jwhite4 asks
If you have First/Business class seats (whether purchased or upgraded), and you give them up to be bumped, are you likely to get F/B class on the rebooked flight? If I gave up my first rebooked BE seat for a 2nd rebooked coach one (maybe no room in BE), could I expect/ask for any extra compensation? How about a systemwide upgrade voucher to use on a subsequent flight?
At least on United, I've had exactly that happen (bump w/ upgrade; re-bump w/ downgrade)...and I got an upgrade voucher to use on a subsequent flight (North American, not systemwide...my original flight was ORD-SFO).
Wiirachay, it's interesting that NW considers an upgrade on the substitute flight to be sufficient compensation for the bump. Then again, you're talking transPacific, so the upgrade is a lot more significant than between, say, Chicago and Orlando.
In general, for voluntary bumping it's whatever you can negotiate with the airline - there are no government "rules". Hence some airlines use vouchers, some give roundtrip tickets, NW uses just an upgrade
. While you may be upgraded on the future flight, I wouldn't count on it...but then again, I've been upgraded on the
original flight just for volunteering! But that was in the early days of FF programs; today an elite (me!) would probably get that upgrade.
For
involuntary bumps, there
are government rules, starting IIRC with next flight and basically a full refund. That's why I'm surprised NW is so cheap. But airlines want to avoid involuntary bumps because of the expense and also the ill will, both from the affected traveler and the public at large who sees it in the statistics. Hence they'll make these $1,000 offers from time to time - it's better than having to do an involuntary bump.
Captain Mike, I've never understood why most people are unwilling to bump either. Can't conceive of doing something "spontaneous," I guess. But lets not clue them in, OK
?
[This message has been edited by johna (edited 07-12-2000).]