And all airlines overbook, she added, "but people who are bumped get out on the next available flight, and they also get free tickets for future flights."

Some airlines overbook with little attention to reality.

The airlines may alter scheduled stops, cancel or postpone flights on short notice, and regularly overbook flights.

All airlines overbook their flights in anticipation that some passengers with reservations will not show up.

You've got to plan for failures - hotels overbook, airlines overbook.

On average, about 20 percent of air travelers who book seats are no-shows, and the airlines overbook to guarantee filling as many seats as possible.

The simple fact is that all airlines overbook their flights, because they get a high percentage of no-shows.

Frequent flier programs and the degree to which airlines overbook passengers will also be examined more closely.

When airlines overbook to minimize the chance they might fly with empty seats, the value of the hours we waste doesn't get counted in their costs.

"Involuntary denied boardings," as the Government describes bumpings, result when an airline has overbooked a flight and cannot find enough people to volunteer for another plane.