Reckless overbooking can get mightily expensive for an airline in Europe (or, to the best of my knowledge, non-European operators flying into, or out of an European airport):
Technical reasons is, according to a court ruling, not a reason to deny compensation. The court ruled that airlines are responsible for maintenance and the technical fitness of their equipment to fly.
The only way of weaseling out is an event, which is really beyond control of the airline. And even then they need to care for their passengers.
Overbooking can also be an expensive venture, since they must reroute you on demand with another airline on their expense.
So it seems like this could be even more useful in Europe, where getting volunteers to get off the plane has a higher opportunity benefit compared to involuntary bumping than in the US.
(I don't know if opportunity benefit is actually accepted terminology. I just use it for negative opportunity costs.)
http://www.airpassengerrights.eu/
Technical reasons is, according to a court ruling, not a reason to deny compensation. The court ruled that airlines are responsible for maintenance and the technical fitness of their equipment to fly.
The only way of weaseling out is an event, which is really beyond control of the airline. And even then they need to care for their passengers.
Overbooking can also be an expensive venture, since they must reroute you on demand with another airline on their expense.