Overbooked flight- gate agents not boarding until someone volunteered
Aug 21, 2017, 6:20 am
#31
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Yesterday (Saturday), flying BGR (Bangor)- PHL.
At boarding time, GA announces 'this flight is overbooked by 1 passenger, and we're offering $500 voucher to be moved to a later flight... which likely won't be until Monday morning.'
Not surprisingly, no takers. Every 5 minutes or so, the GA would come back with the same robotic tone, saying the exact same thing. Sometimes the offer would remain the same, other times, it would be raised (went $500, $750, $1,000, $1,200, $1,500, $1,700, $1,800).
During the entire process, she made it clear... 'We are unable to board until someone volunteers'.
Around the departure time, I went to the desk and asked why they couldn't just IDB someone. They cited BGR station policy that they wouldn't do that until absolutely necessary, and they would wait until 20 minutes post departure time to do that.
Finally, someone stepped up... at $1,800. Everyone cheers and we finally get to board. Would up leaving about 35 minutes late. Many people missed connections in PHL, which likely cost AA even more given it was 5:15pm when we landed and obviously many flights are full and can't accommodate misconnects.
A few notes:
- The captain was not happy, and even called his dispatch office who said the station manager decides the policy. Apparently his run was done in PHL and he needed to catch his own connection home
- The FA said that most stations will still start the boarding process. In fact, she said she experienced this in PHL earlier in the day and the entire process of raising the voucher amount took only a few minutes... not the 45 it took in BGR.
Obviously, nobody wants a repeat of the UA situation earlier this year, but there must be a better way than to hold 50 passengers hostage until one person steps up.
At boarding time, GA announces 'this flight is overbooked by 1 passenger, and we're offering $500 voucher to be moved to a later flight... which likely won't be until Monday morning.'
Not surprisingly, no takers. Every 5 minutes or so, the GA would come back with the same robotic tone, saying the exact same thing. Sometimes the offer would remain the same, other times, it would be raised (went $500, $750, $1,000, $1,200, $1,500, $1,700, $1,800).
During the entire process, she made it clear... 'We are unable to board until someone volunteers'.
Around the departure time, I went to the desk and asked why they couldn't just IDB someone. They cited BGR station policy that they wouldn't do that until absolutely necessary, and they would wait until 20 minutes post departure time to do that.
Finally, someone stepped up... at $1,800. Everyone cheers and we finally get to board. Would up leaving about 35 minutes late. Many people missed connections in PHL, which likely cost AA even more given it was 5:15pm when we landed and obviously many flights are full and can't accommodate misconnects.
A few notes:
- The captain was not happy, and even called his dispatch office who said the station manager decides the policy. Apparently his run was done in PHL and he needed to catch his own connection home
- The FA said that most stations will still start the boarding process. In fact, she said she experienced this in PHL earlier in the day and the entire process of raising the voucher amount took only a few minutes... not the 45 it took in BGR.
Obviously, nobody wants a repeat of the UA situation earlier this year, but there must be a better way than to hold 50 passengers hostage until one person steps up.
Also the obvious answer to solving this is to have the passengers in the overbooked seats duel it out hunger games style. Whoever lives gets the seat.
Aug 21, 2017, 6:28 am
#32
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I wouldn't suggest biting at the first offer as they're usually willing to go much higher than that as is made apparent here.
Aug 21, 2017, 6:36 am
#33
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I never understood why people don't take the vouchers... If they accept the voucher, AA is still obligated to get them to their destination, no? I would've bit at the first offer...
Also the obvious answer to solving this is to have the passengers in the overbooked seats duel it out hunger games style. Whoever lives gets the seat.
Also the obvious answer to solving this is to have the passengers in the overbooked seats duel it out hunger games style. Whoever lives gets the seat.
Aug 21, 2017, 6:49 am
#34
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On a similar note, I'm at CLT right now. At a nearby gate, the equipment for CLT-FAY AA5256 has been downgraded, with 10 fewer seats than expected.
I'm not sure if it is a normal GA or a manager, but he started with a $400 voucher + hotel, out first thing tomorrow and within 10 minutes it has gone up to $1000.
Why do these things never happen to me, when I have flexibility?
I'm not sure if it is a normal GA or a manager, but he started with a $400 voucher + hotel, out first thing tomorrow and within 10 minutes it has gone up to $1000.
Why do these things never happen to me, when I have flexibility?
Plus I guess if they really wanted to drive, it looks like CLT-FAY is about 3 hours.
The agent started this well before boarding so that by the time boarding began they knew who would/wouldn't be on the flight.
Aug 21, 2017, 7:02 am
#35
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OP here... just to clarify this specific situation:
- GA made it clear that passengers wouldn't likely get out of Bangor until Monday early morning (when scheduled flight was mid-afternoon Saturday). Lots of Maine vacationers heading home who didn't want to be stuck in Bangor for an extra 36-48 hours, and some who overtly said they were traveling to see the eclipse. So, not all that surprising that there were no takers early on.
- 50-passenger plane, small airport with limited flights, and no other AA-serviced airports within 3 hours limited AA's options.
Perhaps the bigger issues are less about cash vs. voucher-usage, and more about the process to make this system work. For example:
- Why leave the process up to each station, vs. having a standard process?
- Why position this as the passenger's problem (meaning, we screwed up by overbooking, but until one of you bails us out, none of your are leaving)?
- Does AA monitor downstream impact on 1) customer experience by having people miss connections, and 2) expense of hoteling and feeding passengers stranded overnight because of missed connections due to delayed departures for this specific circumstance?
- Why not move more quickly to the IDB, versus making all passengers sit through 45 minutes (or whatever) of discomfort and frustrationas this charade goes on?
All-in-all, a very poor experience for all passengers caused not by weather... or mechanical... or ATC issues... but by the fact that AA overbooked a flight and didn't have a 'reasonable' process to solve it quickly.
- GA made it clear that passengers wouldn't likely get out of Bangor until Monday early morning (when scheduled flight was mid-afternoon Saturday). Lots of Maine vacationers heading home who didn't want to be stuck in Bangor for an extra 36-48 hours, and some who overtly said they were traveling to see the eclipse. So, not all that surprising that there were no takers early on.
- 50-passenger plane, small airport with limited flights, and no other AA-serviced airports within 3 hours limited AA's options.
Perhaps the bigger issues are less about cash vs. voucher-usage, and more about the process to make this system work. For example:
- Why leave the process up to each station, vs. having a standard process?
- Why position this as the passenger's problem (meaning, we screwed up by overbooking, but until one of you bails us out, none of your are leaving)?
- Does AA monitor downstream impact on 1) customer experience by having people miss connections, and 2) expense of hoteling and feeding passengers stranded overnight because of missed connections due to delayed departures for this specific circumstance?
- Why not move more quickly to the IDB, versus making all passengers sit through 45 minutes (or whatever) of discomfort and frustrationas this charade goes on?
All-in-all, a very poor experience for all passengers caused not by weather... or mechanical... or ATC issues... but by the fact that AA overbooked a flight and didn't have a 'reasonable' process to solve it quickly.
Aug 21, 2017, 9:26 am
#36
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I'm surprised that the DOT permitted such vagueness. I thought that airlines were required to have an approved published procedure, including priority rankings, and then to follow the stated procedure, although all airlines are required to first solicit volunteers before doing IDBs.
I suppose the key words are "understandable and meaningful". I would also interpret that to mean a more rigidly defined order but the somewhat flexible priority is what all the airlines publish. I read that as the airlines having flexibility is excluding some passengers from IDB selection and then going by their stated criteria, i.e. check in time.
§ 250.3 Boarding priority rules.
(a) Every carrier shall establish priority rules and criteria for determining which passengers holding confirmed reserved space shall be denied boarding on an oversold flight in the event that an insufficient number of volunteers come forward. Such rules and criteria shall reflect the obligations of the carrier set forth in §§ 250.2a and 250.2b to minimize involuntary denied boarding and to request volunteers, and shall be written in such manner as to be understandable and meaningful to the average passenger. Such rules and criteria shall not make, give, or cause any undue or unreasonable preference or advantage to any particular person or subject any particular person to any unjust or unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage in any respect whatsoever.
(b) Boarding priority factors may include, but are not limited to, the following:
(b) Boarding priority factors may include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) A passenger's time of check-in;
(2) Whether a passenger has a seat assignment before reaching the departure gate for carriers that assign seats;
(3) The fare paid by a passenger;
(4) A passenger's frequent-flyer status; and
(5) A passenger's disability or status as an unaccompanied minor.
(2) Whether a passenger has a seat assignment before reaching the departure gate for carriers that assign seats;
(3) The fare paid by a passenger;
(4) A passenger's frequent-flyer status; and
(5) A passenger's disability or status as an unaccompanied minor.
Aug 21, 2017, 9:31 am
#37
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- Why leave the process up to each station, vs. having a standard process?
- Why position this as the passenger's problem (meaning, we screwed up by overbooking, but until one of you bails us out, none of your are leaving)?
All-in-all, a very poor experience for all passengers caused not by weather... or mechanical... or ATC issues... but by the fact that AA overbooked a flight and didn't have a 'reasonable' process to solve it quickly.
Aug 21, 2017, 1:05 pm
#39
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i don't think noting the driving time for this flight is that useful since it is TO the hub and likely connecting, as opposed to final dest
Aug 21, 2017, 2:07 pm
#40
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Are there two types of vouchers? I had a $50 e-voucher from AA I redeemed without any problem online when purchasing a ticket last month. There is a field on the last page before purchasing where you enter the voucher number and viola there was the credit. I typically bash AA's IT but this was seamless and easy.
Aug 21, 2017, 2:12 pm
#41
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Are there two types of vouchers? I had a $50 e-voucher from AA I redeemed without any problem online when purchasing a ticket last month. There is a field on the last page before purchasing where you enter the voucher number and viola there was the credit. I typically bash AA's IT but this was seamless and easy.
Aug 21, 2017, 2:31 pm
#42
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Aug 21, 2017, 6:18 pm
#43
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We got vouchers when our Hawaii flight was delayed overnight.
Never again will I voluntarily accept a voucher. In order to use the vouchers, I had to mail them in to some address in Florida, then wait and wait and wait for the status of our new desired flights to change to "ticketed". It was additional stress that I did not need before leaving on a vacation.
Never again will I voluntarily accept a voucher. In order to use the vouchers, I had to mail them in to some address in Florida, then wait and wait and wait for the status of our new desired flights to change to "ticketed". It was additional stress that I did not need before leaving on a vacation.
Aug 21, 2017, 8:01 pm
#45
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