Originally Posted by JerseyCityS
Another example.
I remember once being ticketed from EWR-CLE-FLL.......in 2003 i'd say. Got to the airport, and decided "what was I thinking" about stopping in CLE, and there was a nonstop leaving to FLL........I asked to get on, and they said it would cost.......there were two of us. I said no, and they left the 757 depart with empty seats. I went to CLE, and the connection was overbooked. They ended up giving us travel certificates and put us on the next flight, plus a hotel.
Terrible business. They let a 757 going to our destination back out with empty seats, and then they paid us to get off a nonstop from CLE FLL, plus a hotel becuase it was overbooked by TWO. Idiotic business. CO deserves to not make a profit. Just plain dumb behavior on their part. I'm glad that 757 left on time, and had empties it, while they paid for us to get off the CLE FLL flight. Plus, we got more useless miles!
I ran into this samething a couple of times in the past year.
I simply called the Elite Desk and informed that there was room on a Non-stop and that my connection out of IAH was showing it as being oversold. They were very thrilled to book me on the Non-stop instead and save what might hav ebeen having to give a DBV away. Out of the 4 times 2 of the flights did in fact take off with empties, 1 Full no DBVs and the other they needed Vols.
OK why did I switch if there was an op for a DBV. 1-most of my connections were around 40 mins and I figured by the time I got to the Gate I wouldnt be needed, 2- Twice I wasnt able to Vol even if asked as I needed to be be somewhere by a certain time.
But as long as the flight you will be connecting to looks to be Oversold or Full, theres a good chance that the Elite Desk will work with you andNot charge for the changes either.