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 airlines 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 airlines ticketing, check-in and reconfirmation requirements, or you are not acceptable for transportation under the airlines 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 airlines 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 airlines ticketing, check-in and reconfirmation requirements, or you are not acceptable for transportation under the airlines 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)
#1
used to be 'Flyfarfar'
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: SE
Programs: DL, AA, SPG, MR, HGP, IHG
Posts: 660
AA Bump Rates; compensation for VDB / Voluntary Denied Boarding (master thread)
I'm a Delta refugee trying out AA this week.
Tonight my flight from MIA is oversold and they will need volunteers.
My question is: What is the typical AA bump offer for an overnight stay of around 10 hours?
Tonight my flight from MIA is oversold and they will need volunteers.
My question is: What is the typical AA bump offer for an overnight stay of around 10 hours?
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 10,940
$$ amount varies on how bad they want volunteer(s). If it's over night then it will include hotel and vouchers to cover the minimal cost of meals at the hotel. Voucher will be good for 12 months.
#4
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SLC
Programs: AA EXP, DL GLD, STARWOOD GLD, HH SLVR, HYATT GLD, GPP SLVR
Posts: 163
#7
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Canterbury, United Kingdom
Programs: AA EXP & 2MM, Marriott PLT, Hilton GLD, SPG PLT, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 204
Not an exact equivalent but they were offering $800 for LHR-JFK bumps on Saturday which we took, swapping an 8.30am flight for the 4.45pm one...
T
T
#8
Join Date: May 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM; UA 1K; AA 1MM
Posts: 4,298
Fair value is a judgment call you will have to make. I will say that $300 seems to be in the common range for AA, for a bump like this. I believe they highest I've ever seen is $350. (but I don't see bumps often)
#9
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: PEK
Programs: UA Premier Silver, SPG Gold
Posts: 128
Btw, my understanding is that they have to give the same amount to all bumped pax on the same flight, so you should always be sure to ask if a higher value was given out to someone else when they are preparing your voucher.
#10
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Boston, MA (BOS)
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, DL Gold, UA Silver, Marriott Ambassador + LT Plat, COFC Venture X, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 5,582
While it may certainly be worthwhile to John Smith, it may not be worthwhile to Jon Smith.
#11
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Everywhere
Programs: AA EXP - 3.7MM, Bonv LIFETIME Titan, HH Dmd, Hyatt Glob., Priority Clb Dmd, Ntnl Exec El., Sixt PLT
Posts: 1,653
$300 for a mainland bump are fairly standard now days. An overnight bump about 10 years ago would be $500 + hotel and food. I do not think you can go that high anymore.
#12
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 606
ORD-SFO, $500 'DV' + hotel. No food stamps were offered though, but I haven't required them.

#13
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: USA, Europe
Programs: AAdvantage, Flying Blue, Mileage Plus
Posts: 839
I'd say that AA (and probably other airlines) have anomalies when it comes to this. Example: I was in LGA headed to I forget where, and there was a nearby flight to ORD that was oversold and they were offering a $300 voucher to take the next flight which would depart in less than an hour after the oversold one. Recently, I was in ORD at the Eagle concourse and a nearby ORD-ICT flight was oversold. They were offering a $200 voucher for a flight that would depart over 5 hours later. Where's the logic there? I suspect it has something to do with the first case being AA versus the second case being AE, but still. There's no balance in supply and demand there. In the LGA-ORD case, I'd think that there were plenty people volunteering for this but in the ORD-ICT case, they'd probably be hard pressed to find someone.
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,417
#15
Suspended
Join Date: May 2009
Location: LHR/NYC/DFW/LAX
Programs: AA-EXP 14M, UA-1K, AS-MVP Gold, DL-PL, CO-PL, EK-Gold, BA-Gold, HH-D, SPG-PL
Posts: 403

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.
Last edited by TigerWould; Oct 27, 09 at 5:46 am