FlySafair calls for fair overbooking investigation

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) is investigating the practice of overbooking flights by airlines, following a social media post from a passenger who was bumped off a FlySafair flight, which sparked widespread outrage.

FlySafair has admitted to overbooking its flights, justifying the practice as a way to mitigate the impact of no-show passengers.

The airline has welcomed the Commission’s inquiry, seeing it as an opportunity to clarify its process.

Kirby Gordon,  Chief Marketing Officer for FlySafair, explained in an interview with eNCA that overbooking is a common practice among airlines worldwide, including all domestic carriers in South Africa.

“There isn’t a single airline in South Africa that doesn’t overbook, and this is standard practice across most of the world,” Gordon said.

“The reason we do it is that it forms part of our cost model. It allows us to keep ticket prices lower by factoring in what’s called ‘breakage effectively,’ which means we account for the small number of passengers who don’t show up.”

Gordon further elaborated on the benefits of overbooking, highlighting how it allows for more flexibility in customer service.

For instance, if a passenger misses a flight due to unforeseen circumstances, such as traffic, FlySafair can often offer leniency and accommodate them on another flight without imposing full financial penalties.

“It gives us the flexibility to be more lenient with our policies,” he explained, “which benefits our customers who find themselves in such situations.”

He also emphasised that overbooking is managed responsibly and based on statistical analysis.

Gordon pointed out that, despite the practice, only a very small percentage of passengers are ever impacted.

“Over the past 10 months, 99.994% of FlySafair customers were unaffected by this practice,” he said.

“The key is ensuring that we have a reasonable chance of accommodating every passenger who shows up.”

FlySafair has expressed its willingness to provide clarity on the overbooking issue, stating that it remains confident its policies and practices comply with the Consumer Protection Act (CPA). 

The airline emphasised that its approach is among the most transparent and consumer-focused in the industry.

He stated that the airline believes it is crucial for the investigation to be conducted fairly and with full consideration of the context.

Main Image: Sandton Times