Etihad Airways has recently faced criticism online after passengers claimed that they were downgraded from business class to economy without their knowledge. Reportedly, the passengers paid full price for their seats but were relocated to economy seats due to high demand.
An alleged apology letter issued by the airline has emerged on X. According to it, the company offered a 75% refund to the affected flyers.
“Nice to know you can pay full price for a business class seat on @etihad, and when you show up at the airport they can simply “downgrade" you to economy because they sold more seats than they have (not sure how that’s my problem). Done flying these guys," a post read on X.
The incident has raised questions about policies regarding airline overbooking and what passengers can do in such situations.
Why seat downgrades happen by airlines
Overbooking is reportedly the most common reason for involuntary downgrades among Airlines. Airlines may sell more tickets than available seats to maximise revenue. Typically, it is done to ensure flights remain full even if some flyers cancel or miss their flight.
In case all passengers show up, some may be downgraded.
In simple terms, downgrade means moving a passenger to a lower class seat than what was originally booked for.
In some cases, downgrades may happen due to crew requirements. If designated crew rest areas remain unavailable, a crew member may be required to use a first or business-class seat for breaks or rest. Such a situation may lead to passenger downgrades.
What passengers can do
During downgrades, affected passengers should document everything carefully and make an appropriate compensation claim. One must obtain a written reason for the downgrade and keep applicable records such as images of the new seat, the boarding pass, and any further communication from the company.
All about compensation, eligibility and more
According to airline regulations, compensation for involuntary downgrades can be somewhere between 30-75 per cent of the ticket price, accordingly.
Under rules by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), passengers are entitled to a refund of the full value of the ticket, including tax. For domestic flights, about 75% of the total ticket cost (including taxes) and for international flights, 30-75% of the total ticket cost (as per flight distance) should be provided by the airlines.
Passengers can keep the applicable refund and continue with the journey in the downgraded cabin or decline to travel and get a full refund of the ticket.
For further assistance, such as if an airline refuses or offers only vouchers, passengers can escalate the matter via airsewa.gov.in