Final answer:
It is true that airlines overbook flights to ensure maximum occupancy and compensate for no-shows, using historical data to manage the overbooking process effectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that an airline overbooks a flight, selling more tickets for the flight than there are seats on the plane, is true. Airlines tend to overbook flights to maximize their revenue and offset the cost of no-shows. Although there's a risk of too many passengers showing up, the practice relies on statistical data to predict and minimize such instances. Air travel efficiency has been significantly improved by strategies like reduced airfares and hub-and-spoke models leading to fuller planes. Nevertheless, the rate-determining step in the traveling process—like check-in, security control, and boarding—often remains sluggish, as resources are limited.