FlySafair has found itself at the center of a debate over its overbooking policies after a passenger was denied a seat on a flight due to overbooking. The airline maintains that overbooking is a common industry practice used to manage no-shows and keep ticket prices affordable. However, CemAir has criticized FlySafair's approach, arguing that it is unethical and that FlySafair should offer refunds for no-show passengers. Airlink has also distanced itself from FlySafair's stance, stating that it does not overbook flights.
FlySafair has defended its overbooking practices following a consumer complaint , stating that it is a globally accepted industry standard used to manage no-shows and maintain affordable ticket prices. The airline emphasized that its overbooking policy is conservative, impacting less than 1% of its capacity. FlySafair explained on X, 'We do overbook flights to ensure we keep our tickets as affordable as possible for our passengers.
We do see how inconvenient this can be and therefore offer compensation for passengers that were not able to take the flight they’ve booked.' However, CemAir has criticized FlySafair's overbooking as an unethical practice, pointing out that FlySafair does not refund fares for no-show passengers, which undermines its justification for overbooking. CemAir stated, 'Furthermore, the justification from FlySafair that “overbooking assists in mitigating the financial impact of no-show passengers”, can only hold true if the airline refunds the no-show ticket fare, thereby suffering the loss of revenue on that seat with zero resale opportunity.' CemAir's Chief Commercial Officer, Shaniel Singh, reaffirmed the airline's straightforward booking policies and its dedication to hassle-free travel. 'We value the confidence our passengers place in us every time they choose to fly with CemAir,’ said Singh. ‘To uphold this trust, our booking policies are straightforward and aligned with our commitment to providing hassle-free travel. We will cooperate fully with any investigation by the NCC.' Airlink also distanced itself from FlySafair's stance, confirming that it does not overbook flights and rejecting the implication that all South African airlines follow this practice. 'Airlink would like to inform all its customers, and future travellers, that we do not overbook our flights. Contrary to what has been said publicly by FlySafair, not all South African airlines partake in this practice.
Flysafair Overbooking Consumer Complaint Cemair Airlink Airlines Industry Standards
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