Group Request Evaluation

As we learned in module 6, if the number of seats that you could book on a departure was limited to the physical capacity of the aircraft, there would be spoilage due to passengers who don't show up to board or who cancel their bookings prior to departure. However, the previous module focused on spoilage management as it relates to the "no-show" and pre-departure cancellation behaviour of individual passengers. This module focuses on group management. As you will see, the pre-departure cancellation behaviour of groups is distinctive. In the first section we begin by describing the types and general characteristics of group travel. In section 2, we look at the process and considerations involved in evaluating a group's request for seats. The final section addresses group cancellation behaviours and the strategies used by carriers to compensate for these pre-departure cancellations in order to avoid spoilage.