[frsrock]

Apparently all of the flights from 4:00 on were overbooked. I was randomly selected to be one of the lucky few who was not allowed to board. I showed up an hour before boarding, checked in with two other people, one of whom checked in after me, then discovered that I was the only one of us three who was getting bumped. No explanation. No apology. No attempt to give me decent service of any kind. The girl at the counter was disgustingly rude and offered me no assistance of any kind. I was flying home from a business meeting and still cannot believe the level of service (none) that I received. This ticket was bought and paid for well in advance of this flight. There was absolutely no indication at any time prior to boarding that there was an issue with my seat (the issue being that they had already sold my seat to someone else).
I flew back to Calgary on another airline, 5 hours later, after standing at the counter for well over an hour and receiving little or no service. There were at least 27 other passengers on these flights who were not on standby, but who had paid in full for their tickets, and were denied boarding.
I am shocked and disgusted that we allow these business to continue to remain in business and to continue to hand them our money willingly. I will be filing a formal complaint with the airline and the CTA and plan on telling every person that I meet about their reprehensible service.

[Silent Bob]

I think the first question we need to ask is, if you were bumped because of an oversale, what did you recieve as compensation? They simply cannot turn you away if you checked in with no seat, and AC was unable to get you one at take off, then you should have gotten something.

There was absolutely no indication at any time prior to boarding that there was an issue with my seat (the issue being that they had already sold my seat to someone else).

If you had a seat at check in, and were at the gate at the time of boarding... then how did you lose your seat? They can't select you for denied boarding unless you had no seat to begin with. And if you had no seat then you should have been given some kind of compensation. But if you had a seat, that would mean you were not at the gate at the time of boarding and they gave away your seat to a standby????

I flew back to Calgary on another airline, 5 hours later, after standing at the counter for well over an hour and receiving little or no service. There were at least 27 other passengers on these flights who were not on standby, but who had paid in full for their tickets, and were denied boarding.

Did AC place you on that other airline, or did you buy your own ticket? If they put you on another airline, that might clear things up a bit, but if you bought your own ticket, then it would appear you were not an oversold passenger. Maybe late? maybe not near the gate at the time of boarding but elsewhere?

[jimworcs]

The passenger has already told you they were not late. Checked in, so not late. No indication the OP was late at the gate.

The overselling of flights is little short of legalised fraud and should be banned. At the minimum, an airline should only allow "standby passengers" onto a flight 15 minutes before departure.

[Silent Bob]

I showed up an hour before boarding, checked in with two other people, one of whom checked in after me, then discovered that I was the only one of us three who was getting bumped.

If you show up at the counter one hour prior to boarding, yea you're late. That's also the reason why I asked if he purchased his own ticket or was he placed on another airline's flight. If you're an oversold passenger the airline is required to compensate you with a new, confirmed flight (either on their own flights or another airline), either a cash payment or electronic voucher, and if necessary a hotel if you have to overnight. There's no indication that the op received any of that, so we can assume he showed up late for the flight and using the oversold argument as an excuse for his own lateness. It's happened more than once on this site.

[jimworcs]

Airlines do not check in customers who are too late for the flight.. he got checked in, and two customers who checked in at the same time, one before and one after got on the flight... if he was late how did the person checking in after him get on? If he wasn't at the gate, how would he know it?

Why change the facts to suit your argument.. you have no reason to doubt the OP... face it, airlines overbook and it is utterly unethical and disreputable.

[Leatherboy2006]

I know what the USA law is about being bumped, I wonder what Canadian law is and what they require the airline to do/pay

[Silent Bob]

From my understanding, canadian Law for overbooking is the same as the U.S. (but it's also dependent to where the person is going), but don't quote me on that. But reading AC's contract on overselling would make it seem it's the same as the U.S.

Airlines do not check in customers who are too late for the flight

That depends on how late is too late and possibly if you're a high enough status. Also seat class helps, because if your flying business first/first class some airlines cut you a break and check you in.

If he wasn't at the gate, how would he know it?

Now who's twisting what words to suit their arguments? He wasn't at the gate, it doesn't say anywhere in his complaint he was at the gate. he said he showed up at the counter, and it was at the counter where he discovered he was going to get bumped. But if he's there on time, how would he know before the flight even boards that he was going to be bumped? I've sat through enough oversale announcements to know that they handle these situations at the gate, after the flight is closed (though they may ask at the counter for volunteers if the flight is oversold by a lot). if he was oversold and likely to be bumped, they (AC) would have to tell him and compensate him, or they open themselves up to a serious lawsuit. It is my understanding (and correct me if i am wrong) that it is legal for the airlines to oversell a flight. But they also must disclose to the passenger if he or she is going to be involuntarily denied boarding and what compensation they are going to offer. If the OP was in fact denied boarding, they cannot simply NOT offer him reprotection or compensation, it is what he is due. Maybe I am wrong about the late check in, I will accept it. But if he walked away from the counter (again there's no where in the complaint that says he was at the gate), without receiving anything, then it's a possibility that something else happened.