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Wizz Air asks passengers to pre-select’ themselves for being offloaded from overbooked flights

- Simon Calder

As travellers prepare for a high-pressure summer, one of Europe's biggest budget airlines is inviting passengers to "preselect" themselves for offloading from overbooked flights.

Wizz Air is telling passengers they will be in line for a €100 (£85) voucher if they are "selected as a volunteer at the airport" to be offloaded.

Most airlines sell more tickets than there are seats available for some in-demand flights. They say typically five per cent of passengers are "no shows".

European air passengers' rights rules require carriers that overbook flights to seek volunteers if too many passengers show up than there are seats available. Typically, this takes place at check-in or the departure gate, with passengers offered incentives to travel on a later flight.