US: Airline 'bumping' of passengers falls to lowest rate ever

Airlines bumped passengers off flights at the lowest rate on record last year after United Airlines was pilloried when a passenger was dragged off a full plane. The DoT said Thursday that airlines bumped about 1 passenger in every 29,000 in 2017, roughly half the rate of the year before. The figures don't count passengers who accept travel vouchers or other offers to voluntarily give up their seat on an oversold flight. Using those offers, airlines have been steadily reducing bumping rates for several years. Meanwhile, there were 117 long delays in December during which passengers were trapped in planes on the ground, unable to reach an airport terminal. A few planes were stuck up to 7 hours. Most occurred in Atlanta and involved Delta flights. <br/>