A 1L
THURSDAY, APRIL 20. 1961
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD, OREGON
servations Triple-Headed Problem
Overbooking of
Flights, Failure
To 'Show' Cited
. Washington - IUPD - The
Civil Aeronautics board is
wrestling with a triple-headed
problem having to do with
airline reservations.
Problem one: Airlines
which "overbook" flights -making
more reservations for
a flight than there are seats.
Problem two: Airlines
which oversell flights-actual-ly
selling more tickets than
there are seats.
Problem three: "No-show"
passengers - people who make
reservations but fail to show
up for a flight without any
cancellation notice.
Problems Intertwined
These problems are very
much intertwined. If it were
not for the "no show" prob
lem, 'there would be little
trouble with overbooking and
overselling. The blunt truth
is that some airlines have
been forced to overbook in
sheer self-defense against no
shows. The CAB currently is
conducting a "fact-finding, not
discir'!nary" investigation of
these three major headaches
to see what, if anything, can
or should be done.
The 1,2 major trunk carriers
have submitted detailed ac
counts of their traffic for two
seven-day periods. The most
recent period hasn't been an
alyzed yet, but- the first one
provided eye -opening statis
tics. They showed that in
those seven days, the airlines:
; -Carried 723,000 passen
gers. -Reported 71,000 no-shows.
, -Overbooked 6,144 seats.
'-Oversold 518 seats.
The 71,000 no-shows sUm
up the whole problem of over
booking and overselling. One
out of 10 passengers simply
failed to use a reservation and
never let the airline know
about It.
Penally In Effect
Several years ago, the air
lines put into effect a S3 pen
alty against "no-shows" - the
money was deducted from re
funds on' unused tickets if
reservations had not been can
celled before flight time.
The .penalty worked for
awhile The percentage . of
no-shows dropped from a peak
of 14 per cent in 1956 to only
5 per cent the following year.
But the penalty was abandon
ed in 1958. because (1) too
many passengers !"r'esened" it
and (2) some airlines weren't
A
Mr
JVW, Iff
CARRIES BIG LOADS The Bell turbine-powered Iro- copter that the Australian government has ordered from
quois helicopter demonstrates its ability to carry big loads Bell. The government has ordered $4 million worth of the
as it carries a 2,600 jeep. The helicopter has an artist's aircraft.
drawing of Australian military markings as this is the heli- (UPI Telephoto)
enforcing it. Since then, the
no-show percentage has climb
ed to as high as 10 per cent
of total reservations.
Mohawk Airlines consider
ed the problem serious enough
to recently propose that it
would refuse refunds to no
shows who failed to show up
for flights during peak traffic
periods. The CAB turned
down the proposal as. "too
harsh" but expressed sym
pathy with Mohawk's mo
tives... The no - show headache
prompted a certain amount of
deliberate over booking, al
though only one airline has
publicly admitted the prac
tice. From long experience,
the airlines can predict al
most within one seat how
many passengers , h o 1 d i n g
reservations actually will
show up for a specific flight
on a specific day. And they
overbook flights in accordance
with how many cancellations
and no-shows they can expect.
One airline called this
"SCOTS" - "scientific control
of turnover space."
Unhappy Customers - ,
Occasionally, however, this
long-range projection breaks
doVri 'arid ah 'airline finds it
self with one or more unhappy
customers holding confirmed
reservations with 1 no seat
space available.
A comparatively small pro
portion of overbooking is de
liberate. Most cases stem (1)
from clerical errors or (2)
travel agencies which vali
date airline tickets without
checking first to see if space
is available. And there is
plenty of room for error. Dur
ing the one-week period an
alyzed by the CAB, the 12
major airlines reported hand
ling 986,000 reservation re
quests and confirming 858,000
of them. 1
There also is a potential
danger of overbooking in the
normal reservations turnover
- cancellations and other
changes. One airline told the
CAB that in a one-week period
40 per cent of its confirmed
reservations were changed or
cancelled - an obvious source
for error. The industry aver
age for that same week was
nearly 30 per cent. '. ;
Electronic reservation sys
tems are eliminating most of
the unintentional overbook
ing. And it should be pointed
out that overselling, not over
booking, is the most serious
"crime." Ah . airline " usually
can catch andor correct an
overbooking incident befor
a flight takes off. But when
too many tickets actually are
sold there is real trouble.
CAB official E. Bruce Mil
ler, who is handling the over
booking investigation, frank
ly admits sympathy with the
airlines' problems.
"It's obvious that some of
them take calculated risks in
overbooking," he pointed out,
"but tljey have a real eco
nomic headache with this no
show problem. At this stage
Dr. McKinney Author
Of Magazine Article
Ashland - "Is the Earth
Science Curriculum Up to
Date?" is the title of an arti
cle by Dr. William M. McKin
ney of the Southern Oregon
college social Science division,
-vhich has been accepted for
publication by Frances J. Lan
er, editor ; of "The Science
Teacher." . .
"The Science Teacher" is
published by the National
Science Teachers association,
Washington, D. C, and is
one of the foremost magazines
in the field of science educa
tion with a circulation extend
ing to every state and .'to
nearly every foreign country.
study shows the coyote is
worth $11 a year to the farm
er for controlling rabbits that
eat grass and hay and worth
another $10 for the control of
rats and mice that eat feeds
and grain.
"The average benefit de
rived from coyotes in control
ling rabbits and rodents ex
ceeds the average losses due
to predation on poultry , and
livestock." :
Although the wolf hunters
uses sucli intellectual, docu-
Higher Salaries for
Judges
Salem-IUPI)-A bill to give
Circuit Court judges and Su
preme Court justices what a
supporter agreed is a "major
raise" passed the House, 52-8,
Wednesday,
Rep. John Dellenbaack (R
Mcdford) said raises from
$15,000 to $16,500 for Circuit
Court Judges and from $16,
000 to $19,000 for Supreme
Court justices are needed to
attract and keep qualified
men. ,
cagey red fox generally es
capes the hound pack and re
treats to its den for a chasa
some other night.
The main joy of the hunter
is the "music" as he seldom
sees a kill and the wolf's car
cass is nearly worthless.
But the "music" is enough
and when the legislators get
together and start plotting
against the wolf wolf hunt
ers are well-known for the
howl they create. . . !
Wolf Hunters B-Sowl at Special Bounty Laws
Sand Springs, Okla.-IUPD-The
100,000 wolf hunters in
the United States are a special
breed, bent on howling when
legislators take pot shots at
their game.
To the hunter, the wolf (a
general name for coyotes,
prairie wolves and red foxes)
is an animal that feasts on
rabbits, rodents and dead
flesh and lives to be hunted.
Many farmers disagree and
say the wolf is a predator and
kills chickens, sheep and
young calves. The hunter ad
mits some livestock are killed
but blames perverted wolves,
not the general breed.
Legislators, yielding to the
farmers, pass laws which give
bounties and allows poisoning
and often they hire profession
al trappers to kill the wolves.
Wolf hunters balk at this
legislation and say that only
the perverted or killer wolf
should be trapped, not the en
tire wolf population.
George Everett, managing
editor of "Hunters' Horn," the
wolf hunter's magazine, said,
"Wolves are valuable in con
trolling the rabbit and rodent
population. If the individual
killer animal could be de
stroyed, the benefits would be
greatly enhanced.
"A Kansas State university
mented arguments, his real
purpose is to preserve the
hunt.
Held at Night
It is held at night when the
wolf is on the prowl. The
dogs, high-bred American fox
hounds, are loosed on the
countryside and start sniffing
their quarry.
When one hound hits a trail
the wolf hunters' "music"
starts. .
The dog yelps and other
dogs swarm on the trail and
join the chase. As other
hounds catch the scent, the
"music" increases from the
solo to the range of a cappella
choir.
The chase ends when the co
yote or prairie wolf is cor
nered, fought and killed. The
1 WHO IS I
SEE US FOR ALL YOUR
PETUNIAS STOCK ALYSSUM
TOMATOES PANSIES CABBAGE
AND GARDEN SUPPLIES Plus S&H Stamps
LONG BORDER
Length of the U.S.-Mexican
boundary Is 2,103 miles.
Village Variety.
ILL A lit If AR tfl and Garden Center
IN THE PIGGLY WIGGLY SHOPPING CENTER
of the investigation, I couldn't
begin to guess what we'll de
cide to do. We have to, take
the airlines' side of the story
into account as well as the
comparatively few passengers
who are inconvenienced by
overbooking and overselling."
There still is a humorous
side to the whole problem. The
CAB has heard of one airline
which through a series of
clerical errors oversold a Chi
cago to Washington flight by
a whopping 18 seats.
It was the last flight of the
day and all 18 extra pas
sengers showed up along with
all those holding the other
reservations. The ramp agent
let everyone on board and for
a while the cabin looked like
the Oklahoma land rush.
Finally an airline senior
agent boarded the plane and
made an announcement:
"Folks," he said, "frankly
we've goofed and oversold
this flight by 18 seats. But if
18 people will volunteer to
get off, we'll give them $50
each,' threat them to dinner
and a night club, put them up
at a fine hotel and guarantee
them space on the first flight
tomorrow morning."
He was nearly knocked
down In the rush.
exclusively ours:
NEW FORUM BOUCLE DRAPERIES
By KENNETH
in 56 most wanted sizes .
it- a-
iy v. " : jews?
list
t
i i . - ft 1
A perfect blend of rayon and acetate
produces the rich texture and the
beautiful draping quality of new "For
um Boucle." Tone-on-tone horizontal
stripe effect woven in alternating thick
and thin bands. Simple enough for
provincial rooms, elegant enough for
formal traditional or contemporary
rooms. No problem in fitting your
windows. Solution dyed for color fast
ness ... in decorator tones of cham
pagne, mist green, lilac, nutmeg, tres
tle, gold white.
Full Width 48"
to Pair,..84" Long
11
PAIR
matching yardage
2 sq. yds.
Width t 48" to 72" to 96" to 120" to 144" to 168" to 192" to
length Pair Pair Pair Pair Pair Pair Pair
36" 7.98 13.98 22.98 27.98 31.98 43,98 49.98
45" 8.49 14.98 23.98 29.98 33.98 44.98 52.98
54" 8.98 15.98 24.98" 31.98 35.98 45.98 54.98
63 998 1 7.98 25.49 32.98 37.98 47.98 56.98
72" 10.49 1 8.98 25.98 33.98 38.98 48.98 57.98
84" 10.98 19.98 26.98 34.98 39.98 49.98 59.98
J0" 12.98 21.98 29.98 37.98 42.98 54.98 65.98
95" 13.98 22.98 32.98 39.98 46.98 57.98 69.98
Allow 10-day delivery on omo sizes.
fop quality, fully guaranteed '
ELECTRIC FRY PAN
Giant 1 2" size. Completely Immersible . . . wash like a dish
Scientifically designed to spread heat evenly. Stoy-cool con
tour grip handle. Self-basting cover. Amazing lovf price In
cludes 12 pan, cover ana removable heat control.
IS cup electric ' '
THERM-O-PERK
A 3 to 15 cup fully automatic coffeemakor, Perfect cup
of coffee each time. New Drip Free spout , . . so easy to
pour. Lock-in cover. Signal light alerts you when coffee is
ready. Rotary control regulates brew from mild to
strong quick brew. Amazing low-price.... '
special purchase
PORTABLE ELECTRIC HAND MIXER
New super power unit. Convenient 3-speed switch. Auto
matic beater elector. Handy wall hanger. Convenient heel
rest. Detachable separate cord. Amazing low price.
Farberwa ro -. : i
STAINLESS STEEL CASSEROLE '
1 Vi quart stainless steel with cover and metal candle
warmer and stand combination. From oven to table use,,.
The perfect gi't for yourself or friends. Regular b.Vtt.
iC t to'!?.:'-
special purchase
FAMOUS CORNING WARE
Cook and serve ware. Corning I quart sauce pan. The one
pan that can go from freezer to fire to table. Regular 4.50..
2.83
special purchase .
ARVIN CADET IRONING TABLES
New all steel sturdy construction. Complete height adust- .
ment. Can be set for 12 different positions. New curved .
leg for easier sitdown Ironing. Two styles. Tremendous sav-
5.83 a 6.1
new Royal v '
BATH SCALE
Special purchase. Now design with self carrying handle. .
Consistantly accurate. Sturdy and rugged mechanism. Magnl-:.
fied dial . . . makes reading crystal clear. Six attractive col--
ors: White, black, pink, yellow, blue, and green.
LOUNGE
MATCHING CHAIR
9.
Big, Savuifb fan ttv& -mAinahA
Vogue, new automatic
ELECTRIC CAN OPENER
with bottle opener . . . beautifully styled, single lever finger
tip action . . . finest quality steel cutter , . . opens any size
or shape can . . . powerful motor, heeds no oil . j .magnetic
lid holder ... amazing low price. .
repeat of a sellout
CHAISE LOUNGE AND CHAIR
Attractive lightweight aluminum. Strong nylonized plastic.; .
webbing. Easy folding for convenient storage. The perfect
summer patio furniture, Extra comfort in 5-position chaise
lounge.