Originally Posted by
eponymous_coward
Someone is always going to lose on these things. It's you. I wouldn't take it personally.
This is what AS offers for IDB:
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/ab...d-flights.aspx
Note the "Rebooked to arrive at your destination within 1 hr: No compensation". But in some cases you might come out ahead (if the delay in getting to your destination is long enough). Especially noted is that the compensation is entirely in cash (they cut you a check on the spot).
You do also have the right to hold out for F (original cabin booked) instead of traveling in Y (which would probably be what AS would do, refund your F->Y fare difference and try and get you there in an hour, maybe more).
Of course, holding out for 4 F seats doesn't help you if you're going on a cruise and they can't get you there in 4 F seats in time for your cruise, does it? It would be a rather high-stakes game of poker (and no, AS isn't liable for you missing your cruise if you decide to play chicken for IDB and stick to your guns for flying in F; that's consequential damages). They might not even be able to find 4 Y seats all together if you wait and do this at the time the flight is boarding.
All told, I'd probably accept the downgrade and offered compensation, given that trying to rebook at the very last minute for IDB could be chancy when it involves a cruise.
DOT rules do not breakdown seats by cabin. An oversold cabin is not the same thing as an oversold flight. If you are downgraded to a lower cabin of service and refuse to board in order to wait for a later flight, it would not be considered involuntary denied boarding for DOT compensation purposes.
http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ngrade-rights/
"Alaska does not guarantee allocation of any particular space in the aircraft. Seat assignments, regardless
of class of service, are not guaranteed and are subject to change without notice. Alaska reserves the right
to reseat a Passenger for any reason, including from a seat for which an additional fee has been paid,
and if a Passenger is improperly or erroneously upgraded to a different class of service. If a Passenger is
removed from a seat for which a fee has been paid, and the Passenger is not re-accommodated in the
same class of seat or a seat of equal or greater value, or if a Passenger is downgraded from a class of
service and is not re-accommodated in a seat of an equal or greater class of service for which a fee has
been paid, the Passenger may be eligible for a refund in accordance with Rule 16. "
Delta is a bit more specific in their CoC rules --
1) Conditions For Payment of Involuntary Denied Boarding Compensation
The passenger shall not be entitled to any compensation for involuntary denied boarding if:
c) Carriage in Alternative Cabin
Delta offers to accommodate the passenger in a section of the aircraft other than that
specified on his/her ticket at no extra charge; provided however that if a passenger is
seated in a section for which a lower fare applies, the passenger will be entitled to a
refund of the difference in fare.