Airline passenger bumping possibly highest since 2001

The US airlines may bump the most passengers in nine years as business travellers resume flying following the deepest cuts in seats since the Second World War.

Almost 220,000 passengers could not get on flights in the first quarter even though they bought tickets, 25 per cent more than a year earlier, the US Transportation Department data shows.

At that pace, so-called denied boardings in 2010 would surpass 2009's 762,400 and reach the highest total since 2001.

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