VDB but no voucher if can get there earlier?
(Mods, please fix title if too ambiguous, I'm running on too little sleep. Or merge into an existing thread if there is one.)
I was flying CAE-CLT-PHL last week. When I arrived at the gate at CAE, GA announced they were oversold and was offering a $300 voucher for volunteering one's seat. I wasn't in a big hurry, so I offered mine up, and suggested they put me on a later direct CAE-PHL flight. The GA took my BP and said she'd let me know if she ended up needing me.
A few min later, she came to where I was sitting and said they could use me, but because the direct flight would get me to PHL earlier than my original itinerary, I would not be entitled to the voucher. So I of course declined, as I'd not only get nothing in return, but would be giving up 500 EQMs, 1 EQS, and my F upgrade on CLT-PHL, since CAE-PHL is on a CR2.
Is this really the policy? I've never heard this before. If so, it's pretty crappy from AA since giving up a seat on an oversold flight keeps them from IDB-ing someone and having to pay actual cash money.