I cannot understand the practice of overbooking in the travel industry. The reason given for such a practice is to mitigate no-shows.

However, a passenger who plans to travel overseas, be it for leisure or business, would have secured a plane ticket and paid in full for it.

Whether the passenger shows up or not, the payment has already been made, so what does the airline lose if there is a no-show? The loss is borne by the passenger.

When one pays for an airline seat or a cruise, one is entitled to board the flight or ship. It is not fair for customers who pay in full and yet do not get the service.

Imagine if the passenger has elderly parents or young children in tow, excited after months of planning for a holiday. How would that family feel about their ruined plans? Similarly, if the passenger were rushing to clinch an important business deal, how would the airline compensate him for his lost opportunity?

Teo Pek Ean