Andy Wedlake was forced to watch his new wife, Katya, depart alone for their honeymoon in Tivat, Montenegro, after easyJet overbooked their flight. The couple had booked their tickets months in advance. On the morning of 26/7, their online check-in failed, and upon arriving at Gatwick Airport, they discovered the flight was overbooked.
Overbooking, a practice where airlines sell more tickets than available seats, is common in the industry. Passenger rights regulations mandate that airlines first seek volunteers to change flights, offering financial compensation. If no volunteers come forward, the airline selects passengers for re-routing; in easyJet's case, these are typically the last passengers to check in.
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Andy and Katya Wedlake. Photo: AOL |
At the departure gate, easyJet staff sought volunteers for a flight the following morning. While one seat eventually became available on the original flight, the Wedlakes hoped both could take a later flight. However, ground staff insisted one of them board the original flight, or they would be required to purchase new tickets.
Ultimately, Katya boarded the flight while Andy returned to their London home. They reunited 21 hours later at their Adriatic coastal resort to begin their honeymoon.
An easyJet spokesperson expressed regret for the Wedlakes' experience. The airline explained that it occasionally overbooks a small percentage of seats based on historical no-show data, a practice that helps maintain lower fares for all passengers. The spokesperson confirmed easyJet had contacted the couple to apologize, provided compensation as per regulations, and offered additional goodwill gestures.
Under regulations, Andy was entitled to 350 British pounds (over 12 million VND) for being denied boarding. However, he stated that this amount did not adequately compensate for the stress and sadness caused by the separation from his new wife.
"While their policy permits this, it's strange to apply it to a destination with only one flight a day", he commented.
By Hoai Anh (Source: AOL, US DOT)
