pinniped

And I think the overwhelming response here is "no, it isn't unfair."

If they make the VDB offer via a verbal announcement in the language that most people in the boarding area would understand (or perhaps the primary origin and destination languages for an international flight), they get a pass on basic fairness.

If they add kiosk offers, text messages, displays on a screen, or make the offer in a wider variety of languages, they may get a better response. But most often, they're just looking for a couple volunteers so it's not like there's a pressing business need to do all of this.

IME, gone are the days when they oversell by 20-25 people. In the late 1990s, I could frequently pick up $500 in AA vouchers on a Friday afternoon by giving up my seat on a 2:50PM ORD-MCI flight. They'd bump a dozen people off of that 727 almost every week. I funded almost 100% of my family's leisure travel for about 4 years with AA bump vouchers, nearly all of which came from that one Friday afternoon flight I flew every week. (They'd rebook me to the 6:30PM flight...and sometimes that one would need volunteers as well!)

These days, I suspect that better data analytics has allowed them to fine-tune their oversell algorithms to a narrower range. Plus, much tighter standby rules and change fees that are 4x to 10x higher than they were then tends to mean less passenger-initiated movement between flights. When they need volunteers, they just need a couple (usually), so they don't have to work as hard to get them.

planemechanic

Is it really that hard to figure out?

eman13 to GA: Hello, I am interested in any bump opportunities, but I am a bit hard of hearing. If there is a chance you will offer any bumps I will be sitting right over there (cue to eman13 to point to a specific seat in the boarding area). Thank you.

Then a simple follow up if there is a delay, or multiple announcements that you don't quite catch.

Be proactive, it works much better that way.

jabbered

When do you sign up to receive them? Default in your FF profile?

How do you respond and say I'm interested? Time limit to respond?


Seems like text notifications would be too much work considering that texts for delays/cancellations aren't always done in a timely manner.

eman13

It sounds like too much work because the airline systems are ancient. Why is it complex ? check in to flight, select "yes i'd be interested in being bumped / join mile high club / free coffee" wtvr and bingo

writerguyfl

What you want would like cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars to implement. Potential costs include:

• Programming: Create a new relational database to integrates with the existing database without affecting functionality in existing software.
• Testing: Prior to implementation, test all software with the new database to ensure it doesn't accidentally break something.
• Training Plan: Create a new training program that explains the new procedure, including service recovery for people who claim they never received the text.
• Training Implementation: Train every single front-line employee and manager at every single airport.
• Service Recovery: Establish a compensation procedure to use when people complain about the new system.

Why would any airline do all of that when the low-tech combo of pen/paper/PA system already works for 99% of their customers?

eman13

I have gotten text alerts in the past, whats the big deal

writerguyfl

Seriously? The "big deal" would be the cost of implementing everything I documented.

Texting doesn't magically happen. Companies have to have procedures and software to ensure that the texts being sent are accurate. And, any new procedure requires training.

I think you have a solution in search of a problem.

pinniped

My experience with text alerts from airlines is that they're great several hours before a flight but always lag other forms of communication once I'm in the airport looking for real-time information. For example, a gate change: the GA will make the announcement, then I'll see it a minute or two later on the airport monitors, and then 20 minutes later I might get a text about it.

Since the vast majority of VDB activity is very fluid and very real-time, happening in a span of minutes before a flight closes, texting won't help. Even if they put in a process to allow a GA to send mass freeform texts, you won't even receive the text until long after they've found their volunteers and sent the flight on its way.

ironmanjt

But that's not fair to the visually-impaired. What you're suggesting is all announcements be made in both an audio and visual manner?

Zeeb

Plus bumping isn't a simple yes/no situation. Having a list like that would make things extremely complicated for a GA who does not have a lot of extra time.

I'm willing to be bumped from just about any flight. So I'd put my name on the list just about every time. But the amount I'd need to be offered can vary considerably, and I wouldn't be willing/able to make a final decision until I know the alternate routing options. Multiply that times anywhere from 50 passengers on an RJ to hundreds on an international flight and there's no way a GA would be able to talk to everybody and get the flight out on time. And it isn't like I could pre-select what combination of voucher/routing/upgrade is acceptable to me, as the seat availability on other flights is going to change from when I check in to when a volunteer is needed, especially if I check in online 24 hours before the flight.

The process works. This is, as already said, a solution in search of a problem. All the OP has to do in the future if they are willing to get bumped is go to the GA when they get to the gate and let them know. That's it. That's the solution. No need for anything else.

Loren Pechtel

If I were going to implement it it would be in the profile. Whether they can actually make it work is another matter...

Loren Pechtel

What new database? You have one new field in an existing database--text # to send prospective bump messages to. If the database handling code is well written this will have zero effect on anything else.

MaxBuck

Well, then, I guess you won't be getting the message. Tant pis.

I know I'll take flak for this, but the entitled attitude of the "disabled" is starting to seriously honk me off.

writerguyfl

I'm operating under the assumption that an airline would want to keep track of this type of activity. Since a single field has limits to the amount of data it can hold, you'd probably want to create a separate table that records each individual transaction. Regardless, whether it is a single field, a new table, or a new database, there would be costs involved with testing.

And, I know from experience that making changes to an existing database can muck things up. One of the hotels where I served as Revenue Manager was a beta-test site for our chain. One time, a change essentially broke the interface between the property management system and our PBX phone system. This led to no wake-up calls and very unhappy guests.

But, I made my point. The cost of training alone would kill this plan. If you have 1,000 gate agents who get paid $15/hour take a one-hour training, that's $15k right there. No airline would spend that when the current system works reasonably well. Not to mention the fact that advances in revenue management calculations have made "bumping" less common.

nlkm9

Audiologist here--As soon as you get to gate, identify yourself to gate agent and someone with a hearing issue--ask them to come get you if anything happens out of the ordinary as you might not be able to hear overhead announcements....