Last Sunday my flight on America West from Boston to Phoenix (and on to Oakland) was overbooked. The agent (who was a supervisor) was offering $150 for bump volunteers. There were no takers so they upped it to RT in US. Still not enough takers so they upped it to RT anywhere on US Air, including Europe, Caribbean and Hawaii. The offer was clearly made and we questioned the agent extensively about this. After the flight took off, the other agent told us that the vouchers were only good within the continental US. However, after we insisted, the supervisor (who was the one who made the announcements) hand-wrote "Region 3" on the credit slips. The print on the back of the slip says that "The original oversold flight segment (origin & destination) determines the region in which the voucher may be used. The region divisions are: Region 1 - 48 contiguous United States; Region 2 - Canada/Latin America/Mexico/Caribbean plus Region 1; Region 3 - Europe/Alaska/Hawaii plus Region 1 and 2." Question: do you think I'll actually be able to use this credit slip to buy a ticket to Europe? The supervisor signed it and we got her name and ID number. Also, it says it "may be transferred to another individual prior to redemption." Can this be sold (legally)? Thanks for your thoughts.

Call the reservation desk and explain exactly what you just said here, and see if they agree. You will have to take the voucher to the airport to get it redeemed (after placing a reservation on hold via phone), so they'll verify it there. I wouldnt see a problem.

Good luck, that is awesome!

Mike

Last Sunday my flight on America West from Boston to Phoenix (and on to Oakland) was overbooked. The agent (who was a supervisor) was offering $150 for bump volunteers. There were no takers so they upped it to RT in US. Still not enough takers so they upped it to RT anywhere on US Air, including Europe, Caribbean and Hawaii. The offer was clearly made and we questioned the agent extensively about this. After the flight took off, the other agent told us that the vouchers were only good within the continental US. However, after we insisted, the supervisor (who was the one who made the announcements) hand-wrote "Region 3" on the credit slips. The print on the back of the slip says that "The original oversold flight segment (origin & destination) determines the region in which the voucher may be used. The region divisions are: Region 1 - 48 contiguous United States; Region 2 - Canada/Latin America/Mexico/Caribbean plus Region 1; Region 3 - Europe/Alaska/Hawaii plus Region 1 and 2." Question: do you think I'll actually be able to use this credit slip to buy a ticket to Europe? The supervisor signed it and we got her name and ID number. Also, it says it "may be transferred to another individual prior to redemption." Can this be sold (legally)? Thanks for your thoughts.

I think that you are entitled to use it internationally if the agent wrote "3" in the blank. However, the capacity controls are so tight on these awards that in all likelihood you won't be able to use it to go where you want to go! :(

Do these flights booked w/ these vouchers earn miles?

Do these flights booked w/ these vouchers earn miles?

No--free roundtrip tickets are issued in a class similar to award tickets.
If you receive a cash voucher, you can apply it toward a paid ticket, which would earn miles.

Are those booked in the same classes as saver Y awards?

Are those booked in the same classes as saver Y awards?

Domestic are X class (at least in Sabre they were). I am not sure what an international free roundtrip is booked in.

Technically speaking, I think the rules prohibit actually "selling" these vouchers, however you can use them to book travel for anyone that you like (friend, acquaintance, etc). or they can even make the reservation themselves over the phone. When making the reservation, tell the agent that you are using a bump voucher.

Once the reservation is made, you will have to bring the voucher, in person, to any airport with a USAirways counter before the ticket can be issued. They will ask for your ID and require your signature.

Good luck trying to get international travel with the hand written zone information. It should work, but honestly the only way you'll find out for sure is when you actually try it.

And, as other have said, since the seats are issued from the same class as award travel, be prepared to be dissappointed in what routes are available. These things are hit and miss. Often, the most desirable vacation routes are nearly impossible to get (such as Europe in the summer) but sometimes you just get lucky.

Oh, and welcome to Flyertalk, Maureen72!

Domestic coach is X class for a bump. If award travel also uses X class then bumps from some home cities can be of very little value. I fly from PBI and finding award travel to even PHL and CLT can be very difficult and it is almost impossible if you try to connect through PHL or CLT.

I would probably never take a bump again unless it is for a cash value voucher because seats from PBI often do not exist. Too often I had to drive to FLL to use award travel and bumps that use award class.

(This is not only with US Air with FF award from a city like PBI. CO & NW also have extremely limited availability from PBI.)

DL is an exception because they have such a large presence in PBI.

Can this be sold (legally)? Thanks for your thoughts.
I purchased a "Plain white envelope" on ebay which contained a bump voucher. This was pre-merger. I put a reservation on hold, emailed the seller the locator # and they presented the voucher at their end. I was able to print my ITN without difficulty. Not sure how you'd work it now.
Eileen

Last Sunday my flight on America West from Boston to Phoenix (and on to Oakland) was overbooked. The agent (who was a supervisor) was offering $150 for bump volunteers. There were no takers so they upped it to RT in US. Still not enough takers so they upped it to RT anywhere on US Air, including Europe, Caribbean and Hawaii. The offer was clearly made and we questioned the agent extensively about this. After the flight took off, the other agent told us that the vouchers were only good within the continental US. However, after we insisted, the supervisor (who was the one who made the announcements) hand-wrote "Region 3" on the credit slips. The print on the back of the slip says that "The original oversold flight segment (origin & destination) determines the region in which the voucher may be used. The region divisions are: Region 1 - 48 contiguous United States; Region 2 - Canada/Latin America/Mexico/Caribbean plus Region 1; Region 3 - Europe/Alaska/Hawaii plus Region 1 and 2." Question: do you think I'll actually be able to use this credit slip to buy a ticket to Europe? The supervisor signed it and we got her name and ID number. Also, it says it "may be transferred to another individual prior to redemption." Can this be sold (legally)? Thanks for your thoughts.

If the voucher was made out for region 3, then European flights are eligible. The availability is the same for FFers using miles, in booking class X. You will need to be very flexible when redeeming these, especially in peak periods where the availability is often zero for weeks on end.. If you ARE flexible and can travel out of season, you've snagged a good deal. It can be transferred to another person, but only by presenting it at a US ATO (unless the rules have changed since I last dealt with one... give US a call to double-check..)