know for sure. I know there are LCCs which don't oversell. (But the can get into an overbooking situation because of irr-ops as mentioned)
But in general - my point is that in most cases it is not the overselling that is the problem, but irregular situations that makes the things fall apart, like cancellations, ATC/weather-problems, and esp. equipment-changes. If you go from a 737-800 to 737-600 you will for sure run into problems. Both passengers and press often miss this point, and blaim the airline for selling to many seats. If a 737-800 is replaced with a 737-600 it does not really matter if SAS have oversold with 5 or 10 seats
You might say that some of them do, but don't say for sure that all do as long as you don't know for sure. I know there are LCCs which don't oversell. (But the can get into an overbooking situation because of irr-ops as mentioned)
Jul 20, 2018, 9:35 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: AGH
Posts: 5,975
Yes, there are some (I think JetBlue for example) which do not overbook. My point was that you have to have overbooking while all the passengers show up (or an equipment change to a smaller plane) to get to an overselling situation.