I wish I'd found this web site months (or years) ago!
United has taken good care of me with VBDs over the years, including a long string of free tickets (plus hotels, meals, etc.) as compensation in the late 80s, especially during late connections at ORD on my way back to SFO, usually on flights originating in Boston or New York.
Two weeks ago, I did a MSP-LAX round trip via DEN. On the outgoing DEN-LAX flight, I volunteered, got the new "standard" $400 travel credit and was on a new flight (exact same seat in E+) an hour later, so that was a no-brainer, and quite satisfying!
On the return flight on July 28th, they had an equipment change in LAX to a smaller plane and had to bump 40-plus passengers. I was so exhausted that by the time I heard (and understood) that they again needed VDBs, the line was a mile long. Forty five minutes of standing in line later, they started boarding and I decided to duck out of the still-long line and go aboard since I'd already been bumped to a confirmed seat in 1st Class. That's a territory I rarely get to indulge in, and the thought of treating myself to a comfy ride home won out.
Now that I've been reading all of the VBD stories in this thread, I'll take a more proactive approach on all future flights where I have flexibility in my itinerary.
I have two questions, if anyone knows an answer?
1. Do I actually have to go to a ticket counter at the airport to make a flight purchase using these new TCs, or can I make a reservation (not purchase) on United.com (if that's even allowed any more?) and call in to confirm, then mail the travel credits to United like the way former "paper" credits were done? What have been your experiences so far in actually redeeming the new TCs?
2. The TCs terms and conditions say that "Only Travel Credit Exchange Coupons with the same serial number (Those contained within the same booklet) are combinable. If I read this at face value, it sounds pretty straight forward, but after reading stories of FT members who are accepting multiple booklets of $400 each from multiple bumps, has anyone had success combining them, or will each have to be applied to a different future itinerary?
Sorry for the rookie questions!
