I have had success with taking the bump, but not accepting the free ticket as compensation, and then writing a letter to Customer Service asking for compensation. On another occasion, I accepted the free ticket (as I did not mind that particular time), but I wrote Customer Service to clarify the policy and they offered to exchange the free ticket voucher for travel credits if I still wanted them. I thought that was very good of them since I specifically wrote in that letter that I was not looking to exchange and only wanted clarification.

Personally, I am no longer interested in seeing how many people I can ask at the airport about it, since Customer Service has been accommodating. I have not been able to try my new tactic, but it is ask once at the gate, and if they say no, write Customer Service. It takes 4 weeks for a response, but less stress and a positive outcome.

BillJ