In an overbooking situation, agents will make
a gate area announcement asking for volunteers with flexible schedules to
give up their seats. Typically, the initial amount offered is based on two
factors: the length of the flight, and how long the volunteer must wait in
order to be scheduled on a later flight. Usually, the gate agent's
first offer is for 250 Dollars (this may vary).
If not enough passengers take up the first
offer, agents will usually only increase the offer just once or twice
more. For example, Delta Airlines says that it tries to limit increases to
just two rounds only in order to get flights out on time. If agents are
unable to find enough volunteers, they will begin to involuntarily bump a
few unlucky passengers, based on a variety of factors, like the time the
passenger arrived for the flight, the amount they paid for their ticket,
and their frequent flyer status.
Bumping Tips
To take advantage of bumping, you have to be
on a flexible travel schedule.
We suggest making a reservation only if
a flight is almost full. If there are less than eight seats available,
some people will most likely be bumped.
Look for flights on heavily traveled days,
but on small-bodied aircraft like 727s and 737s. (Bumping compensation
rules don't apply to commuter airlines or charter flights.)
The best are holiday flights, frequent
business routes, afternoon departures on Fridays and Sundays,
transcontinental nonstops and nonstops on domestic routes that have just a
few such flights.
Select the last flight of the day so that the
highest compensation will apply. Conversely, if you must get to your
destination, don't wait for a late flight.
If the airline asks for
volunteers, speak up. The compensation could be as little as a $50 voucher
or it could go as high as around $500 voucher. Reminder: You don't get a
free flight if the airline can get you on another flight for the same
destination within the hour.
Bumping for Delta Flyers
Delta Airlines offers credits that are
used toward the purchase of future Delta tickets.
Let's say you accepted a voucher worth 500
Delta Dollars in exchange for your seat. You could then use it to purchase
a $550 ticket, making your cost only $50.
You can use Delta Dollars to buy any class of
ticket Delta sells, from the cheapest, most restricted ticket, to
full-fare, first-class tickets.
Since you are in effect "buying" a Delta
ticket using Delta Dollars, you will earn SkyMiles for the flight. In the
past, when Delta offered flight vouchers, the "free" flight was not
allowed to earn miles.
