Associated Press | Southwest Airlines Co. has been fined
$200,000 for violating rules on bumping passengers from oversold
flights. The Transportation Department said Tuesday that it reviewed
passenger complaints and found many cases of improper bumping.
Airlines are allowed to sell more seats than they have because some passengers don’t show up.
Federal rules require airlines to first ask for volunteers who will give up their seat in exchange for compensation. After that, airlines can begin to bump passengers who bought tickets. Most passengers bumped from flights are entitled to up to $800 in cash.
Airlines are required to give bumped passengers a written statement detailing their rights and explaining how the airline decides who gets bumped when flights are oversold.
The Transportation Department said Southwest could use $20,000 of the civil penalty to develop ways to notify passengers of the airline’s policy on overselling flights and customers’ rights.
Southwest did not immediately return a message requesting comment.
So the government got $180,000 what did the passengers who were affected get?
Southwest employees actually bump paying customers off of flights to get Southwest employees who fly stanby for free onto the flights,
They should not be allowed to bump any passengers. If they do then southwest would have to be required to pay the person up to $2000.00. What ever they want as a fine!
Make the fine alot otherwise Southwest will keep doing it.
Seats should not be overbooked and only after everyone gets on the plane can a seat be given to someone else because that original seat owner was not on time for the flight.
i heard about that also. the employees think they are playing God. this is a good reason they should go towards assigned seating;
but don’t forget – BAGS FLY FREE ….. snark