What's an airline passenger to do when he or she is bumped off of a flight? The practice of airlines overbooking flights can be downright unfair to the consumer who purchases cheap airfare. But the airline industry is the only business in where customers are not guaranteed what they pay for.

This year the number off bumped passengers has taken off by more than 40 percent. In 2005, over 10 percent of passengers were lured to voluntarily to give up their seats. Based on a report released by the Department of Transportation, the following regional and national airlines lead in the number of overbooked flights:

>> Northwest
>> US Airways
>> Alaska
>> Comair
>> United
>> Delta
>> Atlantic Southeast
>> Mesa
>> Southwest
>> SkyWest

Northwest ranked the highest amongst the combined number of voluntary and involuntary boarding denials. Although, Jet Blue Airways purported the lowest number of boarding glitches -- it could have something to do with their number of flights.



Despite the growing number of voluntary and involuntary deferments in boarding, consumers, airline passengers and travelers have a few rights. The government mandates that when flights oversell passengers should be offered the following opportunities:

■ To give up seats voluntarily.
■ An airline ticket must be refunded if the passengers is not traveling.
■ Delays exceeding 60 minutes are entitled to a maximum compensation of $400
■ Involuntary flight bump-offs should be outlined in writing

By Holly Bentz , contributing editor, (c) 2006 fruitionMedia.net