Passenger Left Standing On IndiGo Mumbai-Varanasi Flight Due To Overbooking, Offloaded Last Minute
An IndiGo flight?was forced?to return to the?terminal of?Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai after the crew spotted an extra passenger standing inside the aircraft, as?all the seats were filled.?The passenger was spotted standing at the rear of the?aircraft?when flight 6E 6543, en route to Varanasi, was taxiing.
Extra passenger on flight
Following this, the aircraft returned to the bay, and the extra passenger alighted before the plane took off. According to reports, the?extra?passenger was an airline staff member who boarded the aircraft after the ground staff assumed that a passenger?who was?running late wouldn't make it. In such cases, airline staff can take a flight if there is a vacant seat, referred to as a standby passenger.
Also read:?IPS Officer Narrates Experience Of IndiGo Flight Landing With 2 Minutes Fuel Left
However, on Tuesday, the passenger?who was?running late showed up just in time, and his original seat was given to him, leaving the standby passenger without a seat.
What IndiGo said
In a statement, IndiGo said there was an error during the passenger boarding process of flight 6E 6543 from Mumbai to Varanasi, wherein a standby passenger?was allotted?a seat reserved for a confirmed passenger. "The error was noticed?prior to?the departure of the aircraft, and the standby passenger was de-boarded.?This?led to a slight delay in the departure of the aircraft," the airline said.
What is overbooking
Overbooking is a practice followed by airlines worldwide, where they sell more seats than their capacity to ensure maximum occupation of the flight, even if some passengers cancel at the last moment.?However, if?none of the?passengers cancel their bookings, the airline can be left with more?passengers than the number of?seats available.
Also read:?Lufthansa Passenger Denied Boarding Sparks Heated Argument With Staff
Compensation if denied boarding due to overbooking
According to the DGCA, in such situations, the airline must first ask for volunteers to give up their seats to make them available for other passengers. If a passenger with a confirmed ticket?is?denied?boarding due to overbooking, the airline has?to offer an alternative flight within the next hour. If this is not possible,?a compensation?of up to 200 percent of the?booked one-way basic fare plus airline fuel charge, subject to a maximum of?Rs 10,000, should be paid. If the alternative flight?is delayed?beyond 24 hours, a compensation of up to Rs 20,000 has to?be paid.
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