Exactly. It's the best of all. It's easy, costs nothing in the moment and doesn't harm the brand (DOT).

And that's the main idea for overselling.

I'm not sure if I'm asking in the right place, however I'm looking more for experience in VDBs on CO, so this seems to collect those groups of FT'ers.

I've got a MR tomorrow involving 4 segments. Segment 2 is quickly filling up and if all the standby pax are cleared, there are only 3 Y seats left (F filled up a long time ago). Here's hoping to a potential VDB. My question is:

As this is a MR, I've got a quick turnaround on to Segment 3 (45 minutes), so a VDB would result in me missing this connection as well. That being said, is it worth it to volunteer, as the CO GA will clearly be able to see my future flights. Or, does taking the VDB mean I've had a missed connection, and I can deal with that when I arrive at Airport 3?

I'm also fully prepared to hear that this might be an itin. to NOT try and VDB on

Thanks in advance for everyone's help - if this should be moved to another thread, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Can you drop segments 2-3? Or can you reroute to a totally different city and back from there?

Depends on the GA if they're cool with that.

I definitely could reroute to a different city, fill up other segments, etc. I'd be happy to alter the itinerary with some vouchers in my hand. I wanted to check and see if anyone had a clear reason to say 'NO' to VDB on this itin., as previous posts have alluded that GAs can be picky from pax to pax.

I suppose it'll take some finesse with the GA though - maybe take the VDB, let them board, and then try to reroute afterwards (when they are less stressed) would make their life easier...?

The issue will be whether it makes things difficult on the GA. If it makes the rebooking more difficult in SHARES, you may find that your GA is less willing to do it. If you get a GA who is a SHARES wizard and isn't afraid of something like this, then this may be less of a concern.


Well you have to balance that. You don't want to fail to disclose something material either. I want the voucher, but I want to play above board too. If it means my return will have to be rebooked, the GA should be aware of that.

The last time I did something like this on CO was a SFO-CLE-MCI-CLE-SFO MR. CLE-MCI was over, and they let me just drop CLE-MCI-CLE. I tried to get home quicker (CLE-EWR-SFO), but they said no to that (probably because it would have been more cumbersome in SHARES to reissue that vs. just dropping a couple flights).

Oddly enough, CLE is also the city I'll be attempting this at tomorrow - let's hope VDB is possible. As I always do, I keep a list of possibilities with me for every flight in case of VDB, and I'll see what I can do. If I get lucky, I'll make sure to post my results.

I guess one final question, if anyone aside from/including channa is still following this discussion, is 'at the gate' the earlier I can mention VDB list to CO? Or can that be done at check-in desk as well? Thanks again for everyone's help - I'll ask these questions once and then know from here on in

Yes and Yes.

CO has a computer VDB list which you can get on at your earlier airport in your itinerary.

Problem is, it's so cumbersome for agents to use, that most CO agents do not use it and collect BPs at the gate, first-come, first-serve, ignoring the list.

Perfect - thanks for all the help channa! Again, I'll keep the thread posted if I make any progress.

Typically you'll be treated perfectly fairly by a CO GA in the event you want to volunteer for an earlier flight. This isn't a systems issue.

Believe me or not - VDB needs planning.

In the last 2 years, I have VDBed 4 times (2 per year). 3 of them was planned ahead and 1 unexpected.

I will not say you don't have a chance or not - and quite honest, except knowing you will go through CLE, no other information is available.

So I assume that you are certain that the flight will result VDBs.

In this case, I will plan ahead for my alternative (strange enough, as VDB is voluntary, GAs still treat it as involuntary change as a trip-in-vein).

In most of the cases, the GA will general accommodate you based on availability.

That's why it is good to plan - so that you know what to expect.

For a question to yes or no for VDB - ask yourself - is the segment (or EQM) important or that voucher is more important?

Always good to have multiple opinions - I'm glad I was able to get some additional feedback on this.


I agree. I've already got a list of possible alternatives and hoping that being "flexible" and "prepared" for a VDB will help the agent along and I can get things done before any other questions are asked.

I've VDB'd several times on UA before, but I've always been in a situation where I could get to my second airport in the run before the corresponding flight took off. I'm looking for advice because there's such a tight connection, and a quick review of my itinerary is not the average view, I feel


Thanks again for the different points of view - it only helps me be a bit more successful! Again, I'll post back with results if I have any success.

To fill in some personal, small experience on CO: I always ask whether the flight needs volunteers and always offer my seat if possible. (Although it's often inconvenient to be rerouted, I can usually accept the $/hr valuation of my time; and I would rather be inconvenienced if it can help someone else get home). In the past couple of years I've tried maybe 10 times out of maybe 50 CO flights. So, not very often.

In every one of those 10 times, at various stations (EWR, CLE, SEA for sure), the gate agent has always taken the first person who walks up to them. (In one case, in SEA, this person cut a line, my protests were ignored, and they took him as the only volunteer.)

It could be that the first person they take is also the top person on their electronic list. That really could be!

My proposed explanation is that this is a particular expression of a particular aspect of the UA/CO service culture for gate agents: the customer currently in front of you is the most important customer in the world. You stick with them until you've resolved their issue to their satisfaction, and only then do you move on to the next person.

I've seen agents do remarkable things to VDB their current customer. For example, I watched an agent who was working a flight with plentiful volunteers call up another airline and buy the customer an OAL ticket to their final destination, when there was plenty of CO availability that other volunteers might have used. And I was once VDB'd from SEA-CLE to SEA-ORD-CLE and the agent had such complicated problems with the reservation that it took the agent 45 minutes (no exaggeration) to reticket me -- with a huge line growing behind me all the time.

My small, limited experience has definitely borne out the idea that CO treats customers perfectly fairly if they want to volunteer. But in this case "fair" means something very specific like "help every customer in the order they arrive" and deliberately does not include murky issues like prioritizing elites, operational efficiency, or conserving OAL spending.

In a perfect world, everything should follow their own orders.

However, it is not always the case.

For UA, GAs tend to stick to the list if they can. For CO, it is hit or miss.

But sticking to the list or not take a lot of consideration, such as:

1. Your final destination and routes. For instance, for LHR-EWR, if a passenger is travel on LHR-EWR-IAH and another one is LHR-EWR-CLE, the one going to IAH will tend to get the VDB (as that person can re-route on LHR-IAH non-stop, but not the one to CLE).

Also connecting to an international flight is certain a no for VDB (as you may miss your flight).

2. How many people are traveling with you

1 is the best. Once I have a 1K couple who were before me on the VDB list. But still I was the first one got it.

3. Checked Baggage

A lot of people claim that it matter. The reality is no - remember unless it is an international flight, the GA does not need to offload your baggage at all, assuming you still want to make the trip same day.

(I have once VDBed by CO with 2 checked baggage. The GA did not offload my baggage at all, as my replacement flight leaves about 45 minutes. What best is CO even transfer my baggage, upon arrival, to UA Baggage Desk and they were safeguarded by UA personnel.)

4. Cabin Class

GAs tend not to choose premium classes passengers. Once, I had to push for it.

But in general, as soon as you are a Premier Gold or above, VDB should not be difficult to score.

With all due respect, IME CO typically follows first-come, first-served for VDB consideration. Note this is not processing or acceptance, but consideration. As has been pointed out, connecting flights or other issues will impact your ability, but if you want to be the first in line for VDB, you better be first in line at the CO gate, IME.

Typically the CO GA will write VOL #1 or something like that and collect a pile of BPs. This is irrespective of whether you're on the computer VDB list. That's where the system comes into play. If you think like a UA person and just hang out in the club or have a seat and ignore what's going on because you're comfortably on the list, you may get passed over because many GA's don't query the list.

In fact, in a recent discussion with a CO GA, they said don't worry about the list, even if you're on it, be at the gate and report to the GA to express interest.