Originally Posted by
G-fly
So this brings me to two other questions:
1. What is the likelihood of the agent allowing me to use non-UA/CO metal? Should I prepare routing for *A or will any airline do?
2. What is the likelihood of the agent giving me a hotel room for the night and a flight for the next morning? If I offer to pay for the hotel room myself would that help?
Get to the gate at least an hour a half early and let the agent know right away that you would like to volunteer. Also ask if they are oversold. I wouldn't start offering alternative routings right off the bat, just get on the volunteer list, be helpful, and hang around the counter. You can work all the routing, hotel, meal, and other details later. (BTW those look like really good candidates for a bump).
You will only be put on non-UA metal as a very last resort. This costs the airline a lot more, so they will route you all over to avoid this, good for a MR.
If you aren't elite the likelihood of a hotel are lower. However, with a bump this is negotiable. I would suggest that once the bump is available and they are looking at routings that require you to stay overnight, casually ask if it is possible to get a hotel with an overnight stay. You will almost always get it and if they don't you can always pull the bump. Ask for a dinner voucher as well. Good luck!