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I never understood how overbooking of flights actually works. I understand the economic principle, just not how its practically done. For the most part there are two types of airlines, low cost carriers and full service airlines. On full service airlines you can reserve a seat for free during the booking and on low cost airlines you can't reserve a seat for free, but most often get one assigned when you have to check in online in advance, which most of them require. Either way, you normally have a seat number when you arrive at the airport.

So then how can sometimes more people show up to the airport than seats are available if it is already sorted out who sits where? Do they just assign two people per seat? But then if both show up and another seat is empty that would result in massive seat swapping during boarding and I have never experienced that my booked seat gets swapped due to overbooking.

I never understood how overbooking of flights actually works. I understand the economic principle, just not how its practically done. For the most part there are two types of airlines, low cost carriers and full service airlines. 

On full service airlines you can reserve a seat for free during the booking and on low cost airlines you can't reserve a seat for free, but most often get one assigned when you have to check in online in advance, which most of them require. Either way, you normally have a seat number when you arrive at the airport.

How can more people show up to the airport than seats are available if it is already sorted out who sits where? 

Do they just assign two people per seat? If both people show up and another seat is empty, wouldn't that would result in massive seat swapping during boarding?

I never understood how overbooking of flights actually works. I understand the economic principal, just not how its practically done. For the most part there are two types of airlines, low cost carriers and full service airlines. On full service airlines you can reserve a seat for free during the booking and on low cost airlines you can't reserve a seat for free, but most often get one assigned when you have to check in online in advance, which most of them require. Either way, you normally have a seat number when you arrive at the airport.

So then how can sometimes more people show up to the airport than seats are available if it is already sorted out who sits where? Do they just assign two people per seat? But then if both show up and another seat is empty that would result in massive seat swapping during boarding and I have never experienced that my booked seat gets swapped due to overbooking.

I never understood how overbooking of flights actually works. I understand the economic principle, just not how its practically done. For the most part there are two types of airlines, low cost carriers and full service airlines. On full service airlines you can reserve a seat for free during the booking and on low cost airlines you can't reserve a seat for free, but most often get one assigned when you have to check in online in advance, which most of them require. Either way, you normally have a seat number when you arrive at the airport.

So then how can sometimes more people show up to the airport than seats are available if it is already sorted out who sits where? Do they just assign two people per seat? But then if both show up and another seat is empty that would result in massive seat swapping during boarding and I have never experienced that my booked seat gets swapped due to overbooking.

I never understood how overbooking of flights actually works. I understand the economic principal, just not how its practically done. For the most part there are two types of airlines, low cost carriers and full service airlines. On full service airlines you can reserve a seat for free during the booking and on low cost airlines you cant reserve a seat for free, but most often get one assigned when you have to check in online in advance, which most of them require. Either way, you normally have a seat number when you arrive at the airport.

So then how can sometimes more people show up to the airport than seats are available if it is already sorted out who sits where? Do they just assign two people per seat? But then if both show up and another seat is empty that would result in massive seat swapping during boarding and I have never experienced that my booked seat gets swapped due to overbooking...

I never understood how overbooking of flights actually works. I understand the economic principal, just not how its practically done. For the most part there are two types of airlines, low cost carriers and full service airlines. On full service airlines you can reserve a seat for free during the booking and on low cost airlines you can't reserve a seat for free, but most often get one assigned when you have to check in online in advance, which most of them require. Either way, you normally have a seat number when you arrive at the airport.

So then how can sometimes more people show up to the airport than seats are available if it is already sorted out who sits where? Do they just assign two people per seat? But then if both show up and another seat is empty that would result in massive seat swapping during boarding and I have never experienced that my booked seat gets swapped due to overbooking.