Southwest Rapid Rewards - Would you volunteer for a bump?

I am currently booked on a nonstop tomorrow that is showing no availability on any fare. There is another nonstop 6 hours later with seats.

I currently hold a boarding pass with A-1.

Since I normally don't have flexibility, I have never volunteered for a bump.

How soon will someone know if they can be bumped, and do I get at least an A pass for a later flight? Is it fare refunded plus cash, or Swa vouchers?

I assume the GA will be soliciting if the flight actually ends up oversold. Ask when you get to the gate even before they solicit makes a GA's job easy but that would be a first offer... Once they start soliciting everyone is in the pool and you may lose out.

Now you're a volunteer... only at close of boarding will you know if you're actually going to be needed. Likely asked not to board until that time. So you could end up boarding last and getting nothing. (that's where an airline with assigned seats has an advantage as they won't remove you until needed) If they'd board you and then have to remove you that takes far too much precious time.

As I understand it WN uses a dollar amount in future travel funds for VDB. And your A-1 on the later flight isn't guaranteed though you certainly could attempt to negotiate a blue sleeve preboard in return for the VDB.

IDB which is cash according to DOT rules. Though you wouldn't even considered for denied boarding as prefered A List. If they have to IDB anyone I would expect it would be last to check-in that isn't A List.

Just hang out near the gate agent, they'll announce it probably a few minutes prior to boarding if they think they will need you.

This details what Southwest's policy is regarding bump vouchers pretty well:
http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Southwest_Rapid_Rewards#H ow_much_compensation_will_I_get_for_being_bumped.3 F

Good luck!

The last time I took VDB from WN it wasn't that much of a voucher. I think $200 plus the value of the ticket for a voucher good for a year. Since you have a-1, that would mean you are on BS fare, which could give you a nice amount if that is how WN still does their VDB.

Just because Expert flyer is showing 0 seats, doesn't mean they will need volunteers. There could be no shows, misconnects, etc. Not sure if WN ever does that, but on DL a lot of times if you volunteer they will ask you to wait to board until they see if they need your seat or not. I didn't have to do that on WN the time I took VDB, but if you do, that would suck if they didn't need your seat and you paid for BS and ended up being one of the last to board and got a lousy seat.

If they do put you on that direct flight 6 hours later, you will have a lot of time to kill (when I did it one time it was a short mdw/dtw flight and I just took the train into the city), so factor that in (they should give you a meal voucher though if the delay is that long). Also factor in that the later flight could end up being significantly delayed (which is what happened to me when I did the voluntary bump). Not sure how it works if you are BS, but if you aren't you get the next available BP number, but some GA's will give you a blue sleeve, you just won't be able to take an exit row is all

Passed up a voluntary bump tonight for $300 plus the $187 fare I was traveling on. I volunteered while at the gate, but once I boarded and got comfy in my seat I just wanted to go home, so I declined when they called my name on the PA. $487 in travel voucher for a 1.5 hour delay is not all that bad.

Bump vouchers used to come in all kinds of amounts. It's my impression they have standardized it more.

Try to be at the gate when the GA "opens" the flight. Volunteer immediately.

Once took a bump for my son and me MCO-MDW during spring break. $500 flight credit for 3 hour wait.

I was bumped 2x from Las Vegas to Seattle a few weekends ago....

It seems like its standard, unless they get super desperate

300 plus value of your ticket. if the value of your ticket is points, your getting 300

On my bump flight, even though I was A1, the flight I was bumped to I was given boarding pass B6. I figured for 300 X 2, 345 X 2, a total of 1290 in LUV vouchers---use for daughter and friends future travel, I could board with B, this ONE time.:rolleyes:

I usually get to the gate, ask if they need any volunteers today. Usually they don't, except on the first Vegas flight, they needed 22. They looked quite scared. :eek:

300 plus value of your ticket. if the value of your ticket is points, your getting 300.



I assume you get the points back in your account and they put you on the next flight without using those points?

I assume you get the points back in your account and they put you on the next flight without using those points?

I know with an RR1 ticket, you don't get the ticket redeposited into your account if you volunteer. It's just the voucher.

I think $200 plus the value of the ticket for a voucher good for a year.

See VDB Compensation Increased to $300 and Overbooking (http://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/overbooking_faq.html) ($100/$300).

I know with an RR1 ticket, you don't get the ticket redeposited into your account if you volunteer. It's just the voucher.

See VDB on Award/CP Ticket now treated as $100 ticket "cost" plus full VDB compensation

I assume you get the points back in your account and they put you on the next flight without using those points?

I've never heard of that being done. There is a report in a thread linked above of RR points being assigned $0 value; I would hope that was an agent error.

I've never heard of that being done. There is a report in a thread linked above of RR points being assigned $0 value; I would hope that was an agent error.

I remember from the wiki this particular situation was still an unknown. Perhaps a call into Dallas will solve this mystery...

Make sure you confirm what flight the GA is willing to give you a confirmed reservation. Terms like "priority stand by" means don't count on getting on that flight.

Some posters have told the GA they'd volunteer, but only if they could immediately get their vouchers and leave the airport. Worth a shot.

If you are able to get a decent voucher amount and you paid a lot for your ticket, if there is another airline that flies that route, see how much a walk up fare would be.

One time I was doing a weekend trip to Chicago and really wasn't in mood to go and once I got to the airport they were looking for volunteers. I got the voucher and decided I wasn't going to wait around for the later flight and just cancelled the trip. I got the voucher and then had TTF issued for the actual ticket price.

I'd be hard pressed to give up an A-1 for a six hour delay (assuming you would be stuck at the airport).

I, of course, only have oversells on flights when my schedule is not flexible and never have an oversell when it is flexible.

I just had this happen with my husband and I booked on points and he was flying as my companion. We had a nonstop to Vegas overbooked by one. I volunteered and he offered me the 300 credit + $100 for value of my ticket. He would allow my husband to continue on the nonstop flight now, and would book me with priority boarding on the next flight which was a couple hours later. He said I would board with families.

He told me to go ahead and board the plane, they would either call me right before or would take me off the flight.

It didn't happen though and I flew nonstop with husband:)

My guess is that A1 is biz select at a higher fare which means they would owe more compensation. They are supposed to pick the volunteer with the lowest comp profile..not just WN, but all the airlines. That means if there is some WGA pax who volunteer, they are going to get the bump before you.

I was once involuntarily bumped on a USAirways flight by purchasing tic after what I can only assume was the "oversold" threshold, but as I was full fare it didn't actually happen. I volunteered over and over to keep the bump...but darnit, they got me on the flight. Middle seat.

The only successful VDB I have done was on a BS ticket. The GA may have totally messed it up but they finally made it work.

I was denied entry into Canada and sent back home, so I had to buy a last minute ticket on which I would have to eat the cost. I think it was $425 or so BUF-BWI-BNA. BUF-BWI was fine, but I was standing at the desk when they asked for volunteers for BWI-BNA. I handed the GA my BP and said, I'll take that. I got the full fare refunded, a $100 voucher, and a BS line position on the next flight. That last part was the hardest and they had to force it to do it, but I insisted as I was trading a BS and I wanted BS. I know I got my money back so it was the principle of it.

I may have been successful as they needed several and they were taking whatever they could get. I think it was 5-6 seats they needed and that was in my pre-COS days.

I've never heard of that being done. There is a report in a thread linked above of RR points being assigned $0 value; I would hope that was an agent error.

What I read in that thread is that under a VDB/IDB situation, you don't *earn* points on the flight you ultimately end up on because your fare was refunded as part of the VDB/IDB compensation LUV voucher.

Called into Dallas customer relations and they stated that for a fare purchased with points, in addition to the $100/$300, etc, compensation, you also get the value of the fare in $$$ added to LUV voucher, just like if you purchased the ticket in $$$.

If I have flexibility I volunteer, it's as simple as that.

What I read in that thread is that under a VDB/IDB situation, you don't *earn* points on the flight you ultimately end up on because your fare was refunded as part of the VDB/IDB compensation LUV voucher.

Thanks; I skimmed by too fast while looking for something else. Anyway, as evidenced by mritty's experience, RR points do seem to be earned when you take a VDB.

Very kind of you to call Dallas about the compensation when flying on points. It will be interesting to learn whether actual experiences align with the stated rule.

Thanks; I skimmed by too fast while looking for something else. Anyway, as evidenced by mritty's experience, RR points do seem to be earned when you take a VDB.

Very kind of you to call Dallas about the compensation when flying on points. It will be interesting to learn whether actual experiences align with the stated rule.

NP. Don't think I'll ever get a chance to find out as when I'm flying on points so are my kids and my wife is on CP - so, we can't be split up nor would I want to spend perhaps hours in an airport with small children in tow. :p

If I'm going to a place where I don't care if I arrive late then I volunteer. I especially like the overnights when the airline puts me up in a hotel. So yea if you have extra time to kill go ahead and volunteer. Make sure the airline gives you meal vouchers, a good hotel and of course the boarding pass for the flight. If its an overnight see if the airline can put you on a later flight in the morning and make sure they deboard your bag.

I was once on American and first they put me up at the Holiday Inn Express DFW but then I negotiated and they put me up at the Westin DFW. On US Airways they put me up at the PHX Hilton Garden Inn. The US Air agent did not give me any meal vouchers so what I did was order up an appetizer, burger and beer and had the hotel bill it to US Airways(it worked) since I did not have time for breakfast and went to the US Airways Club for breakfast.

Overall when you volunteer ask questions like when can my certificate be used by? Make sure the transportation to and from the hotel is provided by a free shuttle or ask how to be reimbursed.

If stuck at the airport since its not an overnight for a couple of hours ask for enough vouchers to hold you over for meals etc. You can combine vouchers if its for breakfast/lunch or lunch/dinner I combine the vouchers and eat at a decent airport restaurant.

On one WN flight out of SJC I volunteered and they put me on the next flight leaving a few hours later and the agent gave me $40 to use so I went to Britania Arms and had a good meal and beer. I then got a travel voucher. The other $20 was spent on Illy's Beans(:

Here is my update:

My flight was indeed oversold by just two seats, and there were six standbys for that flight. The Gate Agent was desparate for volunteers, and no one was on the list except me with my A-1 Boarding pass.

She told me to go ahead and board, to preserve my seat choice, but would page me if my seat was needed. Compensation was $300 in vouchers plus refund of the BS fare.

Sadly, two people never showed, so the flight left full, with me on board. Oh well.

Interesting event today ( Friday) :
My daughter volunteered foa a bump on HER flight MCI-LAS.

Again she was the only volunteer with a flight overssold by 4 seats, so the Gate Agent was so confident she would get the VDB, that she reassigned her B.P. to another pax.

But no bump needed, and so two people had B-20 passes.

We had boarded a flight leaving Austin on Fri and before they closed the door,
the GA asked for 1 volunteer $300 + fare paid in voucher. No one initially volunteered, probably because re-booked flight was 5 hours later and it was going into a 3 day holiday weekend.

One person was interested but not in what they were offering so they used
the FA to negotiate with the GA for something better. After the FA did this
once over the PA, then she just ran up and down the aisle until the GA agreed and the person deplaned...

I would have done it but had to be home at a certain time!! :(