Trip Reports - Weird "bump" report: LGA-DTW on NW F . . . via MSP and some goodies along the way

3/16/03

My original flight on NW was supposed to depart at 8p and arrive in DTW around 10p. Right before I left my friend's apartment, itn showed that my flight was "P2F2Y0...".

At the check-in counter around 620p, there were about 5 other passengers. After the check-in agent printed up my boarding pass for my original flight, I asked him if NW needed any volunteers. This is where things started getting weird.

He said that they were oversold by 9 in Y, 2 open in F. However, he also said that this was typical and that flights in a similar situation did not end up needing volunteers. The next flight out was at 930p but was booked to capacity; hence he couldn't guarantee me the next flight if NW needed my seat.

So, I asked him if he could guarantee me a hotel for the night in the event NW needed my seat. Immediately, he went to his supervisor (who was checking in passengers next to him) and asked for advice. The supervisor said that I'd be guaranteed a hotel for the night if necessary; however, within a few seconds, the supervisor said to just offer me the $300 in TCVs (travel credit vouchers) and a flight to DTW via MSP, leaving at 7p and arriving into DTW around 1230a.

I gladly accepted. Immediately, the agent tore up my boarding pass, removed my original luggage tag, rebooked me in F. The agent enthusiastically informed me that dinner would be served in F. I assumed that for domestic flights, airlines always wait until the flight has been pushed back (i.e. so that the airline is 100% sure of overbooking http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif ) before giving out TCVs.

That gave me only 30 minutes to get to the gate and take the long route to DTW. WHAT A DEAL!

Althought I'd be 2.5 hours late to DTW, I had dinner. (Dinner is in major need of better presentation; however, the food quality was excellent and I gave the F/A got an A+ for effort.) My original flight didn't have meal service; and I was planning on having a late dinner from what I could scronge up from my parents' kitchen. $300 in TCVs is always a plus; better considering that I paid $190 for this trip. (I'm flying DTW-SYR this Sunday.) 1822 more miles towards requalifying for silver elite. (With all my planned trips for the year, I would have had to make a $200 mileage run to requalify for silver elite for 2004.) 2875 more mlles towards a coveted trans-Pacific/Atlantic upgrade.


(BTW, the only permissible routing for LGA-DTW is a non-stop flight; had LGA-MSP-DTW been permitted, I would have booked that routing to begin with. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif )

- Pat

[This message has been edited by Wiirachay (edited 03-18-2003).]

I had it happen like this once--was flying TPA-MIA-YYZ about 5 yrs ago. TPA-MIA was Eagle, MIA-YYZ was Canadian.

I bought the tkt at TPA airport, then went to gate.

There was a queue at the gate--met my party and sat down. He mentioned that the queue was for an earlier flight (they were backed-up a bit)

BTW I was originally sked on the AC nonstop but wanted to fly with my colleague

They announced "It looks like..." and I jumped up waving my BP...five mins later I had my $300 certificate. My colleague was laughing at how fast I acted.

I told him I'd see him in YYZ--he didn't even get boarded for another 45 mins--went back to the tkt counter and got the tkt voided and flew on AC like I'd planned!

JL

Congrats on the $300 bump and good luck towards requalifying for 2004. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif

I had a similar experience with NW several years ago flying back from LGW to BOS via DTW on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. On landing in DTW, about 3 hours before the flight I approached an agent at the BOS gate (she was there very early for some reason) and asked if they would need the ticket. She said probably, and put me on the list, but also told me nothing would happen until boarding. I mentioned that I was going to get something to eat. A few minutes later, she came and got me from the nearby snack bar and said she would take care of me right away. I got a $300 credit, an overnight in DTW, and a ticket on the next morning's flight to BOS. As she issued the paperwork, the agent told me that since I was coming back from London and she knew she would need the seat, she didn't see any reason for me to hang around the airport. I was satisfied.
tom