Mar 31, 2016, 5:15 pm
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)
Sep 13, 2016, 2:26 pm
#421
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
One of my flights, flight 1767 from DFW to ORD does not show up for sale on AA's website, whether you try to book that segment alone or as part of an itinerary connecting to another flight. Does this mean that the flight is "full" or that AA is simply holding seats? Any thoughts?
Sep 14, 2016, 9:03 am
#422
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: CLE
Programs: UA, AA Plat Pro, DL, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 477
My flight is actually next Sunday (9/25), which is why I found it unusual not to see it for sale. I've been on that flight once before... it's usually a madhouse.
Sep 19, 2016, 1:28 pm
#424
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 4,044
TYS-CLT next sunday only one flight is showing for sale. it's the tennessee/florida weekend so i'm expecting the flights to be over.
the regional sites on football weekends tend to be crazy. i'll report back.
the regional sites on football weekends tend to be crazy. i'll report back.
Sep 19, 2016, 7:02 pm
#425
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,318
They were offering $1000 plus hotel on LIH-LAX today.
I was in F and didn't think I would have gotten F on the next flight (nothing when I checked last night) but it turns out the was a pair of F on the connection. I'm guessing they would have used my offer last if it meant giving me stage last 2F seats the next day.
Roller coaster day travel wise. First told, via phone, I was getting an involuntary downgrade ($500 comp). Then at the airport, I was ok but my wife was denied boarding. While in line for them sorting out the volunteers, they reversed themselves and said we are good to go.
So I'm happy didn't accept the $500 the day before, but wonder whether we should have taken the $2k )assuming they might have put us in F, a big if).
By the way, Expertflyer showed y7 even though the seat map had only 3 seats open. And AA.com was also selling seats. That's one screwed up operation if it could actually be bought.
I was in F and didn't think I would have gotten F on the next flight (nothing when I checked last night) but it turns out the was a pair of F on the connection. I'm guessing they would have used my offer last if it meant giving me stage last 2F seats the next day.
Roller coaster day travel wise. First told, via phone, I was getting an involuntary downgrade ($500 comp). Then at the airport, I was ok but my wife was denied boarding. While in line for them sorting out the volunteers, they reversed themselves and said we are good to go.
So I'm happy didn't accept the $500 the day before, but wonder whether we should have taken the $2k )assuming they might have put us in F, a big if).
By the way, Expertflyer showed y7 even though the seat map had only 3 seats open. And AA.com was also selling seats. That's one screwed up operation if it could actually be bought.
Sep 27, 2016, 4:26 pm
#426
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 4,044
so TYS was a zoo on sunday. pretty much every flight was oversold. mine to CLT was but they could not get me out until the next day so i didn't even bother asking what comp was. stupid me. flight was delayed by two hours and i missed my connection in CLT so overnighted anyway!
CLT yesterday was a madhouse as well. weather cause so many delays.
CLT yesterday was a madhouse as well. weather cause so many delays.
Oct 6, 2016, 10:10 am
#427
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: Hyatt Globalist | Jumpseat Platinum
Posts: 546
CLT-CUN, flight has something wrong with a row of seats. They need 3 to come off the (full) plane. Announced a $700 voucher to the whole plane, with seats on the first flight out tomorrow morning.
Dec 13, 2016, 11:24 pm
#428
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: MAD
Programs: LATAMPass Gold, AA Gold, DL Silver Medallion
Posts: 456
any recent experiences? I'm embarking on a long trip from MSP to LIM next week with carry on only hoping to take a bump (stopping at ORD and DFW), any idea of how this season is looking?
Dec 22, 2016, 2:07 pm
#430
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 989
hey guys, quick question, i see my flight this saturday from LGA-DFW is zeroed on in expertflyer, so i am assuming its overbooked. I am actually connecting at DFW to HKG. I would like to get a free voucher for a bump if offered on my first leg of travel, but what will AA do for the rest of my flights? Also, not sure if it matters, but my SWU cleared for DFW-HKG, but if I take the bump, I won't make the once daily flight. Will I be put on a partner and be protected in Business class? Thanks
Dec 22, 2016, 2:49 pm
#431
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
hey guys, quick question, i see my flight this saturday from LGA-DFW is zeroed on in expertflyer, so i am assuming its overbooked. I am actually connecting at DFW to HKG. I would like to get a free voucher for a bump if offered on my first leg of travel, but what will AA do for the rest of my flights? Also, not sure if it matters, but my SWU cleared for DFW-HKG, but if I take the bump, I won't make the once daily flight. Will I be put on a partner and be protected in Business class? Thanks
If they did select you, they would probably try to send you to HKG via JFK or another hub that goes there. They may or may not use partners and they may or may not put you in J - this all depends on how desperate they are for volunteers. But, if you are going in expecting a voucher, still going through DFW, being protected in J, and flying partners, you will likely be disappointed.
Dec 22, 2016, 3:42 pm
#432
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 989
Honestly, with all this "baggage" (no pun intended), even if the flight ends up oversold at the gate, it's unlikely they will take you. Especially given your expectations now include partners flights and protected in J.
If they did select you, they would probably try to send you to HKG via JFK or another hub that goes there. They may or may not use partners and they may or may not put you in J - this all depends on how desperate they are for volunteers. But, if you are going in expecting a voucher, still going through DFW, being protected in J, and flying partners, you will likely be disappointed.
If they did select you, they would probably try to send you to HKG via JFK or another hub that goes there. They may or may not use partners and they may or may not put you in J - this all depends on how desperate they are for volunteers. But, if you are going in expecting a voucher, still going through DFW, being protected in J, and flying partners, you will likely be disappointed.
Dec 22, 2016, 4:35 pm
#433
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: CLE
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 5,538
LGA-CLE last weekend. Expert Flyer showed F0Y0. I approached the GA as soon as he showed. Said "full" not over. I wandered off and when I got back about 15min later he flagged me down. Had to add a non rev pilot to the flight. Could get me on a much later flight for $400. Having scanned EF, I countered with "can't you put me on LGA-DCA-CLE leaving/arriving much sooner on UA? He said no problem then handed off the rebooking to a rookie who was lost trying to book UA. After about 15min a veteran showed up and had me rebooked in about a minute. Gave me $500 for the 'inconvenience' - Ha!
Dec 24, 2016, 2:58 pm
#434
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: MAD
Programs: LATAMPass Gold, AA Gold, DL Silver Medallion
Posts: 456
Checking in early at DFW on my way to LIM (21st night) I asked the gate agent if they were oversold/booked. She confirmed they would need 10 volunteers (and on her way also mentioned that they would only be able to accomodate me in the next flight, which was also oversold), $800 plus hotel and food vouchers. I offered to be bumped, and was told to wait until boarding was complete.
Unfortunatelly there was a large group of people (12 plus) missing the flight due to a delayed connection so they did not need me. I'm going to try my luck on the LIM-DFW, but I've heard they won't offer so much.
Unfortunatelly there was a large group of people (12 plus) missing the flight due to a delayed connection so they did not need me. I'm going to try my luck on the LIM-DFW, but I've heard they won't offer so much.