Air New Zealand Air Points - Voluntary bump off long-haul flight? What happened to you?

I have a flight from AKL to LHR on the new Pacific Economy service, but I'm in no hurry. I know some of the US airlines often overbook their services, but I was wondering if its common practice for AirNZ to do this too. If they do, what happens?

Has anyone any experience of offering to take a voluntary bump off the flight in the case of overbooking? How often does this happen? What were you offered as compensation? Cash? AirPoints? Upgrades?

I'd be interested in hearing about people's stories.

Cheers
:)

I'm sure it must happen but no experience myself or anyone I know in hundreds of flights.

NZ has very good yield managemnet of long haul flights, so the only times I have seen it is if something mechanical happens (which is rare), and then money has been offered with a later flight and accomodation i necessary.

It happens but is not like US or European airlines where it is a regular occurence. So do not bank on it, or even expect it.

Of course and what may have been intended is that NZ often oversell Y and accomodate or hope for enough paid upgrades for C, so if you are NZ*E or similar then you may be in luck of an op up. But there is no real experience of what happens with the new service to give much guidance.

Mark

I'll try a guinea pig voluntary bump offer when I fly in mid-November in the new Pacific Economy class - you never know, demand may exceed supply...

I've only seen it once, in 2002 on NZ2 from Akl-LAX. NZ asked for volunteers at the gate, with (from memory) $400 cash plus rebooking to the next flight. We were heading off to the Caribbean for our honeymoon, so didn't even think of taking up the offer :D :D

Has anyone any experience of offering to take a voluntary bump off the flight in the case of overbooking?
Never on Air NZ, but a few experiences elsewhere. On a KLM flight between AMS and LCY (in 2003) was offered a flight 40 minutes later to LHR, a luxury cab (500 series Merc) home, and 150 euros (to be used on KLM tickets).

On Delta between ATL and SEA (in 2002) got a night's accommodation, lunch/dinner/breakfast vouchers, an upgrade the next day, plus US$1,500 ("Delta dollars" to be used on Delta flights only), and then, three weeks later on the return sector, a night's accommodation, dinner voucher, an upgrade the next day, plus US$700 Delta dollars. A very profitable holiday journey!

And just last week, between MOB and ATL, also Delta, rebooked 4 hours later, upgraded on the subsequent sector ATL-LAX, plus US$400 Delta dollars. To add to the benefit too, that MOB-ATL-LAX trip was on a KLM award ticket but I just noticed today that I got First Class level miles and the COS bonus for the entire journey. Weird. :D

I can't recall an Air NZ flight being overbooked, but on Air Canada it seems almost routine on some routes. Recently on SFO-YYZ I was offered US$200 and an upgrade on the next flight - I was briefly tempted until I found out the next flight was a red-eye and wouldn't get me back to Toronto until 7am the next day (and I had to work). After politely declining the offer and waiting nervously while most of the other pax boarded, I was upgraded to Executive Class anyway. Turns out that sometimes its advantagous to be travelling on a paper ticket and not have an advance seat assignment ;)

Another time United were offering a free round trip anywhere in north america for anyone willing to wait for the next flight - about 90 minutes later. And this was for a ~1 hour turboprop flight out of DEN!

Unlike the north american airlines, I believe that Air NZ do not typically overbook their flights at all - so the only time its likely to happen is when there is cancellation/disruption to other flights causing extra pax to be moved over to yours.