Passenger offloading

Passenger offloading is when airlines remove a traveler from a flight before takeoff, either voluntarily or involuntarily. This action may be taken for several reasons, including overbooking, security concerns, missing documentation, medical issues, or disruptive behavior.

In voluntary offloading, passengers may give up their seats in exchange for compensation, such as travel vouchers, rebooking on a later flight, or an upgrade.

Passenger offloading can impact connecting flights and interline e-tickets, as missed segments may result in the cancellation of the remaining journey.

Passenger offloading is similar to denied boarding, as both involve a traveler being unable to take a scheduled flight despite having a valid ticket. The main difference is that denied boarding typically occurs before the boarding process starts, while offloading can happen after boarding has begun or even after the passenger has taken their seat.