‘Common’ airline practice turns Aussie tourist’s dream trip into a nightmare!
- Replies 2
Travelling can be exciting and fulfilling, with new experiences, new people, and new cultures just around the corner.
But it can also be a stressful experience, full of unexpected bumps in the road.
Unfortunately, this was the harsh reality for Tori, a 28-year-old Aussie currently residing in London.
While on her way back from a holiday in Athens, Greece, she experienced what can only be described as an absolute nightmare.
Tori had booked a $600 flight with airline Sky Express, only to be greeted with the news that she was on ‘standby’.
Not knowing what this meant, she asked the airline staff member for more information, who informed her that they overbooked tickets in a casual manner.
Naturally, Tori was worried that she wouldn’t make it home and contacted her travel agent to organise a different flight.
Unfortunately, as part of the ‘standby procedure’, they were unable to refund her ticket or hand over her luggage until the flight was full.
'I literally had to just sit there and wait right until every single person boarded,' Tori said on social media.
'I can’t believe they’re allowed to do this.'
It turns out that overbooking a flight is a 'super common' practice, especially for international flights, according to Matt Graham, editor of Australian Frequent Flyer.
'It's basically a way of protecting the airline's revenue,' Graham said.
'Especially if they’re operating out of a hub where there’s a lot of connecting passengers, as often the inbound flights will get delayed and passengers will miss their connections.'
So what happens if there are more passengers than tickets?
In Europe, the US, and Canada, passengers are entitled to compensation, as well as a refund or free hotel stay. Unfortunately, there are no such laws in Australia, only leaving it to the discretion of the airline.
'The issue is when passengers are not given proper alternatives and not compensated for the inconvenience,' Graham said.
Ultimately, Tori did make it onto her flight with Sky Express. However, she also expressed her sympathies for another passenger who ended up being offloaded.
‘There were about five of us standing there waiting, and the lady came over with four tickets because four people didn’t make it.’
‘She said to this one poor girl, “Sorry, you’ll need to come back tomorrow.”’
As a precaution, it is recommended that you always double-check with your airline before you fly to make sure you have a confirmed seat! And please remember to always double-check the reliability of your airline company before you book through reviews, news, and feedback.
How do you feel about how Sky Express handled Tori’s complaint? What would you do if you were in Tori’s position? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
But it can also be a stressful experience, full of unexpected bumps in the road.
Unfortunately, this was the harsh reality for Tori, a 28-year-old Aussie currently residing in London.
While on her way back from a holiday in Athens, Greece, she experienced what can only be described as an absolute nightmare.
A woman named Tori is frustrated with the unprofessional treatment she received before her flight. Credit: Shutterstock
Tori had booked a $600 flight with airline Sky Express, only to be greeted with the news that she was on ‘standby’.
Not knowing what this meant, she asked the airline staff member for more information, who informed her that they overbooked tickets in a casual manner.
Naturally, Tori was worried that she wouldn’t make it home and contacted her travel agent to organise a different flight.
Unfortunately, as part of the ‘standby procedure’, they were unable to refund her ticket or hand over her luggage until the flight was full.
'I literally had to just sit there and wait right until every single person boarded,' Tori said on social media.
'I can’t believe they’re allowed to do this.'
It turns out that overbooking a flight is a 'super common' practice, especially for international flights, according to Matt Graham, editor of Australian Frequent Flyer.
A Sky Express airline personnel simply told Tori that there was nothing they could do for her in light of her distressing situation. Credit: Shutterstock
'It's basically a way of protecting the airline's revenue,' Graham said.
'Especially if they’re operating out of a hub where there’s a lot of connecting passengers, as often the inbound flights will get delayed and passengers will miss their connections.'
So what happens if there are more passengers than tickets?
In Europe, the US, and Canada, passengers are entitled to compensation, as well as a refund or free hotel stay. Unfortunately, there are no such laws in Australia, only leaving it to the discretion of the airline.
'The issue is when passengers are not given proper alternatives and not compensated for the inconvenience,' Graham said.
Ultimately, Tori did make it onto her flight with Sky Express. However, she also expressed her sympathies for another passenger who ended up being offloaded.
‘There were about five of us standing there waiting, and the lady came over with four tickets because four people didn’t make it.’
‘She said to this one poor girl, “Sorry, you’ll need to come back tomorrow.”’
As a precaution, it is recommended that you always double-check with your airline before you fly to make sure you have a confirmed seat! And please remember to always double-check the reliability of your airline company before you book through reviews, news, and feedback.
How do you feel about how Sky Express handled Tori’s complaint? What would you do if you were in Tori’s position? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Last edited by a moderator:
.png){kind=icon}
