What airlines in New Zealand do for passengers bumped from flights

An Air New Zealand Airbus A320 at Auckland Airport. Photo / Grant Bradley

New Zealand airlines overbook some flights but more conservatively than in the United States.

To maximise revenue, airlines do overbook flights, assuming not all passengers will turn up.

Overnight a passenger on a United Airlines flight was dragged from the plane in the US.

Air New Zealand says on its website specialist forecasting meant that denied boarding due to overbooking rarely happened.

''If it does, we are committed to providing a fair and consistent approach to how we compensate and determine boarding priority," the airline says.

"In all overbooking situations we will ask for volunteers before denying travel involuntarily to any customer. Where your offer of volunteering to travel on an alternative flight is accepted by Air New Zealand, you will be compensated.''

A Jetstar spokesman said airlines in this part of the world had a much more conservative approach to overbooking than airlines in the US.

''In the rare event a passenger is unable to be checked in for a Jetstar flight due to overbooking this would be managed prior to boarding. We will offer a seat on the next available flight and consider a range of other options, including compensation, in recognition of the inconvenience,'' he said.

Consumer New Zealand says there are clear rules regarding operating domestic flights within this country.

Airlines are required to compensate passengers who are delayed or have their flight cancelled as a result of internal issues such as airline staffing issues or mechanical problems.

The same rules apply if passengers are bumped from the flight as a result of overbooking. However, passengers aren't able to claim compensation for delays caused by factors beyond the airline's control (such as bad weather or instructions from air traffic control).

Consumer says compensation applies to any reasonably foreseeable extra costs incurred as a result of the delay, such as meals, taxi fares, missed events and missed flight connections.

Affected passengers can claim for damages up to 10 times the cost of the ticket, or the actual cost of the delay (whichever is lower). Passengers delayed on domestic flights in New Zealand should claim compensation from the airline directly. If the airline refuses, passengers can take the claim to the Disputes Tribunal, says Consumer.

Flight Centre's general manager of product Sean Berenson said over booking was rare.

"In general, carriers will do their best to accommodate passengers who have been inconvenienced. That might mean upgrading them to another class, putting them on the next flight, or compensating them with accommodation, food vouchers or payments,'' he said.

Airlines generally asked for volunteers to change their travel plans in return for compensation, instead of randomly choosing passengers. In most instances there will be some passengers who are willing to change their travel plans.

"We always recommend where possible our customers ensure they arrive on time for their flights and don't leave it to the last minute to check in. This can help in situations where the unexpected might happen," said Berenson.

Commercial director at the House of Travel, Brent Thomas, said he had been on planes in the US where there were calls for volunteers to get off flights, but had not experienced it in this country.

He said the United Airlines case was extreme.

He said airlines also had to take into account the weight and balance of freight and this also led to some passengers being bumped at times.