davetravels

I've missed out on TATL VDBs over the years departing AMS and CDG because I always have checked bags on the way back home. AF and KL just WON'T allow you to VDB if you check bags, even if they hafto IDB people!

What about Delta flying TATL eastbound? Will they allow a VDB if I hava bag checked?

Tomorrow, I may have chance for a domestic VDB connecting to a TATL flight. I may ask for a reroute to a different TATL flight. Will they allow me to VDB and reroute TATL if I check a bag?

Thanx!

flyerCO

They can't legally IDB if there's a person willing to VDB. Now they can refuse to pick you if there's other VDB without checked bags.

Main issue is bag matching. A lot of International airlines require it even when not required. A VDB situation at the gate is one. Since the passenger doesn't know till last min if they're flying or not, there's no knowledge they're not flying when checking in bags.

DL has no problems with VDB for checked bags. However they're likely to skip you if you insist on them pulling them. However again they legally must take a VDB before IDBing someone.

BenA

My experience has been they will take you as a volunteer if you are willing to separate from your luggage, but there is a nearly 100% chance your bags will be mishandled and arrive at your destination a full day late. :|

I strongly recommend carry on only for international VDB. If you get rerouted, it's likely your bags won't be rerouted on the same flights and won't travel on your original flights. For most DL routes, missing the flight you were originally booked on means a full day delay...

davetravels

I'm not worried about my checked bag because I have a 20 hour overnight in Paris, so I think my bag will catch up in Paris before I fly to Berlin, and I'm planning to check it all the way thru, anyway.

What I'm hoping to do, is, I currently have a double connection before my TATL. The middle flight is nearly sold out. If I get the VDB, I want to go from the first flight to a different TATL flight to CDG from the first hub, and skip the second flight.

mot29

Actually did this VDB last March -- DCA-DTW-AMS-DEL. Took a later flight DCA-DTW and a later cx to AMS, but still made the AMS-DEL flight. But I was carrying on my bag. Got $600 ECV.

davetravels

So, I checked in online, and told DL.com that I was checking a bag. Next thing you know, I was asked to volunteer for a VDB on my 2nd flight.

THEN - it asked me to volunteer on my 3rd flight (to CDG)! It's still selling seats J1 Y2, but I guess it could still be overbooked.

I bid $300 and $400, knowing that it'll likely go higher. If I don't get the VDB on flight #2, and the CDG flight needs vols, that'll involve overnighting, so I imagine that could be a whopper of a payout! But I'd lose my overnight in Paris.

Decisions, decisions!

flyerCO

1)check with GA. Not all use the online for VDBs. In fact the vast majority I'd say don't even look at it.
2)if you lose a night in CDG, DL will be willing to extend (assuming you can extend) your trip to make up for it. DL is really good at ensuring you don't lose out on time at location due to flight issues.

davetravels

So, here's what ended up happening . . .

When I arrived at the gate for the domestic flight, the GA was calling for vols. I inquired, and told her that I was in row 1 (on a B753) and would need bin space. At boarding, she told me to board, and she would come and get me if she needed me. (I had a bad feeling that, that would be too complicated at the last minute) - but, I did.

When boarding seemed to end, I walked back to the boarding door, and asked a GA what the volunteer situation was. She said it was all finished! I told her that the other GA said she'd get me. She said - Are you going to Paris? It would have been too complicated to take your bag off the plane. I told her I didn't care about the bag. Oh well. It was too late.

I flew to hub #2.

My flight to CDG was overbooked. GA offering $400 for an overnight! Wow! I told her that I vol'd online, and I thought that seemed low for an overnight and arriving a day late in Europe. She said it could go higher. I told her I had heard of $1200 & $1400 VDBs. She said they were only authorized to go to $1000 "at this station" (ATL). After that, it would be IDB.

No takers at $400. Five minutes later . . .

$600 announcement. - - NO takers.

$800 announcement - - NO takers, but a few inquiries.

$1000 announcement - - NO serious takers, at first.

After some research, and a couple of no-shows, I think they took 5 or 6 VDBs at $1000. Yay!

They DID, INDEED have to pull my bag and retag if for today's flight.

To FlyerCO - - My function in Berlin is on Thursday, so, I really couldn't change my flights to stay a day in Paris, but I did have her put me on a later flight to Berlin, so I can at least run into Paris VERY briefly (after a trip to the AF long haul arrivals lounge) to go to a couple of stores I like.

My lesson: On the B753 - I wasn't thinking. Since you turn left when you board, bin / bag space wouldn't have been as hard to get as I was thinking. I should have just stayed at the gate . . . But, I did OK - at $1000 + $30 in meals + a very nice room at the airport Marriott! I have another overnight in Paris next month. I can live til then!

davetravels

Oops, I goofed!

dcadwell

Had a similar issue last year DUB->ATL on DL. Flight was oversold (baggage was already being loaded), but we were able to VDB for $1000/ea, overnight hotel, and D1 return from LHR the next day. They pulled our 4 checked bags (2 suitcases, 2 sets of golf clubs) off and walked us back through security. That part was easy. The next day turned into quite the debacle, though.

davetravels

What happened?

dcadwell

Since Delta doesn't fly direct DUB->LHR, they booked us on an early morning AerLingus flight. Get to the airport and go to drop our bags, AerLingus says the flight is overbooked, we aren't "confirmed" passengers, and there's no way we're getting on it. Had to wait several hours for the Delta desk to open (DM'ing via Twitter proved useless) who couldn't understand why we were denied boarding. We went back and forth several times since the desks are on opposite sides of the terminal. Finally get re-booked on an AerLingus flight 5-hours later. Go to drop bags w/ AerLingus and they say we can't check bags through to the final destination (we had no time to pick anything up at LHR and re-check), so back to Delta who again doesn't understand what the problem is. Finally, the Delta rep calls the AerLingus desk and they then miraculously figure out how to do it.

DUB->LHR is then delayed on the tarmac for ~45 minutes leaving us with a VERY tight connection including change of terminal.

Land back in ATL and pick up the 2 suitcases only to find that the golf clubs spent the night at LHR as they didn't make the flight. They were dropped off at ~3:00am the next morning.

davetravels

That's more than a little Cray-zee!

But, you know, I figure that, we seasoned travelers at least know how to handle these things pretty well, and sometimes, even make them work to our advantage!

I feel sorry for the people who travel rarely who get into jams.

Also, re: my VDB above... Another guy who took the $1000 VDB was from an off the wall city somewhere in Africa - I can't remember. It was his first time in the USA. I had to show him how to get to the hotel, and even I got the wrong Sheraton at ATL! Anyway, I feel bad for him trying figure out how to use his $1000 voucher. I don't think he had a SM account.

Often1

At stations where there is a requirement that bags fly with the passenger, this is a non-issue if there is a VDB before the hold is loaded. Once the hold is loaded and DL has a choice, there is a preference not to pull luggage, but it happens sometimes, so it can be case-by-case (bad pun).

There are no VDB rules, so agents have a great deal of discretion. Solo passengers, single segment, no checked bags, easy to rebook = easy VDB.

dcadwell

Absolutely! We weren't in a hurry to get back and they were simply trying to keep families together on our original, direct flight. While the situation the next day was a little frustrating it wasn't anything we couldn't handle.