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Tengrinews.kz - Airlines will now be fined for overbooking.
Administrative liability is being introduced in Kazakhstan for overbooking - the practice of selling more plane tickets than there are actual seats on board. From now on, airlines violating passengers’ rights on domestic flights will be fined, the Main Transport Prosecutor’s Office reported.
“For violating the rules of domestic transportation of passengers, baggage, and cargo, administrative liability is now established. According to the new provision, an airline may be fined 50 monthly calculation indices (MCI),” the agency said.
The Prosecutor’s Office explained that previously, liability for not providing a seat on board despite having a ticket applied only to international flights.
Under the new provision, airlines may be fined 50 monthly calculation indices (MCI) — equivalent to 196,600 tenge in 2025 — for refusing to provide a seat when a ticket has already been purchased.
What is overbooking, and why is it a problem?
Overbooking is commonly used by international airlines: they deliberately sell more tickets than there are seats on board, expecting that some passengers will not show up. However, if all customers arrive for the flight, some of them are denied boarding, despite holding a paid ticket. This practice causes significant dissatisfaction and stress for passengers, especially during holidays and weekends.
In Kazakhstan, the Prosecutor’s Office noted that overbooking has become a particularly relevant issue in the past two years, as some airlines began using the practice on popular domestic routes. Despite having paid for their tickets, passengers were left unable to board, losing both time and money.
