I thought we are supposed to confirm 3 days in advance? How it happened?


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/60_Air_India_passengers_offloaded_due_to_overbooking/articleshow/2683231.cms

MUMBAI: Around 60 passengers of Air India's Mumbai-London-Chicago flight were offloaded on Tuesday as the plane was overbooked and the airline termed the exercise as an industrywide practice.

The passengers were denied boarding as all seats in the flight got filled up before they could reach the counter. They would be accommodated in a flight on Wednesday, an airline spokesman said.

Some irate passengers also had a tiff with the Air India officials as the check-in staff left the counters keeping them standing in the queue for an hour.

Hotel accommodation was offered to all those who were offloaded, the spokesman said.

"I could hear people shouting asking why the line was not moving, but there was no airline official to inform us of anything. After some time, an official informed us that we have been offloaded and left," a woman traveller, who requested anonymity, said.

In a statement, the spokesman said "overbooking of flights is an industrywide practice. This is done primarily to ensure that the seats do not go vacant if confirmed passengers do not turn up for the flights.

"There are occasions where all confirmed passengers turn up leading to a situation when passengers have to be offloaded.

"In the event of offload, all airlines, including Air India, take care of their passengers. They get to travel on the first available flight, are provided accommodation upto the departure of their flight and get telephone facility to inform their near and dear ones regarding the change in travel plan," the spokesman said.

Another fine example of why we should not use Air India.
I came through Air France in Jan 2005. In B'lore, we were overbooked. They were looking to off load 2 passengers. They found an old couple who were ready to do it. They were promised the stay at the hotel +$500 each with $250 each to be shelled out in cash and the other $250 each to be given for purchases only.
I can understand an overbooking for 5-10 people in a 400 seat aircraft but 60 people over booking is rediculous. It is time that a change came to Air India. It is still a wonder as to how people even fly that airline to cause such an overbooking of 60 seats. I thought that these airlines flew empty. I would never fly air India even if they offered me $500 bonus.
In 1997 when I used Air India from Singapore, Some Air hostess were clearly above the age 50 and had to use thick lensed spectacles to read what kind of drink that they were pouring. They looked more like school teachers (in a saree uniform) rather than airhostess.

TK A

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I am a Gents and not a Ladies.

I have never used AI so far. So cant comment on it. I flew by Kingfisher last month from Delhi. AI needs to learn from this. Great service, good looking air hostesses (all women), and hardly any waiting for check in. If you dont have a check in baggage, u can get the boarding pass from the staff thru their hand held device. We had to check a suitcase, still the guy came and gave the boarding passes while we were waiting in the line for checking the baggage. Must have spent 3-4 minutes in the line. Next time, sure, I will use them rather than AI or IA (is it still tehre?).

DIO

AI is the worst airline, although the food is great. I see nothing has changed since 1995 which was the first and last time I flew AI.

On my return, they cancelled the flight from Madras (Chennai) to Delhi and booked us all on ModiLuft (no longer exists). Then at Delhi, dep time came and went with no signs of nothing. After people screaming and yelling, we were given hotel rooms.

After 4 days of haggling in Delhi, we were put on a flight to Bombay. There we were told that there were no flights out to JFK due to overbooking. After another round of yelling and screaming under the very watchful eyes of heavily armed airport security, we were put on a flight to Paris which ended up back in Delhi for few hours before taking off.

With no plans beyond Paris, we all flew to Paris only to be put in a hotel for 2 more nights. Finally, the folks at Paris told us we could choose our destination and they will book us in some airline somehow. I ended up on a British Airways flight to London (35 min hop) and after a delay due to engine malfunction, ended up in another BA flight to JFK.

My baggage made through all that confusion even though I did not see my baggage the entire time!!! All these due to the overbooking mess.

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Dimple2001

Having flown with AI as recently as 2005, I can say that it should be avoided as far as possible. You're lucky if you're able to get through without any major fiascos. I don't have the time to detail all the nonsense I went through!

I had a good experience recently both ways flying to India . Leg space was more and the food was delicious - if I get a seat and the above two , rest other things mean less.

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Fido.

I have flown both AI & IA on international flights and have found them generally ok. You have to remeber that a lot of people on these flights are also government babus and labourer (especially on gulf sector).
Regarding off loading, this is a reality in air travel. I have found out the best way to aviod any problems is to arrive at the airport before they open the counter. That way you are right in front when they start chek in. Very rarely will you be asked to pay for extra baggage also if you are right infront.
Have had good & bad experience with almost all airlines.