Is it always mandatory to do a web check-in, which usually opens 24–48 hours before departure and helps lock your seat? On overbooked or full flights, passengers who have not done web check-in may be the first to lose seats. Recently, a passenger took to social media to share that he was denied boarding as the flight was “overbooked” and he had not done a web check-in. “Reached the airport at 5 AM for my 6:40 AM Pune-Bengaluru flight. The ticket was booked 9 days in advance, and I even paid extra to select my seat. And still… I was denied boarding. Reason? ‘Flight is overbooked,'” he shared in a post on Instagram.He added, “They told me that since I didn’t do web check-in, my seat was given to someone else. Why should I web check in if I know I have checked in luggage and need to go to the counter anyway! Plus, when I am already on time? So basically, even after paying for a specific seat, it’s not actually yours unless you check in online?”According to the Government of India’s DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) guidelines, to reduce the possibility of flights departing with empty seats, “airlines generally overbook flights to a limited extent”.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.While web check-in is not mandatory in India, it is highly recommended to avoid delays from overbooked flights.“In case of overbooking on a particular flight, there may be circumstances on a particular day when more passengers report for the flight than the number of seats available. Under such conditions, an airline may deny boarding to you while you may be holding confirmed bookings for travel on the flight and reported for the flight well within the specified time ahead of the departure of the flight,” it states on its website. Here’s what you should consider (Photo: Freepik)Confirming that chances of such a scenario cannot be denied, aviation expert K Anuradha Suresh, retired Senior AGM at Air India, said that the airline’s concern is that the seat should not go empty. “It’s not mandatory, but it happens. Web check-in will ensure your seat is secured for you and not just reserved. If you have not selected a seat, then airlines auto-assign a seat depending on check-ins,” said Anuradha.Story continues below this adIn effect, as per DGCA, the airline, at its own discretion, “would offer you such benefits/facilities which it may wish to offer”. Or in such cases, the airline is liable to pay you monetary compensation in accordance with the provisions of CAR, Section 3, Series M, Part IV”.According to provisions of CAR, Section 3, Series M, Part IV dated February 2019, when the number of passengers, who have been given confirmed bookings for travel on the flight and who have reported for the flight well within the specified time ahead of the departure of the flight, are more than the number of seats available, “an airline must first ask for volunteers to give up their seats to make seats available for other booked passengers to travel on the flight, in exchange of such benefits/facilities as the airline, at its own discretion, may wish to offer, provided airports concerned have dedicated check-in facilities/gate areas which make it practical for the airline to do so”.The guidelines also state that the airline shall not be liable for any compensation in case an alternate flight is arranged that is “scheduled to depart within one hour of the original scheduled departure time of the initial reservation”.Failing to do so, the airline shall compensate the passengers as per the following provisions:Story continues below this ada) An amount equal to 200% of the booked one-way basic fare plus airline fuel charge, subject to a maximum of Rs 10,000, in case the airline arranges an alternate flight that is scheduled to depart within 24 hours of the booked scheduled departure.Also Read | Neena Gupta says she was not allowed to carry homemade dhaniya powder in hand baggage; we ask experts whyb) An amount equal to 400% of the booked one-way basic fare plus airline fuel charge, subject to a maximum of Rs 20,000, in case the airline arranges an alternate flight that is scheduled to depart more than 24 hours after the booked scheduled departure.c) In case the passenger does not opt for an alternate flight, a refund of the full value of the ticket and compensation equal to 400% of the booked one-way basic fare plus airline fuel charge, subject to a maximum of Rs 20,000. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Atharva Mandke (@atharva_093)It is good to reduce such issues by doing a web check-in and arriving at the airport well in advance.In case you are still denied boarding with a confirmed ticket and no web check-in:Story continues below this adConfirm the reasonIf it’s the airline’s fault, ask for a written denial and claim compensation or free rebooking.You can also submit a formal complaint, along with supporting evidence, to the DGCA.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.