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)
#526
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,158
VDB offer report:
Was flying PHX-DCA (connection; flew into PHX from SMF). PHX-DCA was oversold, the GA was offering $550 for about ~2.5 hours later arrival into DCA (PHX-ORD-DCA). Said no meal voucher would be offered as the PHX-ORD would be less than 2 hours away from the original PHX-DCA. Asked to be put in F, was told F was unavailable (this despite the app showing F as available). As I had to work the next day, and would have to take an Uber/Lyft due to the later arrival into DCA and public transportation options being closed by then, I declined. The lack of meal voucher and no willingness to put me in F was also a factor. I asked if she would offer more than $550, and she said no.
In hindsight, perhaps I could've taken it for $550, but I'd get into DCA later, have no public transportation home, no meal voucher, and not being seated into F... didn't feel it was really worth it.
Was flying PHX-DCA (connection; flew into PHX from SMF). PHX-DCA was oversold, the GA was offering $550 for about ~2.5 hours later arrival into DCA (PHX-ORD-DCA). Said no meal voucher would be offered as the PHX-ORD would be less than 2 hours away from the original PHX-DCA. Asked to be put in F, was told F was unavailable (this despite the app showing F as available). As I had to work the next day, and would have to take an Uber/Lyft due to the later arrival into DCA and public transportation options being closed by then, I declined. The lack of meal voucher and no willingness to put me in F was also a factor. I asked if she would offer more than $550, and she said no.
In hindsight, perhaps I could've taken it for $550, but I'd get into DCA later, have no public transportation home, no meal voucher, and not being seated into F... didn't feel it was really worth it.
Last edited by MrAndy1369; Jul 31, 2018 at 9:03 am
#527
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: CLE
Programs: UA, AA Plat Pro, DL, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 476
8/4 - CLE-->ORD oversold by one. $300 voucher offered and taken - next flight out was about 3 hours later. I now have $600 in AA vouchers... not sure if I should spend them on my monthly travel to DFW or find an excuse to go somewhere else!
#528
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
$100/hr is my minimum for VDB... so I would say that's a good deal, and I would probably take it.
I never overnight for less than $1000 VDB anymore. Just a rule of thumb.
#529
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SMF
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 77
8/4 AA 685 DCA-PHX overbooked by 2. Asked for volunteers giving a $570 voucher to those who "have flexible plans". 3 people volunteered (one couple and myself). Ended up not needing me (or thought so) and told me to board. Lo and behold a GA walked on the plane and told me to go and talk to customer service as "there is a problem with my ticket"! I grab my stuff and walk out. In the jetbridge, I meet the elderly couple and a young girl (who probably took my seat) walking towards the plane. They close the door right after I exit and they tell me that they ended up needing my seat as they didn't want to split the elderly couple (someone no showed). They rebooked me on a flight the following day at 7:05am. I was pretty unhappy that they gave away my seat without telling me my alternatives and that the agent lied to me about "an issue with my ticket".
Next day's flight ended up being cancelled due to mechanical so I spent 10 hours at DCA. Pretty much every flight out was oversold (bad weather in the NE). The bump rates ranged from $300 (shorter flights) all the way to $900 (for a flight to PBI).
Next day's flight ended up being cancelled due to mechanical so I spent 10 hours at DCA. Pretty much every flight out was oversold (bad weather in the NE). The bump rates ranged from $300 (shorter flights) all the way to $900 (for a flight to PBI).
#530
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
8/4 AA 685 DCA-PHX overbooked by 2. Asked for volunteers giving a $570 voucher to those who "have flexible plans". 3 people volunteered (one couple and myself). Ended up not needing me (or thought so) and told me to board. Lo and behold a GA walked on the plane and told me to go and talk to customer service as "there is a problem with my ticket"! I grab my stuff and walk out. In the jetbridge, I meet the elderly couple and a young girl (who probably took my seat) walking towards the plane. They close the door right after I exit and they tell me that they ended up needing my seat as they didn't want to split the elderly couple (someone no showed). They rebooked me on a flight the following day at 7:05am. I was pretty unhappy that they gave away my seat without telling me my alternatives and that the agent lied to me about "an issue with my ticket".
Next day's flight ended up being cancelled due to mechanical so I spent 10 hours at DCA. Pretty much every flight out was oversold (bad weather in the NE). The bump rates ranged from $300 (shorter flights) all the way to $900 (for a flight to PBI).
Next day's flight ended up being cancelled due to mechanical so I spent 10 hours at DCA. Pretty much every flight out was oversold (bad weather in the NE). The bump rates ranged from $300 (shorter flights) all the way to $900 (for a flight to PBI).
#531
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: CLE
Programs: UA, AA Plat Pro, DL, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 476
Question for you: Would that rule remain if you did an overnight VDB at your "home" airport?
#532
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
Yep.. at the end of the day, its about lost time for me... whether I'm stuck at home or away. Being stuck at home is always nice, but I still lose time away from what I had planned, and therefore my $100/hr rule applies.
#533
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
#534
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SMF
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 77
On that note, I think this case, as described, is worth a write-in to AA, as I believe the gate agents did not follow rules.. you basically were denied boarding, and you may have some recourse for additional compensation...... @ngls
Thinking now if I should write to AA as I've complained a few times lately due to their constant mess ups and I don't want to get blacklisted!
#535
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
I see where you are coming from but I am wondering if signing that VDB voucher relinquishes all future claims. Also, I told the gate agent that you never told me what my options are before you gave away my seat. She was pretty aggressive and said "You never asked!" I was like I want to make sure that I get home before noon tomorrow and then she worked out an itinerary for me which would work that (regardless if I got stuck in DCA for the whole day due to the delay).
#536
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,994
They can come on the plane and say 'looks like we need your seat' and you can simply say, "I changed my mind" with no further statement and that is the end of it unless they want to deny you boarding. Write the letter without emotion and state the facts as you have here.
#537
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,207
Yes, you relinquish any claims arising from the VDB by accepting the voucher. You could try writing to corporate, but I wouldn't expect them to cave. I agree with others that was bushleague. I haven't had a VDB on AA in a good while, so I'll have to keep an eye for that trick in the future. Thanks for sharing!
#538
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
Yes, you relinquish any claims arising from the VDB by accepting the voucher. You could try writing to corporate, but I wouldn't expect them to cave. I agree with others that was bushleague. I haven't had a VDB on AA in a good while, so I'll have to keep an eye for that trick in the future. Thanks for sharing!
In any situation like this, do not sign the voucher if you are not happy with the proposal. If you didn't sign it, you would be due IDB compensation in this case, and I think the case would have been easy to argue for.
Just make sure you provide as much information (no emotions... just facts) about what happened, where it happened (flight #, gate, time, airport, etc. etc. etc.), the exact sequence of events, etc. etc. etc.... that will help them identify the agent and get the information they need to evaluate your situation.
#539
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 3,698
In this situation, it's kind of unclear since there was an expression of interest interest in VDB, so AA could claim it's voluntary, but if you were unhappy with the way AA handles it from this point out I think it would be reasonable to assert that AA basically tricked you into getting off the plane and then offered you a deal you wouldn't have accepted up front, so you don't consider the situation voluntary and AA wouldn't allow you back on the plane so you consider yourself to have been IDBed. (I'd make the assertion first to AA and then to the DOT if AA doesn't agree.)
#540
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
Actually, the DOT is totally clear on this: unless you have an option to stay on the flight, it's IDB. The airline doesn't get to turn it into VDB after the fact by having you sign for a voucher.
In this situation, it's kind of unclear since there was an expression of interest interest in VDB, so AA could claim it's voluntary, but if you were unhappy with the way AA handles it from this point out I think it would be reasonable to assert that AA basically tricked you into getting off the plane and then offered you a deal you wouldn't have accepted up front, so you don't consider the situation voluntary and AA wouldn't allow you back on the plane so you consider yourself to have been IDBed. (I'd make the assertion first to AA and then to the DOT if AA doesn't agree.)
In this situation, it's kind of unclear since there was an expression of interest interest in VDB, so AA could claim it's voluntary, but if you were unhappy with the way AA handles it from this point out I think it would be reasonable to assert that AA basically tricked you into getting off the plane and then offered you a deal you wouldn't have accepted up front, so you don't consider the situation voluntary and AA wouldn't allow you back on the plane so you consider yourself to have been IDBed. (I'd make the assertion first to AA and then to the DOT if AA doesn't agree.)