CemAir joins Airlink in debunking FlySafair's overbooking 'industry standard' defence

CemAir CEO Miles van der Molen joins Stephen Grootes on The Money Show.

The standard procedures of local airlines is in the spotlight, since low-cost FlySafair acknowledged its practice of overbooking.

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) is investigating, after the carrier said on social media that it’s common practice for it to sell more tickets than are available on some flights.

This followed a complaint posted by a would-be passenger.

RELATED: FlySafair under scrutiny as airline responds to NCC 'overbooking' investigation

Both Airlink and CemAir have since put out statements declaring that they do not overbook their flights.

On The Money Show, FlySafair's chief marketing officer Kirby Gordon defended the practice as a globally accepted industry standard.

He also called for the NCC to make its investigation industry-wide.

The administrative burden of Gordon's 'wild accusations' should not fall on CemAir, CEO Miles van der Molen tells Stephen Grootes.

"He should really be a little more restrained with his words, but we have nothing to hide so if we are subjected to it I'm not particularly worried about an outcome."

"We don't have a policy of overbooking, and I see in the last day or so Airlink has also come out and said they don't so that information (from Kirby) is not correct."

Miles van der Molen, CEO - CemAir

In the first place, Van der Molen goes on, this is not allowed in terms of the Consumer Protection Act.

As a result, whether FlySafair want to overbook or whether it's profitable is 'neither here nor there' if this is against the law, he says.

Van der Molen also questions the need for the practice in terms of possibly losing revenue.

"My understanding is that FlySafair don't offer refunds for missed flights, so the seat is sold and they get the revenue whether or not it's filled."

"CemAir have a 100% no-show penalty but the seat is flown empty... what seems to be the case with FlySafair is that they fill the seat with somebody else and retain the unflown passenger's revenue."

Miles van der Molen, CEO - CemAir

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview