Originally Posted by
chrisl137
They don't have to- all you need is enough reasonable bids to clear the overbooking. If you don't want to give up your seat, don't play the game. It will become the new mileage run.
This.
Start in the app, then augment with a manual process if you need to.
Most "typical" VDB situations - the flight is 3 hours later and people are getting $400-ish in funny money - will handle themselves easily enough and save time at the gate. People with complicated routings beyond the overbooked flight won't play, but on most routes that's fine.
The atypical ones - overnight stays, insufficient volunteers in the app - can be followed up with gate announcements.