NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Civil aviation will take a review on the overbooking by airlines National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission recently asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to formulate a rational policy to prevent harassment of passengers left out from over-booking by airlines.
The Commission had asked the central government and the aviation regulator, DGCA to formulate a rational policy to prevent harassment of passengers left out from over-booked flights.
The government is unhappy on airlines overbooking passengers, which is though a practice followed globally.
Despite norms in the new civil aviation policy announced on June 15 making stricter rules, the issue airlines do overbooking of passengers. On an average, airlines overbook passengers by almost 5 to 6 per cent.
A MoCA official, it will discuss the issue on overbooking with domestic carriers.
The Commission direction came after a complainant accused the Jet Airways of not allowing her to board its flight from London in year 2009 on the ground that she was late. The complainant however stated that other passengers were allowed inside the aircraft in her presence despite carrying a confirmed ticket.
The commission observed that airlines do indulge in over-booking so as to ensure that seats in the flights do not go vacant in the event of certain passengers not showing up at the appointed time.
“This practice causes a lot of hardship and inconvenience to the passengers who are left out from their scheduled flights, despite the fact that they had confirmed reservation for the flight,” the commission said.