Simon Calder, also known as The Man Who Pays His Way, has been writing about travel for The Independent since 1994. In his weekly opinion column, he explores a key travel issue – and what it means for you.
Overbooking. When handled right, it works a treat for everyone: airlines (more revenue), the environment (fuller planes) and passengers (assuming carriers throw money at the problem when they are caught out). Agreeing to travel a few hours later in the US, from Salt Lake City to Long Beach, earned me $600 (£480) from Delta Airlines, which paid for the whole transatlantic itinerary. But what about when it isn’t done right?
