The Airline Bump

This is the moment that every seasoned traveler dreads. You've checked in, the plane is on time for once, and you are waiting to board when an airline clerk approaches. “I'm terribly sorry, sir, the flight is overbooked. And as you are the last... Of course, we'll do our best...” The law of averages has finally caught up with you. You've been bumped.

Bumping, or ‘involuntary boarding denial” in airline jargon, is what happens when you are refused a seat on a plane for which you have an “O.K.”, a confirmed reservation.

The reason passengers are bumped is that airline overbook flights by 15 to 30 percent. They claim they need to do this to compensate for no-shows, people who fail to turn up for a flight on which they are booked. Overbooking also means that airlines are able to offer more seats on each flight.

Airlines try to shift the blame for overbooking and bumping to the business traveler who makes multiple bookings or fails to cancel. But the blame lies as much with travel agents and airlines themselves.

Agents may forget to cancel bookings or check whether there is space on a flight before issuing a confirmed ticket.

The prime cause of bumping is that the airlines are suffering from commercial pressures: they have to give priority to connecting passengers and make space for groups.

The Department of Transportation requires first to ask for volunteers to give up their seats in return for cash or travel vouchers. This is conducted as a kind of auction at the gate. Usually, there are enough volunteers. Bumped passengers are entitled to compensation.

To avoid bumping, check in early and whenever possible get your boarding card in advance for a return or onward flight. It is always a good idea to reconfirm. And make sure your reservation is actually registered by asking for the computer code. After that, it's down to your management style at the gate.

I. Say it in English

Внутренние рейсы, прямой рейс, делать пересадку, стыковочный рейс, прибывающий самолет, задерживать рейс, лететь через Нью-Йорк, возлагать вину, отменить заказ, уступить место в обмен на денежную компенсацию, иметь право на компенсацию

II. Put it in Russian

Hub, appalling, network, incoming flight, overseas connections, to operate as entry points, to make multiple bookings, to issue a confirmed ticket, to conduct an auction at the gate, boarding card

III. Paraphrase the following expressions

feeder service

to be less hassle than Miami International Airport

many hubs also operate as entry points or “gateways”

The law of averages has finally caught up with you

to compensate for no-shows

It's down to your management style at the gate.

IV. Insert prepositions

to be organized … the principle … hubs and spokes

spokes radiating … … it … all directions

to be connected … each other …a major airline

connecting flights are … some extent guaranteed

an incoming flight is … … one hour late

to avoid any major gateway … favour … a smaller gateway

to be refused a seat … a plane … which you have a confirmed reservation

to fail to turn … … a flight … which they are booked

check … early