This holiday season is certainly shaping up to be a busy one.
Though the best times to buy a flight is toward the end of August, planning began ramping up in early September. With plane seats selling at a premium for holiday travelers, seats are the one thing that passengers are least likely to want to give up.
A new survey from Policygenius found that American consumers absolutely hate being bumped from flights.
More than one in five people (20.7 percent) said that no amount of money makes up for losing their seat on an airplane.
In fact, travelers would be more willing to receive compensation for sitting next to a screaming baby than for being bumped off of their flight.
The survey found that 13 percent said they felt $250 made up for the crying during a flight while just 3.5 percent said that amount would be suitable for being bumped off the plane.
Holiday travelers looking to avoid such a predicament can alleviate much of their worry by following a few simple tips:
Policygenius CEO and frequent flier Jennifer Fitzgerald recommends travelers check in early.
"Every airline chooses its bump-ees differently, but quite a few at least consider who was last to the races, so check-in as early as possible for your flight," she said.
Fitzgerald also noted checking out your airport's performance for on-time, delayed or canceled flights can help you determine your risk.
"Take a look at your local airports' track records. If the closer airport has a poor track record, you may want to sacrifice convenience for timely flights," recommended Fitzgerald.
Signing up for a frequent-flier program is another way to try and avoid being bumped. However, Policygenius also notes that the ultimate way to prevent the worst from happening is to fly first class.
For those who want to really plan ahead, take some time to learn the methods behind the booking madness and pay attention to those airlines who use best practices when it comes to overbooking.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
