DELHI— On July 3, 2025, passengers booked on Air India (AI) from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), Delhi, reported being bumped from their flight due to “unforeseen circumstances,” despite the service operating as scheduled.
One passenger, Vikas, who had booked through Indian Eagle, traveled with his family from Washington to Newark the day before to board the carrier’s Airbus A350-900 nonstop service.
After checking in online and tracking the inbound aircraft, they were abruptly informed by email that their booking had been canceled and were advised to contact the agency for a refund, OMAAT exclusively reported.
Photo: Siddh Dhuri | MumbaiPlanesAir India Bumps Passengers
Vikas contacted Air India directly, only to be told his ticket had been canceled without a listed reason. When pressed, the airline agent stated the “particular flight was unoperational.” However, the flight departed Newark (EWR) for Delhi (DEL) on time.
The family was rebooked by the travel agency on a Lufthansa (LH) itinerary two days later via Germany, an option they found unacceptable. They ultimately booked last-minute travel via Emirates (EK) and Air India, incurring over $2,000 in additional costs.
Upon visiting Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on the day of the original departure, Vikas saw Air India’s check-in counters open and met four other passengers in the same situation. The station manager was unable to provide an explanation and confirmed that no action could be taken at that point.
Photo: EurospotPossible Reasons Behind the Incident
While no official cause has been confirmed, several plausible scenarios have been raised:
- Overbooking— Air India may have oversold the flight and targeted third-party agency bookings first to avoid paying denied boarding compensation.
- Agency-Driven Changes— Indian Eagle might have altered itineraries for cost reasons without airline involvement.
- Joint Decision— Both parties could have acted in coordination for mutual benefit.
Given that Air India recently cut parts of its international network to improve reliability, flights on remaining routes were likely operating at or near full capacity, making overbooking a strong possibility.
Photo: avgeekwithlens/ Harsh TekriwalImpact on Affected Travelers
The incident left the passengers facing significant financial loss and travel disruption. The affected family’s rebooked routing was longer, less convenient, and considerably more expensive.
Compensation and a timely refund remain unresolved, with the agency citing that Air India has not released the funds.
The case underscores the risks of booking long-haul international flights through third-party agencies, where responsibility can become disputed between the ticketing party and the operating carrier.
Photo: By Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland – Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-223; N861NW@AMS;09.12.2010/590dg, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26719319Similar Incident
A Reddit user named Prior_Glass_2568 claimed that up to 42 people were asked—or forced—to give up seats on Delta Flight 7, departing from Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo Haneda (HND).
Gate staff reportedly offered $1,500 and a seat on the next nonstop flight 24 hours later. Delta says that the flight hasn’t been oversold in months, suggesting either a miscommunication or misunderstanding on the user’s part.
Here’s the thing: overbooking isn’t taboo. It’s an industry standard. Airlines anticipate that some passengers won’t show up and sell seats beyond capacity to fill the plane. Delta, like others, relies on revenue models to avoid flying with empty seats.
If a flight is indeed oversold, airlines must first seek volunteers to give up their seats in return for compensation. If there aren’t enough volunteers, they involuntarily bump passengers—following strict U.S. Department of Transportation rules and handing out written notice of rights and compensation.
Since 2022, Delta’s known to pay up to $10,000 to volunteers—and sometimes more—for giving up a seat. It’s rare enough to make headlines.
According to DOT data, Delta had zero involuntary bumps in 2022, and led the way in voluntary bumps—100,827 passengers gave up seats willingly that year.
If someone indeed gets involuntarily bumped, they’re owed compensation—but only under specific conditions: confirmed reservation, checked in and at the gate on time, and unable to reach the destination within one hour of the original scheduled arrival.
Compensation scales with delay length and domestic vs. international travel. International cases can net up to four times one-way fare, capped at $2,150.
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