Originally Posted by
BigOrangeTerp
Roger that, thanks! I did some searches and it sounds like an IDB is really rare... someone almost always volunteers before they bump a passenger. I doubt the airline likes it either since it sounds like they give cash compensation for IDBs.
Please read post #2. It's probably NOT a issue of overbooking or volunteers. Most likely, if I look at the seat map for your flight, I'll see many empty seats, but you will see them as blocked off. If you had posted the flight numbers, someone with status would probably have looked it up for you and given you specifics.
So the fact that you have no seat assignment means that you are now more likely to get one of the better seats. (Don't get too excited; they're not that much better, and of course you could be stuck in a middle seat.)