Overbooking: meaning, definitions and examples
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overbooking
[ ˌoʊvərˈbʊkɪŋ ]
travel industry
Overbooking is a common practice used by airlines, hotels, and other service providers where they sell more tickets or reservations than they have available capacity. The intention behind overbooking is to offset the potential loss of revenue from no-shows or last-minute cancellations. While it can maximize profits, it often leads to customer dissatisfaction when travelers are denied boarding or accommodation due to overcapacity. Regulatory guidelines may govern this practice, prompting companies to compensate affected customers.
Synonyms
excess booking, maximum capacity selling, overselling.
Examples of usage
- The airline faced backlash after the overbooking incident.
- Hotels often engage in overbooking to ensure full occupancy.
- Overbooking can lead to frustrating delays and inconveniences for passengers.
Translations
Translations of the word "overbooking" in other languages:
🇵🇹 overbooking
🇮🇳 अधिक बुकिंग
🇩🇪 Überbuchung
🇮🇩 overbooking
🇺🇦 овербукінг
🇵🇱 overbooking
🇯🇵 オーバーブッキング
🇫🇷 surenchère
🇪🇸 sobreventa
🇹🇷 aşırı rezervasyon
🇰🇷 오버부킹
🇸🇦 حجز زائد
🇨🇿 překročení kapacity
🇸🇰 prebookovanie
🇨🇳 超额预定
🇸🇮 preknjiževanje
🇮🇸 ofurbóka
🇰🇿 артық броньдау
🇬🇪 გადაჭარბებული დაჯავშნა
🇦🇿 artıq rezervasiya
🇲🇽 sobreventa
Etymology
The term 'overbooking' emerges from the combination of the prefix 'over-', meaning 'excessive' or 'beyond', and 'booking', which derives from the act of reserving or securing a spot or service. The practice became prominent in the mid-20th century with the growth of the airline industry, which sought to maximize revenue in the face of unpredictable passenger behaviors. Airlines and hotels began to recognize that not all reservations would result in actual attendance, leading to policies that permitted overbooking as a calculated risk. Over the years, as customer rights and consumer advocacy grew, the conversation around overbooking shifted, prompting companies to implement better communication and compensation practices for affected customers. As of today, the practice remains a controversial, yet prevalent strategy in various service industries.