You sit nervously waiting to board your plane for that important business meeting, or to make that connection and out of nowhere you are informed that the plane has been overbooked and some would-be passengers will have to give up there seats and travel on a later flight.

You simply can't catch another flight, as you would be out of a job and a $200 credit voucher isn't going to pay the rent.

The Brady Bunch sitting next to you don't know this, and stare at you with big puppy-dog eyes, making you feel guilty for something that isn't even your fault.

Is this really acceptable?

The airline's excuse is that by making sure there are no empty seats the customers save money on ticket prices.

I am sure that a large majority of us would rather pay a few extra bucks than be left stranded and fuming at the airport.

However, some people can use the situation to their advantage. Travellers who aren't in immediate danger of losing their job/being disowned by their family can take the airline for all it's worth, if they play their cards right.

If you are not in a rush and taking a later flight would not be the end of the world to you, then volunteer to give up you seat, but not for the measly $200 voucher they give you. This is where your bartering skills will come in handy. Never take the airline's first offer, always push for more-this means bigger vouchers and extras such as a meal whilst you wait.

Most airlines will be more than willing to accommodate your requests, as the cost of buttering up an unhappy customer is a small price to pay in comparison to the big bucks they would loose in revenue otherwise.

Another option is to request that the airline books you on a flight with another service provider that will get you to your destination on time; they of course must foot the bill.

Overbooking is not fair, but it's a fact of life and nearly all airlines do it sometimes up to 90% but generally this only happens to flights with a history of no-shows and empty seats.

Wherever possible, use it to your advantage.

If it is not an option for you as a traveller, always ask when booking a flight if seats will be overbooked.

Tags & Keywords : overbooked flights, save money, airlines, travel, holiday