Used to fly between Pittsburgh and Phila. every few months on a particular case, so we came to know the flights pretty well. US Air dominates both hubs, so no competition. My colleagues and I knew that the Friday 5 and 6 pm departures from PIT to PHL would always be overbooked, so we would book them just to get free tickets, and would make sure that we were first in line to offer to be bumped. once, however, I offered to be bumped on the 6 pm departure, got bumped without two of my partners (who got on the 6 pm) got a free ticket, got put on the 7 pm plane. The 6 pm plane just sat there because of bad weather, and because of gate location, the 7 pm plane actually got away and into takeoff line earlier, and I got to PHL about 15 minutes before my two partners. when I landed and saw they hadn't come in yet, I couldn't resist waiting for them at their gate, and flashing my free ticket.

Djlawman