Overbooking in the age of seat selection

[ang1170]

I'm curious about something, and wonder if anyone has the answer.....

As we all know, airlines routinely overbook flights, based on the experience that invariably there's a certain number of no-shows.

However, these days you can reserve your own seat beforehand (at least on some airlines, and without paying for the privilige too).

My question is if everyone were to do this, how would they continue to overbook?

Or do they rely on the fact that not everyone will reserve a seat?

 

[EvilDoctorK]

Certainly not everyone will pre-assign seats .. and with many airilnes when more than x% of seats are assigned the remainder are held over for assignment at the airport.

In the small print about the seat assignments they reserve the right to change your seat anyway so I don't think that seat assignments have any impact on overbooking practices.

 

[Leo]

Yeah, recently booked flights on Aer Lingus to the US at late notice and seat selection was unavailable.
Leo

 

[emul]

Honestly I think the overbooking system is screwy.

Couple of weeks ago I had to go to London from Cork. Found out at 3:30pm, tried to book seat for 7:30am next morning - flight full. Kept trying and at 5:30pm success - booked a seat. Boarding aircraft next morning was asked if I would take €200 and take next flight, as flight was overbooked. Said no as I had a meeting..got on plane, plane took off with seat beside me empty.

I can only assume that some people who did web checkin didn't arrive, hence the "overbooked" flight was not.

 

[ang1170]

Certainly not everyone will pre-assign seats .. and with many airilnes when more than x% of seats are assigned the remainder are held over for assignment at the airport.

I guess that's the obvious answer: I should have thought it through some more.