How to Avoid a Collision With the Next Flight
We know two things about the state of air travel in the United States right now. First, the number of Americans traveling by air continues to rise to pre-pandemic levels. Secondly, many airlines are experiencing staff shortages , forcing them to postpone and cancel a large number of flights. Put these two pieces of information together and you have a recipe for a busy airport trip.
A natural consequence of flight delays and cancellations is that flights that do take to the skies are often congested, forcing the airline to choose which passengers to encounter. Airlines will offer incentives in the hope that customers will voluntarily give up their seats, but when rubber meets the road, they’re going to do what they have to do. If you’re hoping you don’t get pushed, here are five tricks you can use to increase your chances of not becoming one of the unlucky passengers.
Become a member of the rewards
Airlines as an industry tend to reward brand loyal customers. Whether it’s frequent flyer miles, priority boarding, or access to private airport lounges, if you’re willing to go all-in with a brand, they’ll (usually) take care of you. This “I scratch your back, you scratch mine” extends to the selection process. If you arrive at a crowded boarding gate, your bonus card will be more valuable than your boarding pass (but don’t forget your boarding pass, too). Your future business is too important for the airline to jeopardize; they would have stumbled upon a good weather flier above you in the blink of an eye. There are no guarantees here, but ultimately, airlines are like mafia families; they take care of their own.
Spring for extra legroom
Extra legroom on its own won’t save you from flying off a flight, but the fact that you’ve paid extra for a seat on the plane. In the eyes of the airline, there is a hierarchy for who gets on the plane. It starts with first class passengers and ends with those whose ticket is basic economy class. Let me tell you, if you’re trying to catch a crowded flight, you don’t want to save money.
Obviously this is a method you will have to budget for – paying a commission to increase your chances of not getting hit is not ideal. But you know what else isn’t perfect? Departing from your flight. So if you can afford it, maybe you should pay a little more.
Early check-in
Most airlines now allow you to check in online up to 24 hours before departure. If you’re worried about being knocked off an overbooked flight, this is the least you can do to set yourself up for success. When you go through your list of flights to decide who got pushed, the first fliers on the chopping block are the ones who didn’t even check in. This is logical – in their eyes, you most likely will not appear. They want to push the passengers they think will cause them the least amount of trouble in the long run, so don’t give the airlines any sign that you can bet on a scam.
Buy tickets together
If you are traveling with a group, be sure to book your tickets together. This is because when deciding which passengers to collide with, airlines tend to avoid colliding with entire groups. It is much easier for them to transfer one passenger to an alternative flight than to make sure that a group of people will get to the same place at the same time. While you’re at it, even pay to select seats so you and your company can sit together. This will increase your chances of getting on the plane even more.
Research airlines
Did you know that the U.S. Department of Transportation keeps track of the number of “forced denied boardings” of each airline? You can look and see which airlines are best at getting all their passengers on board and which ones spend hours at the gate negotiating compensation in exchange for telling people they won’t make it to Disney World today.
The airlines that are the best at avoiding bumping passengers are Delta Airlines, United Airlines and JetBlue, according to available data. The airlines with the most frequent forced landings include American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Allegiant Air. Do whatever you want with this information, but you may find it helpful to factor it into your decision-making process the next time you leave town.