The president of the association of travel agencies in the Balearics, Pedro Fiol, says there is currently a "flood" of seat overbooking by airlines. He explains that there has always been overbooking, but not on the scale it is at present.
This is especially evident at airports where there is a high number of flights that attract the residents' discount. In Fiol's view, one of the main reasons for the situation is the enormous debt the Spanish Government owes to airlines. "They have to bear the deficit, so they are trying to maximise profit from every available seat." Spain's Airlines Association estimates this debt to be around 300 million euros.
The 75% government subsidy, when it is finally paid to airlines, is if passengers have actually travelled. Reservations are made for flights but then not used; airlines only receive 25% of the price. Fiol points out that "in order to avoid losses, many airlines sell more seats than they have available". The only airline that doesn't usually experience overbooking, he notes, is Ryanair, given the airline's requirements for boarding passes.
Fiol accepts that overbooking is not illegal but warns that "it seriously jeopardises the connectivity of our islands". When an overbooking occurs, the airline is obliged to offer passengers a refund, an alternative flight or a change to the original travel dates.
"Whatever the scenario, the maximum compensation for flights to the mainland is €250 in addition to any expenses arising from the cancellation if the airline does not provide the assistance services established under EU rules. If the alternative flight arrives on the mainland within two hours of the originally booked landing time, this €250 amount can be reduced by half."
He stresses that it is essential to obtain boarding passes as soon as possible, but points out that some airlines only allow passengers to get their boarding passes 24 or 48 hours in advance.