Last edit by: Prospero
AA Bump Rates: Volunteer Compensation / Voluntary Denied Boarding
Passengers involuntarily denied boarding on AA are denied usually after calls for volunteers to accept vouchers (and occasionally variable other benefits), usually beginning at $200 or $300 but possibly going significantly higher, depending on passenger response. See more below, including AA Conditions of Carriage.
See IDB / Involuntarily Denied Boarding on AA & Compensation (master thread) for INVOLUNTARILY denied boarding.
Link to US Dept. of Transportation Aviation Consumer Protection Division's "Fly-Rights - A Consumer Guide to Air Travel" section on Overbooking
"IDB" (involuntarily denied boarding) compensation is governed in the USA by "14 CFR 250.5 - Amount of denied boarding compensation for passengers denied boarding involuntarily".
Link to CFR §250.5; as well:
14 CFR § 250.2b Carriers to request volunteers for denied boarding.
(a) In the event of an oversold flight, every carrier shall request volunteers for denied boarding before using any other boarding priority. A “volunteer” is a person who responds to the carrier's request for volunteers and who willingly accepts the carriers' offer of compensation, in any amount, in exchange for relinquishing the confirmed reserved space. Any other passenger denied boarding is considered for purposes of this part to have been denied boarding involuntarily, even if that passenger accepts the denied boarding compensation.
(b) Every carrier shall advise each passenger solicited to volunteer for denied boarding, no later than the time the carrier solicits that passenger to volunteer, whether he or she is in danger of being involuntarily denied boarding and, if so, the compensation the carrier is obligated to pay if the passenger is involuntarily denied boarding. If an insufficient number of volunteers come forward, the carrier may deny boarding to other passengers in accordance with its boarding priority rules.
14 CFR § 250.9 Written explanation of denied boarding compensation and boarding priorities, and verbal notification of denied boarding compensation.
(a) Every carrier shall furnish passengers who are denied boarding involuntarily from flights on which they hold confirmed reserved space immediately after the denied boarding occurs, a written statement explaining the terms, conditions, and limitations of denied boarding compensation, and describing the carriers' boarding priority rules and criteria. The carrier shall also furnish the statement to any person upon request at all airport ticket selling positions which are in the charge of a person employed exclusively by the carrier, or by it jointly with another person or persons, and at all boarding locations being used by the carrier.
Link to AA Conditions of Carriage, "Oversales"
In the European Union, EC261/2004 governs denied boarding compensation.
Link to EC261 / EC 261/2004 complaints and AA (master thread)
On American Airlines, you are sometimes ineligible for IDB as allowed by the USDOT:
If a flight is oversold (more passengers hold confirmed reservations than there are seats available), no one may be denied boarding against his or her will until airline personnel first ask for volunteers who will give up their reservation willingly, in exchange for compensation of the airline’s choosing. If there are not enough volunteers, other passengers may be denied boarding involuntarily in accordance with the following boarding priority of American. In such events, American will usually deny boarding based upon check-in time, but we may also consider factors such as severe hardships, fare paid, and status within the AAdvantage® program.
If you are denied boarding involuntarily, you are entitled to a payment of
‘‘denied boarding compensation’’ from the airline unless:
- You have not fully complied with the airline’s ticketing, check-in and reconfirmation requirements, or you are not acceptable for transportation under the airline’s usual rules and practices; or
- You are denied boarding because the flight is canceled; or
You are denied boarding because a smaller capacity aircraft was substituted for safety or operational reasons; or
- On a flight operated with an aircraft having 60 or fewer seats, you are denied boarding due to safety-related weight/balance restrictions that limit payload; or
- You are offered accommodations in a section of the aircraft other than specified in your ticket, at no extra charge (a passenger seated in a section for which a lower fare is charged must be given an appropriate refund); or
- The airline is able to place you on another flight or flights that are planned to reach your next stopover or final destination within one hour of the planned arrival time of your original flight.[/code]
The previous thread is http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
Passengers involuntarily denied boarding on AA are denied usually after calls for volunteers to accept vouchers (and occasionally variable other benefits), usually beginning at $200 or $300 but possibly going significantly higher, depending on passenger response. See more below, including AA Conditions of Carriage.
See IDB / Involuntarily Denied Boarding on AA & Compensation (master thread) for INVOLUNTARILY denied boarding.
Link to US Dept. of Transportation Aviation Consumer Protection Division's "Fly-Rights - A Consumer Guide to Air Travel" section on Overbooking
"IDB" (involuntarily denied boarding) compensation is governed in the USA by "14 CFR 250.5 - Amount of denied boarding compensation for passengers denied boarding involuntarily".
Link to CFR §250.5; as well:
14 CFR § 250.2b Carriers to request volunteers for denied boarding.
(a) In the event of an oversold flight, every carrier shall request volunteers for denied boarding before using any other boarding priority. A “volunteer” is a person who responds to the carrier's request for volunteers and who willingly accepts the carriers' offer of compensation, in any amount, in exchange for relinquishing the confirmed reserved space. Any other passenger denied boarding is considered for purposes of this part to have been denied boarding involuntarily, even if that passenger accepts the denied boarding compensation.
(b) Every carrier shall advise each passenger solicited to volunteer for denied boarding, no later than the time the carrier solicits that passenger to volunteer, whether he or she is in danger of being involuntarily denied boarding and, if so, the compensation the carrier is obligated to pay if the passenger is involuntarily denied boarding. If an insufficient number of volunteers come forward, the carrier may deny boarding to other passengers in accordance with its boarding priority rules.
14 CFR § 250.9 Written explanation of denied boarding compensation and boarding priorities, and verbal notification of denied boarding compensation.
(a) Every carrier shall furnish passengers who are denied boarding involuntarily from flights on which they hold confirmed reserved space immediately after the denied boarding occurs, a written statement explaining the terms, conditions, and limitations of denied boarding compensation, and describing the carriers' boarding priority rules and criteria. The carrier shall also furnish the statement to any person upon request at all airport ticket selling positions which are in the charge of a person employed exclusively by the carrier, or by it jointly with another person or persons, and at all boarding locations being used by the carrier.
Link to AA Conditions of Carriage, "Oversales"
In the European Union, EC261/2004 governs denied boarding compensation.
Link to EC261 / EC 261/2004 complaints and AA (master thread)
On American Airlines, you are sometimes ineligible for IDB as allowed by the USDOT:
If a flight is oversold (more passengers hold confirmed reservations than there are seats available), no one may be denied boarding against his or her will until airline personnel first ask for volunteers who will give up their reservation willingly, in exchange for compensation of the airline’s choosing. If there are not enough volunteers, other passengers may be denied boarding involuntarily in accordance with the following boarding priority of American. In such events, American will usually deny boarding based upon check-in time, but we may also consider factors such as severe hardships, fare paid, and status within the AAdvantage® program.
If you are denied boarding involuntarily, you are entitled to a payment of
‘‘denied boarding compensation’’ from the airline unless:
- You have not fully complied with the airline’s ticketing, check-in and reconfirmation requirements, or you are not acceptable for transportation under the airline’s usual rules and practices; or
- You are denied boarding because the flight is canceled; or
You are denied boarding because a smaller capacity aircraft was substituted for safety or operational reasons; or
- On a flight operated with an aircraft having 60 or fewer seats, you are denied boarding due to safety-related weight/balance restrictions that limit payload; or
- You are offered accommodations in a section of the aircraft other than specified in your ticket, at no extra charge (a passenger seated in a section for which a lower fare is charged must be given an appropriate refund); or
- The airline is able to place you on another flight or flights that are planned to reach your next stopover or final destination within one hour of the planned arrival time of your original flight.[/code]
The previous thread is http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...solidated.html
AA Bump Rates; compensation for VDB / Voluntary Denied Boarding (master thread)
#16
used to be 'Flyfarfar'
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: SE
Programs: DL, AA, SPG, MR, HGP, IHG
Posts: 660
On a previous connecting flight AA offered $500 for volunteers. When I approached the counter I wouldve been #12 on the volunteer list. I asked the agent if I volunteer for $400 instead of the $500 could he put me as #1? He said YES, of course. They needed 6 passengers and I received my $400 voucher and was rebooked on CO, 6 hrs later.
So I stood by the gate and if 2 F class passengers had shown up they would have been -1 and I wouldve got the bump. Instead he took time to pull 2 Platinums up to first and I ended up in a bulk head with an empty seat next to me.
Really appreciated them taking the time to get the next status level into F as opposed to what DL usually does of just putting last to board in F. DL does offer min of $400 voucher now though.
Thanks for all the responses.
#17
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: HKG/LHR/JFK
Programs: AA EXP, BAEC Bronze, DL Plat UA, HHonors Platinum, SPG Gold, Hyatt
Posts: 3,253
On a previous connecting flight AA offered $500 for volunteers. When I approached the counter I wouldve been #12 on the volunteer list. I asked the agent if I volunteer for $400 instead of the $500 could he put me as #1? He said YES, of course. They needed 6 passengers and I received my $400 voucher and was rebooked on CO, 6 hrs later.
#18
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: AA
Posts: 68
#19
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I saw $300 and confirmed seat on a flight three hours later, DFW-SMF, Monday. I did not jump at that one.
I'd say a $300 voucher sounds typical. An overnight, I'd be trolling for more or at least $300 + hotel and meal vouchers, assuming I chose to be in the game.
Best I've seen was $1,000 vouchers and confirmed J seat the next day for a flight to NRT. The response was classically Pavlovian, and very speedy indeed.
I'd say a $300 voucher sounds typical. An overnight, I'd be trolling for more or at least $300 + hotel and meal vouchers, assuming I chose to be in the game.
Best I've seen was $1,000 vouchers and confirmed J seat the next day for a flight to NRT. The response was classically Pavlovian, and very speedy indeed.
#20
Join Date: May 2003
Location: USA
Posts: 380
Best I've seen was 4 years ago on a DFW-MEX flight that was oversold by 20. With very few volunteers, the offer went up to US$1,300 in a voucher. I was on that flight and I could not volunteer because it was the only time in my life that I flew on a Non-Rev ticket booked in "E" (if I remember correctly). Since I was on my way back from a visit to AA's Corporate Headquarters with a ticket paid by them, the CSR tried to get me off the flight and she couldn't. She told me she needed a high rank supervisor to approve it on the system...
#21
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: San Francisco
Programs: United GS, IHG Plat, SPG Gold, Marriott Plat
Posts: 260
Couple of weeks ago, I volunteered to be bumped from a SJC-ORD flight for a connecting flight through DFW. (2 hr difference). I was glad to be bumped as I wanted to attend a conference call which I would have missed with my original flight.
I got $300 voucher. Additionally since I had upgraded my original flight using stickers, I asked GA to make sure that I can get upgraded on the alternate flight. Not only did GA make sure that I was upgraded, she did not even use any stickers for that. Thank you AA.
I got $300 voucher. Additionally since I had upgraded my original flight using stickers, I asked GA to make sure that I can get upgraded on the alternate flight. Not only did GA make sure that I was upgraded, she did not even use any stickers for that. Thank you AA.
#22
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Alexandria, Va. USA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, DL Silver, UA Gold, *A Gold, OW Emerald
Posts: 1,492
I generally get $300 for a domestic, mainland delay of a few hours. I especially like getting bumped out of LHR where the compensation is usually $600 to $800. Out of LHR I never book an early morning flight or the last flight of the day.
#23
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: V-Flyer Black
Posts: 329
Flight overbooked NOT Weather
Hey there. I am booked DCA-ORD on Thursday 12/24. I checked expertflyer and the flight is zero'ed out. In fact all the AA flights and most of the UA flights are zero'ed out. And I do not have an assigned seat.
What should I expected it I were to get bumped or vol? The flight is overbooked.
What should I expected it I were to get bumped or vol? The flight is overbooked.
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: SJC/VCE
Programs: AA PLT (2.9+ MM), HH GLD, Hyatt Diamond, SPG PLT
Posts: 10,161
The flight could well be zeroed out as a result of the recent weather. A lot of people still need to be re-accommodated. Numerous seats are still under airport control so no seat now doesn't mean no seat at all.
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: SJC/VCE
Programs: AA PLT (2.9+ MM), HH GLD, Hyatt Diamond, SPG PLT
Posts: 10,161
The bump policy: depends on the flight, the number of volunteers needed and the timing of the next available flight. Usually a couple of hundred dollars in the form of a voucher.
#27
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: V-Flyer Black
Posts: 329
Ahh cool. I would LOVE to get a few hundred in credit. I need a cheap South American trip.....
Thanks bdemaria. ^
I am a normal Star Alliance flyer (Have miles credited to SQ for the one way awards that UA does not offer and lounge access).
That all said, I started to fly AA as I get lounge access via my AmEx Plat card. I do like AA except having to pay for booze in the lounge and some of the flight attendants are cocky and rude. Overall, a solid US based airline.
Thanks bdemaria. ^
I am a normal Star Alliance flyer (Have miles credited to SQ for the one way awards that UA does not offer and lounge access).
That all said, I started to fly AA as I get lounge access via my AmEx Plat card. I do like AA except having to pay for booze in the lounge and some of the flight attendants are cocky and rude. Overall, a solid US based airline.
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
Programs: AA EXP, 6MM; BA GLD
Posts: 17,249
While there always is a chance on a bump, don't get your hopes up. Lots of flights get zeroed out every day for a variety of reasons, yet bumps are very rare, even if the flight is in fact oversold (which it probably isn't).
Last edited by Blumie; Dec 21, 2009 at 7:59 am
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 10,949