Earlier this month I posted about how Delta was increasing the amounts they pay out for voluntary denied boarding (Bumps) up from a minimum of $200 to a minimum of $400.
Well, I've confirmed this is the now the new amount they payout for bumps. Yesterday on a flight to Atlanta $400 was given out for a 2 hour delay.
With the new amount, that comes out to $200 an hour to hang out in an airport for 2 hours. Not bad compensation for your time.
Showing posts with label Bumping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bumping. Show all posts
Bumping on Delta gets a Raise
There are reports in this Flyertalk thread that getting bumped on Delta flights now comes with an increased incentive.
In the past Delta provided the following
Up to 3.5 Hour Delay = $200 Delta Dollars
Over 3.5 Hour Delay = $400 Delta Dollars
The Reported New Levels
Domestic - Either $400 or $600 Delta Dollars regardless of time frame.
International - The level has been raised to $600 to $750 Delta Dollars
Bottom Line
In the past a less than 3.5 hour delay meant you would earn a rate of about $57 Delta Dollars per hour for your time. Going forward if you can earn $400 Delta Dollars for a 2 hour delay this would bring your rate to about $200 per hour for your time. In my opinion this is time well spent. We will have a first hand report soon. If you have any experiences with the new Voluntary Denied Boarding levels, please post an update in our comments.
In the past Delta provided the following
Up to 3.5 Hour Delay = $200 Delta Dollars
Over 3.5 Hour Delay = $400 Delta Dollars
The Reported New Levels
Domestic - Either $400 or $600 Delta Dollars regardless of time frame.
International - The level has been raised to $600 to $750 Delta Dollars
Bottom Line
In the past a less than 3.5 hour delay meant you would earn a rate of about $57 Delta Dollars per hour for your time. Going forward if you can earn $400 Delta Dollars for a 2 hour delay this would bring your rate to about $200 per hour for your time. In my opinion this is time well spent. We will have a first hand report soon. If you have any experiences with the new Voluntary Denied Boarding levels, please post an update in our comments.
Vegas Bump Jackpot & Delta 757 Business Elite Seats
This past Sunday I was in Vegas and I had booked my self on the 9:55 AM flight out of Las Vegas to Atlanta. I intentionally booked the mid-morning flight as I felt it had the best opportunity for a voluntary bump. My goal was to get either a Transcontinental upgrade or get bumped, to my surprise I ended up getting both.Bump
I arrived 2 hours early for the flight, after a night in Vegas that seemed like a long time. But I was the first to the counter and the agent put my name on the list for a bump. I was hoping for a bump since there were only 2 seats available for upgrade and I was #3 on the upgrade list. #1, and #2 were standing behind me in line. About 40 minutes prior to departure the gate agent called for volunteers and I was near by. I asked when he could get me to my final destination and if he could confirm me in first class. Not only was he able to get me to Atlanta in First class, but he was able to get me there in time to make my original connection, which had already cleared an upgrade as well. A zero minute difference in arrival time netted me $200 and a seat in the front.
Delta 757 Business Elite
After I received my $200 Delta voucher for the bump, I went online to see if I could see the new reservation. When I logged in I noticed that the seat was considered Business Elite. So I looked on Seatguru.com to see a review of the seats. They recline 160 degrees, have a massaging function, and sport a 20 inch width. While there are some concerns about service on the 757 in Business class, I had a great trip up front in 1B. There was Video on Demand for free, a nice lunch, and as much Coca Cola as I could drink. I found the seats to be less comfortable than the Business Elite on the 767/777, but it was a great improvement over domestic First and certainly over my original 27F exit row coach seat.
Bottom Line
Spending a little extra time in the airport because of a bump can yield extra airline cash. In my case it ended up being $200 for 0 extra minutes of my time and I got to try out the Business Elite seats on the 757 for the first time.
DOT Fines Delta for Illegal Bumping
Delta was recently fined $375,000 by the Department of Transportation (DOT) for illegal bumping activities. It was determined that Delta violated several rules including not consistently seeking volunteers before bumping passengers off of flights and sometimes failing to provide a letter to passengers explaining why they had been bumped. After reviewing several articles on the Delta fine, I liked Scott Laird's article for the information and background it provided.
Bumping My Way to Happiness: Checking Flight Availability
To improve your chances for bumping take a look at AMEX Class Availability. This site allow you to search flights to determine how many tickets are available. If you are able to locate flights that have limited seating then your odds of being bumped, obviously, goes up. This site is fairly easy to use but may have information that is not accurate (ie. some flights or airlines may not provide data to the site). This site should be a tool in your bumping arsenal but not necessarily gospel.
First, select your flight:
Second, review your results:
Example of flight with seats (2+2+2+1=7) available.
Example of flight that is likely sold out.
My Prescription
Use this free site as guide in your quest to be bumped. The information seems to be accurate for the flights I have searched but anything can happen so do not expect a bump opportunity every time you see all 0s pop up. As I have already stated, just use this software as a tool in you arsenal. To further improve your bumping chances, I will be doing a review of ExpertFlyer, a fee-based site that also checks seats availability, soon to see if it is worth paying for this service.
Bumping My Way to Happiness: Your Rights for Involuntary Bumping
Although bumping can be an easy way to earn credit toward future flights, involuntary bumping can delay seeing a loved one, a missed opportunity, or a bad start to a vacation. To ensure you know your rights regarding involuntary bumping the following from DOT's website should help:
Involuntary Bumping
DOT requires each airline to give all passengers who are bumped involuntarily a written statement describing their rights and explaining how the carrier decides who gets on an oversold flight and who doesn't. Those travelers who don't get to fly are frequently entitled to an on-the-spot payment of denied boarding compensation. The amount depends on the price of their ticket and the length of the delay:
* If you are bumped involuntarily and the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to get you to your final destination (including later connections) within one hour of your original scheduled arrival time, there is no compensation.
* If the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to arrive at your destination between one and two hours after your original arrival time (between one and four hours on international flights), the airline must pay you an amount equal to your one-way fare to your final destination, with a $400 maximum.
* If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally), or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the compensation doubles (200% of your fare, $800 maximum).
* You always get to keep your original ticket and use it on another flight. If you choose to make your own arrangements, you can request an "involuntary refund" for the ticket for the flight you were bumped from. The denied boarding compensation is essentially a payment for your inconvenience.
Like all rules, however, there are a few conditions and exceptions:
* To be eligible for compensation, you must have a confirmed reservation. A written confirmation issued by the airline or an authorized agent or reservation service qualifies you in this regard even if the airline can't find your reservation in the computer, as long as you didn't cancel your reservation or miss a reconfirmation deadline.
* You must meet the airline's deadline for buying your ticket. Discount tickets must usually be purchased within a certain number of days after the reservation was made. Other tickets normally have to be picked up no later than 30 minutes before the flight.
In addition to the ticketing deadline, each airline has a check-in deadline, which is the amount of time before scheduled departure that you must present yourself to the airline at the airport. For domestic flights most carriers require you to be at the departure gate between 10 minutes and 30 minutes before scheduled departure, but some deadlines can be an hour or longer. Check-in deadlines on international flights can be as much as three hours before scheduled departure time. Some airlines may simply require you to be at the ticket/baggage counter by this time; most, however, require that you get all the way to the boarding area. If you miss the ticketing or check-in deadline, you may have lost your reservation and your right to compensation if the flight is oversold.
* As noted above, no compensation is due if the airline arranges substitute transportation which is scheduled to arrive at your destination within one hour of your originally scheduled arrival time.
* If the airline must substitute a smaller plane for the one it originally planned to use, the carrier isn't required to pay people who are bumped as a result.In addition, on flights using aircraft with 30 through 60 passenger seats, compensation is not required if you were bumped due to safety-related aircraft weight or balance constraints.
* The rules do not apply to charter flights, or to scheduled flights operated with planes that hold fewer than 30 passengers. They don't apply to international flights inbound to the United States, although some airlines on these routes may follow them voluntarily. Also, if you are flying between two foreign cities-from Paris to Rome, for example-these rules will not apply. The European Community has a rule on bumpings that occur in an EC country; ask the airline for details, or contact DOT.
Involuntary Bumping
DOT requires each airline to give all passengers who are bumped involuntarily a written statement describing their rights and explaining how the carrier decides who gets on an oversold flight and who doesn't. Those travelers who don't get to fly are frequently entitled to an on-the-spot payment of denied boarding compensation. The amount depends on the price of their ticket and the length of the delay:
* If you are bumped involuntarily and the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to get you to your final destination (including later connections) within one hour of your original scheduled arrival time, there is no compensation.
* If the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to arrive at your destination between one and two hours after your original arrival time (between one and four hours on international flights), the airline must pay you an amount equal to your one-way fare to your final destination, with a $400 maximum.
* If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally), or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the compensation doubles (200% of your fare, $800 maximum).
* You always get to keep your original ticket and use it on another flight. If you choose to make your own arrangements, you can request an "involuntary refund" for the ticket for the flight you were bumped from. The denied boarding compensation is essentially a payment for your inconvenience.
Like all rules, however, there are a few conditions and exceptions:
* To be eligible for compensation, you must have a confirmed reservation. A written confirmation issued by the airline or an authorized agent or reservation service qualifies you in this regard even if the airline can't find your reservation in the computer, as long as you didn't cancel your reservation or miss a reconfirmation deadline.
* You must meet the airline's deadline for buying your ticket. Discount tickets must usually be purchased within a certain number of days after the reservation was made. Other tickets normally have to be picked up no later than 30 minutes before the flight.
In addition to the ticketing deadline, each airline has a check-in deadline, which is the amount of time before scheduled departure that you must present yourself to the airline at the airport. For domestic flights most carriers require you to be at the departure gate between 10 minutes and 30 minutes before scheduled departure, but some deadlines can be an hour or longer. Check-in deadlines on international flights can be as much as three hours before scheduled departure time. Some airlines may simply require you to be at the ticket/baggage counter by this time; most, however, require that you get all the way to the boarding area. If you miss the ticketing or check-in deadline, you may have lost your reservation and your right to compensation if the flight is oversold.
* As noted above, no compensation is due if the airline arranges substitute transportation which is scheduled to arrive at your destination within one hour of your originally scheduled arrival time.
* If the airline must substitute a smaller plane for the one it originally planned to use, the carrier isn't required to pay people who are bumped as a result.In addition, on flights using aircraft with 30 through 60 passenger seats, compensation is not required if you were bumped due to safety-related aircraft weight or balance constraints.
* The rules do not apply to charter flights, or to scheduled flights operated with planes that hold fewer than 30 passengers. They don't apply to international flights inbound to the United States, although some airlines on these routes may follow them voluntarily. Also, if you are flying between two foreign cities-from Paris to Rome, for example-these rules will not apply. The European Community has a rule on bumpings that occur in an EC country; ask the airline for details, or contact DOT.
Bumping My Way to Happiness: Voluntary Bumping Performance 2009: Jan to Mar
Spent a few hours today reviewing the DOT's website reading about the performance of the major U.S. carriers. Focusing on voluntary bumping I was able to procure these nuggets of information for you. The data in this posts represents the first quarter of 2009.
________________ Flights Enplaned Passengers Voluntary Vol/Flight
US ______________ 35,594 ________ 12,580,587 __ 22,938 ____ 0.644
UNITED __________ 31,798 ________ 11,953,422 __ 19,330 ____ 0.608
AIRTRAN _________ 21,264 _________ 5,344,683 __ 10,270 ____ 0.483
NORTHWEST _______ 25,086 _________ 8,365,018 __ 12,089 ____ 0.482
CONTINENTAL _____ 21,950 _________ 8,626,868 ___ 9,797 ____ 0.446
DELTA ___________ 35,230 ________ 14,426,780 __ 13,981 ____ 0.397
ATLANTIC SE _____ 25,124 _________ 2,898,511 ___ 8,974 ____ 0.357
PINNACLE ________ 22,023 _________ 2,355,938 ___ 6,526 ____ 0.296
AMERICAN ________ 46,622 ________ 18,099,010 __ 12,910 ____ 0.277
MESA ____________ 20,714 _________ 2,494,444 ___ 5,720 ____ 0.276
SOUTHWEST _______ 97,696 ________ 23,366,897 __ 22,760 ____ 0.233
COMAIR __________ 14,495 _________ 1,377,802 ___ 3,365 ____ 0.232
SKYWEST _________ 44,689 _________ 4,592,875 ___ 9,654 ____ 0.216
EXPRESSJET ______ 25,292 _________ 2,569,898 ___ 5,191 ____ 0.205
ALASKA __________ 11,796 _________ 3,258,996 ___ 2,326 ____ 0.197
AMERICAN EAGLE __ 37,408 _________ 3,373,399 ___ 3,846 ____ 0.103
FRONTIER _________ 7,711 _________ 2,094,048 _____ 632 ____ 0.082
HAWAIIAN _________ 6,122 _________ 1,995,333 ______ 82 ____ 0.013
JETBLUE _________ 16,218 _________ 5,108,284 _______ 1 ____ 0.000
These numbers show us the volume of voluntary bumping taking place and the rate that voluntary bumping takes place per airline. As you can see by the numbers, Atlantic Southeast, Pinnacle, Comair, and Mesa lead all carriers in the number of voluntary bumps per passengers flown. The largest carriers, despite having some of the highest number of voluntary bumps, are not among the top when considering the total number of passengers flown.
I hope you found this information useful as it illustrates the limited number of bumping opportunities available. More information will be forthcoming.
________________ Flights Enplaned Passengers Voluntary Vol/Flight
US ______________ 35,594 ________ 12,580,587 __ 22,938 ____ 0.644
UNITED __________ 31,798 ________ 11,953,422 __ 19,330 ____ 0.608
AIRTRAN _________ 21,264 _________ 5,344,683 __ 10,270 ____ 0.483
NORTHWEST _______ 25,086 _________ 8,365,018 __ 12,089 ____ 0.482
CONTINENTAL _____ 21,950 _________ 8,626,868 ___ 9,797 ____ 0.446
DELTA ___________ 35,230 ________ 14,426,780 __ 13,981 ____ 0.397
ATLANTIC SE _____ 25,124 _________ 2,898,511 ___ 8,974 ____ 0.357
PINNACLE ________ 22,023 _________ 2,355,938 ___ 6,526 ____ 0.296
AMERICAN ________ 46,622 ________ 18,099,010 __ 12,910 ____ 0.277
MESA ____________ 20,714 _________ 2,494,444 ___ 5,720 ____ 0.276
SOUTHWEST _______ 97,696 ________ 23,366,897 __ 22,760 ____ 0.233
COMAIR __________ 14,495 _________ 1,377,802 ___ 3,365 ____ 0.232
SKYWEST _________ 44,689 _________ 4,592,875 ___ 9,654 ____ 0.216
EXPRESSJET ______ 25,292 _________ 2,569,898 ___ 5,191 ____ 0.205
ALASKA __________ 11,796 _________ 3,258,996 ___ 2,326 ____ 0.197
AMERICAN EAGLE __ 37,408 _________ 3,373,399 ___ 3,846 ____ 0.103
FRONTIER _________ 7,711 _________ 2,094,048 _____ 632 ____ 0.082
HAWAIIAN _________ 6,122 _________ 1,995,333 ______ 82 ____ 0.013
JETBLUE _________ 16,218 _________ 5,108,284 _______ 1 ____ 0.000
These numbers represent the number of flights, number of passengers on those flights, passengers who volunteered to be bumped, and the number of passengers who volunteered to be bumped per flight flown.
A lot can be derived from this information.
- Forget about volunteer opportunities at JetBlue, Hawaiian and Frontier. The opportunities will be few and far between for these airlines.
- The best chance for being bumped is with U.S. and United based on their number of voluntary bumps per flight.
- No major carrier has an average of voluntary bumps greater than 1. This further supports my case for getting to the gate as early as possible to ensure your name is first on the list. If there is going to be bump there is a very good chance it will be just for one person.
______________Enplaned Passengers __Voluntary __ Vol/10000
ATLANTIC SE ___________ 2,898,511 _____ 8,974 _____ 30.960
PINNACLE ______________ 2,355,938 _____ 6,526 _____ 27.700
COMAIR ________________ 1,377,802 _____ 3,365 _____ 24.422
MESA __________________ 2,494,444 _____ 5,720 _____ 22.930
SKYWEST _______________ 4,592,875 _____ 9,654 _____ 21.019
EXPRESSJET ____________ 2,569,898 _____ 5,191 _____ 20.199
AIRTRAN _______________ 5,344,683 ____ 10,270 _____ 19.215
US ___________________ 12,580,587 ____ 22,938 _____ 18.232
UNITED _______________ 11,953,422 ____ 19,330 _____ 16.171
NORTHWEST _____________ 8,365,018 ____ 12,089 _____ 14.451
AMERICAN EAGLE ________ 3,373,399 _____ 3,846 _____ 11.400
CONTINENTAL ___________ 8,626,868 _____ 9,797 _____ 11.356
SOUTHWEST ____________ 23,366,897 ____ 22,760 ______ 9.740
DELTA ________________ 14,426,780 ____ 13,981 ______ 9.691
ALASKA ________________ 3,258,996 _____ 2,326 ______ 7.137
AMERICAN _____________ 18,099,010 ____ 12,910 ______ 7.132
FRONTIER ______________ 2,094,048 _______ 632 ______ 3.018
HAWAIIAN ______________ 1,995,333 ________ 82 ______ 0.410
JETBLUE _______________ 5,108,284 _________ 1 ______ 0.001
These numbers show us the volume of voluntary bumping taking place and the rate that voluntary bumping takes place per airline. As you can see by the numbers, Atlantic Southeast, Pinnacle, Comair, and Mesa lead all carriers in the number of voluntary bumps per passengers flown. The largest carriers, despite having some of the highest number of voluntary bumps, are not among the top when considering the total number of passengers flown.
I hope you found this information useful as it illustrates the limited number of bumping opportunities available. More information will be forthcoming.
Bumping My Way to Happiness
When I am at the gate awaiting my flight my heart stops every time the gate attendant makes an announcement. Most times it is to declare a gate change or to announce the flight is ready to board, but sometimes they say such wonderful things. What makes my heart go pitter-patter is when they announce the flight is oversold and they are seeking volunteers to take an alternative flight. Oh how I melt every time I hear those words as they often lead to me being "bumped" and earning a few hundred dollars in vouchers. Mmmmmmm. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.
This post will be the first in a series on bumping that should be of benefit to you in your travels. Today's post will be on the basics of bumping. Future posts in this series will provide advanced techniques for improving your chances of being bumped and also identifying flights that have a higher probability of generating bumping opportunities. I hope these posts are of value to you and open your eyes and heart to the joys that bumping can bring.
What is bumping?
Bumping is the act of being denied a seat on a plane when you have a confirmed reservation. This is a result of the flight being overbooked. Overbooking is a common airline practice designed to fill the empty seats that no-show passengers leave behind.
There are two types of bumps: voluntary and involuntary. Involuntary is when you are denied a seat and you want to be on the plane whereas voluntary is when you forgo a seat on the plane because you are savvy like me and love airline ticket vouchers. These posts are focused on the latter although there will be a future post that discusses involuntary bumping and your rights associated with this type of bump.
Why should I willingly volunteer to be bumped?
Why? For the good life that accompanies being bumped. Volunteers are often rewarded with airline ticket vouchers or free flights, meal vouchers, and hotel vouchers when asked to stay overnight. When first class seats are available on your new flight there may also be an upgrade to first class in the cards.
On Delta, typical ticket vouchers are either $200, for a short-term delay, or $400, for an overnight delay. My next post in the series will detail the rewards provided by each of the major airlines.
Which flights are the most likely bump candidates?
Generally speaking, there are four scenarios which result in a flight being overbooked:
My advice for improving your chances of being bumped is simple: First, check-in as soon as possible. Second, get to the gate early.
If you are able to check-in at home, do so. The sooner you check-in the greater your chance for having a confirmed seat on the flight. If you wait, you run the risk of being one of the people in the unenviable position of trying to get on the flight. Many airlines offer the ability to check-in from your PDA if you forget to do it at home. This is also a great way to check-in if the lines at the ticket counter are excessively long.
Typically, most airlines offer compensation on a first-come, first-serve basis. So get to gate as soon as you can (120 to 90 minutes before the departure time is optimal) and inquire with the gate agent about the status of the flight. I have three questions I ask:
The Bottom Line
The information in this post is enough to get you started bumping. Watch out for future posts that provide more detailed information on bumping. I have been bumped 6 times in the past 3 months and I couldn't be happier. You will be too if you are prepared and ready to take advantage of this great opportunity.
This post will be the first in a series on bumping that should be of benefit to you in your travels. Today's post will be on the basics of bumping. Future posts in this series will provide advanced techniques for improving your chances of being bumped and also identifying flights that have a higher probability of generating bumping opportunities. I hope these posts are of value to you and open your eyes and heart to the joys that bumping can bring.
What is bumping?
Bumping is the act of being denied a seat on a plane when you have a confirmed reservation. This is a result of the flight being overbooked. Overbooking is a common airline practice designed to fill the empty seats that no-show passengers leave behind.
There are two types of bumps: voluntary and involuntary. Involuntary is when you are denied a seat and you want to be on the plane whereas voluntary is when you forgo a seat on the plane because you are savvy like me and love airline ticket vouchers. These posts are focused on the latter although there will be a future post that discusses involuntary bumping and your rights associated with this type of bump.
Why should I willingly volunteer to be bumped?
Why? For the good life that accompanies being bumped. Volunteers are often rewarded with airline ticket vouchers or free flights, meal vouchers, and hotel vouchers when asked to stay overnight. When first class seats are available on your new flight there may also be an upgrade to first class in the cards.
On Delta, typical ticket vouchers are either $200, for a short-term delay, or $400, for an overnight delay. My next post in the series will detail the rewards provided by each of the major airlines.
Which flights are the most likely bump candidates?
Generally speaking, there are four scenarios which result in a flight being overbooked:
- Peak Travel Periods. Spring Break, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and traditional vacation periods such as June, July, and August will likely result in an increased demand for tickets and, as a result, more opportunities for oversold flights and bumping.
- Inclement Weather. Storms, high winds, snow, or other forms of bad weather can cause flights to be cancelled. The passengers on these flights are often rebooked on flights departing later that day or the next. Passengers on later flights stand a good chance of benefitting from these cancellations.
- Traditional Business Flight. Flights to popular business cities that depart late Sunday night, early Monday morning, or Thursday afternoon and evening are prime candidates for being oversold.
- Popular Routes. Routes to and from major hubs such as Atlanta and Dallas are good candidates for overbookings.
My advice for improving your chances of being bumped is simple: First, check-in as soon as possible. Second, get to the gate early.
If you are able to check-in at home, do so. The sooner you check-in the greater your chance for having a confirmed seat on the flight. If you wait, you run the risk of being one of the people in the unenviable position of trying to get on the flight. Many airlines offer the ability to check-in from your PDA if you forget to do it at home. This is also a great way to check-in if the lines at the ticket counter are excessively long.
Typically, most airlines offer compensation on a first-come, first-serve basis. So get to gate as soon as you can (120 to 90 minutes before the departure time is optimal) and inquire with the gate agent about the status of the flight. I have three questions I ask:
- "Is the flight full?"
- Next, "Is it oversold?"
- Finally, "Are you looking for volunteers?"
The Bottom Line
The information in this post is enough to get you started bumping. Watch out for future posts that provide more detailed information on bumping. I have been bumped 6 times in the past 3 months and I couldn't be happier. You will be too if you are prepared and ready to take advantage of this great opportunity.
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