Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS)
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Table 1-58: Passengers Denied Boarding by the Largest U.S. Air Carriersa

(Thousands of passengers)

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  1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Boarded 420,696 429,190 445,271 449,184 457,286 460,277 480,555 502,960 514,170 523,081 543,344 (R) 477,970 467,205 485,797
Denied boarding,b total 628 646 764 683 824 843 957 1,071 1,136 1,070 1,120 (R) 900 837 769
Voluntary 561 599 718 632 771 794 899 1,018 1,091 1,024 1,062 (R) 861 803 727
Involuntary 67 47 46 51 53 49 58 54 45 46 57 (R) 39 34 42
Percent denied boarding 0.15% 0.15% 0.17% 0.15% 0.18% 0.18% 0.20% 0.21% 0.22% 0.20% 0.21% 0.19% 0.18% 0.16%

KEY: R = revised.

a Data include nonstop scheduled service between points within the United States (including territories) by U.S. air carriers with at least 1% of the total domestic scheduled service passenger revenues and operate aircraft with a passenger capacity of more than 60 seats. In 2003, the air carriers were Alaska, America West, American, American Eagle, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Southwest, United, US Airways, AirTran, ATA (formerly American Trans Air), Atlantic Southeast, Hawaiian, and JetBlue. Before 1994, carriers included both majors and national airlines, i.e., airlines with over $100 million in revenue.

b Number of passengers who hold confirmed reservations and are denied boarding ("bumped") from a flight because it is oversold. These figures include only passengers whose oversold flight departs without them; they do not include passengers affected by canceled, delayed, or diverted flights.

SOURCE

U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary, Air Travel Consumer Report (Washington, DC: Annual February issues).