American Airlines has instructed its airport staff to stop involuntarily removing passengers from oversold flights, according to an internal company memo reported by View From The Wing. The new directive took effect on September 30.
Gate agents have been told to continue seeking volunteers until every oversold seat is resolved, even if this results in a flight delay. Local managers can also approve higher compensation offers, while volunteers may be confirmed on the next available flight even when that flight currently appears full.
The policy change comes after American and its regional partners reported 14,758 involuntary denied boardings in 2025, according to U.S. Department of Transportation data. That represented around 60% of all involuntary denied boardings reported by U.S. airlines that year, while Delta reported none.
American’s numbers had already been declining. During the second quarter of 2026, the airline recorded 1,953 involuntary bumps, compared with 4,257 during the same period in 2025—a reduction of about 54%.
Under the new approach, passengers facing an oversold American flight should first be offered incentives to voluntarily give up their seats, rather than being involuntarily denied boarding.