Originally Posted by
DiverDave
I think that's a good summary.
As far as I can recall, the FT wisdom to date has been that your bid at check-in is not binding or limiting. Based on that, it is hardly out of line to negotiate at the gate. And I would have been peeved to be told that no flight leaving today would be paying a higher VDB, and find that statement to be erroneous.
But it seems that the check-in bid is now limiting. If that's the policy now, that's an important change.
David
One agent, one flight, all according to one FT person who was so angry that s(he) went up two levels of complaint over it.
That doesn't "seem" anything.
Bottom line is that VDB is a reverse auction. If the GA had four offers at $500, why on earth would the GA offer OP more if all the GA had to do was say no to OP and move on to the next passenger?
The sole reason for dealing with these things with the passenger in front of the GA is that the GA is evaluated for getting the flight out on time, not for paltry VDB's. If DL wanted to make something of this, it would offer a bonus to GA's who can get out of an oversell for less than some specified average.
There are probably a lot of people out there who would be thrilled to wait a couple of hours in return for a $50 meal voucher they can put on a tab at the bar across from the gate.