MilesBuzz! - Comping for getting bumped?

What should be the least amount of compensation one should accept for voluntarily getting bumped from your flight?

NW gave me $500 yesterday for a 2 hour delay and kept me in complimentary FC on the next flight. I've heard lower numbers like $300 in the airports but appreciated this agent cutting right to the chase. Have never heard the $1000 quoted on this board.

Last summer, I was trying to go to San Franciso, but airfare was over $1,700 with NW. I booked a $350 fare to Reno on NW and a $86 United shuttle. I saved the company money and I got a chance both ways to play a little Blackjack during the layovers. NW was overbooked and was offering $1,000, but the best they could confirm was a 12 hour delay. I asked if they could put me on some other flight close like San Francisco. They said sure. So, I walked to the very next gate, boarded the $1,700 plane with $1,000 in my pocket for the $350 Reno ticket and left before the Reno plane. Go figure the logic in that.

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The minimum one shoudl accept, is whatever YOUR time is worth.

I've seen as low as $150, I think it was for about 90 mins.

I've seen as high as $2000 offered.

The most I've ever been given was $1000.

Should you get compensation at the gate or should you send in a letter with a written request? Which method gives the best chance of success?

One of the worst cases I have seen occurred recently at MDW.

AA only offered a $200 voucher for a 2.5 hour delay. 150 minutes in MDW which doesn't have an Admiral's club and the A/C wasn't working, so the temperature was almost 80 degrees fahrenheit in the terminal.

Naturally, no one took this offer so they had to involuntarily bump someone.

In 98 I bought a RT ticket for travel to Europe on NW for just under $500. Then whilst in Europe NW went on strike and I was scheduled on an AA return. AA bumped me and gave me $1500 on vouchers. I thought I got a great deal http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif