The auction/bid process gets complicated by the reaccommodation (next flights, hotels, etc.) factor. "Will you for the hotel?" "If I delay my trip by one day, can I change the return to have the same number of vacation days there?" "Will you pay for the lost prepaid hotel at my destination?" "Why not put me on Southwest?" "We could route you via Canada, but do you have a valid eTA?" Too complicated.

To simplify this and get the auction system working quickly without delaying the flight, how about the airline's proposal be for the airline to invite bids to "sell back your ticket and all its remaining segments". No other reaccommodation offered.

Passengers on their final leg who only need to go SFO-SMF, perhaps they will bid a relatively small amount and drive. Passengers on the first leg of SMF-SFO-NRT-ULN in F would probably bid quite high.

Passengers departing from home who have not yet started their trip may just reconsider their entire trip and go back home with cash in pocket. MRers would love this.

Passengers who still need to go on their trip would look at the costs of purchasing alternative last minute transportation, and possibly hotels, and bid accordingly.

Passengers with very urgent needs (doctors going to perform surgery, someone carrying organs for a transplant, going to your own wedding, reporting for military duty, UMs, etc.) would not even bid or would bid the equivalent to charter a private jet.

The airline could then pick the N lowest bids, without regards for needs to reaccommodate and possibly pax being dissatisfied with the reaccommodation.

This would save precious minutes of the GA time, helping the flight depart on time, would minimize the compensation payout, and all passengers would be happy.