Why Do Airlines still sell tickets if there are no seats available?

Question

I went to the airline websites & they still sell tickets even though there are no available seats left. Why do they do this?? & What's happens if you bought it when you weren't able to choose your seat because there were none available?

Answer 1

The airlines overbook flights based on the no show factor of that flight's history. Sometimes, all the passengers show up and they have to "bump" people off the flight. That means they airline will either get the last few people who checked in or or the last few people who purchased tickets. Most airlines will ask for volunteers first and they will issue some type of reward for volunteers, like a travel voucher or a free ticket. Then they put those people on a later flight. Seasoned travelers book these flights intentionally in hopes of getting a reward when they are flexible with their travel times.

Sometimes, there are still seats left to sell but you are not able to choose a seat assignment because those seats are under airport control. That means they hold a percentage of seats until departure day because they may have passengers with special needs, families, etc.

There is a difference between flights being over sold versus not having an assigned seat. Before you book your ticket on line, you can call the airline and ask them is the flight full or overbooked. Then, you can make a more informed purchasing decision. Those seats get released the day of the flight for all passengers.

Answer 2

If no one offers to give up a seat (rare), they will start involuntary bumping.  Generally speaking, standby's get bumped first, then if necessary the passengers who were last to check in (always a good reason to use web-check-in and get there a little early).  Anyone who is bumped involuntarily MUST get compensated according to certain rules and put on the next available flight in any available class of service.

BTW, don't assume that seeing no seats left for pre-select means there are no seats left on the plane for sale.  Airlines don't release all seats for pre-assignment, in order to maintain some flexibility in seating families, frequent fliers, etc.  You can start to be concerned if you web check in 24 hours before and no seats are available for selection.

Answer 3

They are banking on no-shows.  If...you have a confirmed reservation, with or without an advanced assigned seat and you are not boarded you are eligible for denied boarding compensation which is much more that giving up your seat as a volunteer.

Answer 4

Just because there are no seats available for you to select at the time of booking doesn't mean that the flight is necessarily full.  While it's true that airlines routinely overbook, they also hold aside various seats for handicapped passengers, their elite flyers, etc. that may show as occupied on a seat map.

These seats are usually released on the day of the flight.  If there is not a seat available when you check in you will be given a document that will get you through security and you will be assigned a seat at the gate.  In the event that the flight has been oversold and there are more passengers than seats the airline by law must take volunteers first.  It's pretty rare (though it does happen) that an airline will bump a passenger involuntarily.

Good luck!

Answer 5

this is based on many years of records concerning the % of passengers who will be "no-shows";  if they still end up with too many passengers, then they will call for volunteers to give up their assigned seats in exchange for airline credits or sometimes even cash; if you surrender your seat, they still will fly you on the next available flight

Answer 6

More often than not, enough people either no-show, misconnect from a connecting flight, or fly out on standby for an earlier flight....allowing enough seats for everyone.  When there aren't enough seats, they look for volunteers to give up their seats in exchange for flying out on a later flight...and give them a free roundtrip ticket. There is usually more than enough people willing to do so.