Couple ordered off overbooked easyJet flight

Two Londoners on board an easyJet plane at Luton airport were ordered to leave the flight after the airline sold more tickets than there were seats available. Britain's biggest budget carrier then broke the rules on overbooking by failing to tell the couple about their rights to compensation and alternative flights. Manoj, aged 38, and Viddha, 35, who have asked for their last names to be withheld, had paid GBP628 for tickets to Catania in Sicily. They planned a six-day Easter break and had booked E1,500 worth of non-refundable accommodation and transfers on the Italian island.But after they boarded flight EZY2383 on 10 April, it became clear there were insufficient seats. The couple were ordered to go back to the terminal and collect their baggage. “This was an incredibly humiliating situation,” said Manoj, an IT consultant. “The airline had overbooked and we were involuntarily off-boarded from the aircraft by two airport staff in front of a packed plane. The only difference between us and the chap involved with United Airlines is that we weren't physically dragged off.” The couple say easyJet broke all the rules in place for overbooked flights. They say they witnessed no attempt to find volunteers either at the gate or on board the plane. After they were led back to the terminal, the couple asked about their rights. One easyJet representative at the airport and five customer-service staff at the airline's call centre in South Africa failed to tell them that they were each due E400 in compensation. The couple found out about their entitlement only when they contacted The Independent.<br/>