Just volunteered myself off a flight...

[FearoftheNight]

Flight was overbooked...worked out an arrangement for the next flight with an upgrade to business class and $700 in travel vouchers. Almost got another voucher for the second flight but some people no-showed. Oh well....a seat upgrade and $700....

Just sharing...

 

[mmntech]

As long as the wait wasn't too long, that's not so bad. I'm surprised the airline ever did that.

 

[Printer Bandit]

$700 is a lot. were you flying international?

 

[angminas]

Nice work.

 

[FearoftheNight]

$700 is a lot. were you flying international?

NYC to CUN. Next flight was in about 7 hours...I'm typing this from the plane now. Although this flight was also delayed 2.5 hours. They had some no-shows, the woman at the gate was about to make me an offer. Was hoping for $1400 today

 

[BoomerD]

I used to volunteer to be bumped all the time...I don't know if you can still do it, but I used to sell the bump coupons for cash if I didn't have any plans for travel before they would expire.

 

[purbeast0]

as long as you don't miss your first night in cancun, i woulda done that in a heartbeat too.

shit you might even be able to party when you arrive in cancun! hit up daddyo's or coco bongo!

 

[Nox51]

I don't understand about these things? I flew quite extensively internationally and this never happened to me. Is this something only common in USA/domestic flights?

It just seems such a waste and a hassle to overbook flights. If someone asked me if I was willing to change my flight I'd be rather annoyed and not consider it my problem to fix.

 

[Feneant2]

That's sweet, I am amazed at how well they handle this in the US. Wife and I were offered 400$ in vouchers each last year when flying Orlando -> Newark to go Orlando -> Chicago -> Newark instead then still make our connections to Canada.

It didn't work out because of our luggage but shit, in Canada if you get bumped by Air Canada you're lucky if they'll give you an empty Starbucks cup to panhandle yourself enough change for a sandwich. Though apparently they were taken to court and now must offer similar vouchers to US companies but last time I saw someone being bumped, there was no offer of compensation to give up our seats and they treated the family (with a baby no less) like vagrants (who happened to have paid for plane tickets).

 

[Fenixgoon]

every time i could have bumped i had something going on the other end so much free $$

 

[Mai72]

Awesome!

 

[Braznor]

It is only a big deal if you volunteer yourself off during the middle of the flight.

 

[olds]

It is only a big deal if you volunteer yourself off during the middle of the flight.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._B._Cooper

 

[brianmanahan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._B._Cooper

 

[Fingolfin269]

The voucher is great. Getting bumped to business makes it even sweeter.

 

[Kaido]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._B._Cooper

Wow! Has anyone made that into a movie? That's awesome!

 

[Kaido]

Flight was overbooked...worked out an arrangement for the next flight with an upgrade to business class and $700 in travel vouchers. Almost got another voucher for the second flight but some people no-showed. Oh well....a seat upgrade and $700....

Just sharing...

I was super hungry one day before a flight that was overbooked. They asked for volunteers who wouldn't mind waiting 4 hours for the night flight, in return for a local meal ticket & a $400 ticket voucher. I was too hungry to say no :biggrin:

 

[pontifex]

Wow! Has anyone made that into a movie? That's awesome!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._B._Cooper_in_popular_culture

 

[NikolaeVarius]

I don't understand about these things? I flew quite extensively internationally and this never happened to me. Is this something only common in USA/domestic flights?

It just seems such a waste and a hassle to overbook flights. If someone asked me if I was willing to change my flight I'd be rather annoyed and not consider it my problem to fix.

The airline industry operates on razor thin margins. Overbooking is basically the only way they have to not lose money on every single flight.

 

[jagec]

I don't understand about these things? I flew quite extensively internationally and this never happened to me. Is this something only common in USA/domestic flights?

It just seems such a waste and a hassle to overbook flights. If someone asked me if I was willing to change my flight I'd be rather annoyed and not consider it my problem to fix.

Overbooking makes up for no-shows, and works pretty well most of the time. Flying standby is the natural complement to this and is also designed to ensure that there are as few empty seats as possible on a given flight.

And if no one is willing to give up their seat, they just keep increasing the payoff until someone does. Works every time, eventually.

 

[Kaido]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._B._Cooper_in_popular_culture

Ahah!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVW_yr10Vss

Looks like a college kid did a copycat hijacking, but got caught:

http://parachutistonline.com/feature/skyjacker—-richard-mccoy-jr-story

 

[FearoftheNight]

as long as you don't miss your first night in cancun, i woulda done that in a heartbeat too.

shit you might even be able to party when you arrive in cancun! hit up daddyo's or coco bongo!

haha i'm on the other camp man....playa > cancun!!

 

[FearoftheNight]

I was super hungry one day before a flight that was overbooked. They asked for volunteers who wouldn't mind waiting 4 hours for the night flight, in return for a local meal ticket & a $400 ticket voucher. I was too hungry to say no :biggrin:

Well the second flight was delayed by almost 3 hours and they gave me a biz class seat. So much schadenfreude watching the shitshow boarding

 

[FearoftheNight]

I used to volunteer to be bumped all the time...I don't know if you can still do it, but I used to sell the bump coupons for cash if I didn't have any plans for travel before they would expire.

can you give some examples for how much you were offered?

 

[Exterous]

I don't understand about these things? I flew quite extensively internationally and this never happened to me. Is this something only common in USA/domestic flights?

It just seems such a waste and a hassle to overbook flights. If someone asked me if I was willing to change my flight I'd be rather annoyed and not consider it my problem to fix.

Its more common now that airlines are at the highest load level in decades. You dont HAVE to change flights but if your schedule allows its not uncommon to get $200-800 depending on distance\urgency