beware the devaluation of our non-gold-backed greenback.

EU 600 ~ USD $882 at current forex rates.

I know that the PC in SFO is outside of the sterile area, but have you ever offered a pass to the club while they wait for the flight? It would be a lot less expensive than handing out $150: if people are willing to take it, why not. I got a pass to the PC in EWR many years ago and ended up joining it shortly after that. I think the two things were connected!

Off topic, but gold belongs in jewelry, microprocessors, catalytic converters and teeth--that's about it!

The PClubs are a separate and not equal part of the company. I am not allowed to offer the PC and we are not given any passes for "free" entry.

You should tell them to bring it back; it's a cheap way of potentially "buying off" a customer!

As I have done a lot of VDB this last year into and outta of LBB will give my findings.

On these COExpress flights (EXJET and CHQ operated), the minimum was always 250 to start and I saw them go to $700 and two nights hotel and all meals after Thanksgiving as they couldnt get the person to Lbb till tuesday from Sunday night. I have been lucky in that when leaing LBB I have gone on AA twice to DFW and then onward with about an hour delay in one case and no delay in the other. I did spend the day in the PC in B the monday after Easter for two vochers worth 700 and made it on the last flight out with the help of the agents in the PC.

I wonder if the dollar amount starts are different for stations that are mainline only vs mixed or COEX only? I would think that CO would want the VDB as CO gambles with the fact that people wnt use the vochers. I wonder what the % of unused vouchers are? I am now in OK and fear that my vouchers will dry up in the coming year. Oh to be back in LBB.

Yeah, but then the flip-flop wearing, hairy-toed, body-odored riff-raff get into the PClub with the paying customers!

Not that I'm all high and mighty, entering with Chase passes..heheh

I was on a flight 5years ago from EWR to MKE, after a 9 hour weather delay all 38 of us boarded the aircraft....except there was only 37 seats!! One of the two gentlemen vying for the same seat only wanted to get home and see his kids and refused to get off the aircraft (he was the one standing) when the GA came onboard she would only offer $150 for someone to VDB, there was one taker with the caveat of $250....the GA refused (in typical Newark fashion)....60 minutes later the guy standing actually went into his pocket and gave the other passenger the $250 bucks. It was a nightmare and a comedy show all at one time...believe me noone on that aircraft was to pleased with the way CO (mis)handled the situation.

I can hardly believe it! (but unfortunately, I do). Funny thing is, if you ask CO, they'll probably tell you they handled it right since they didn't end up spending the extra money.

I'm glad I started this thread, I learned a lot. If I understand correctly, getting bumped to BF never happens for VDBs, but does sometimes for IDBs?

Never say never, but CO VERY rarely overbooks BF, so IDBs are extremely rare. I have been able to volunteer a F seat on a VDB domestically, but have not ever tried from a BF seat internationally.

Edit to add- I completely misread and thought you were asking about bumps from BF, not to BF. I've never been given the option on a VDB to also get BF on the new flight, and I've asked. If there are empty BF seats I'd think that CO would OpUp someone rather than IDB, but you never know.

IIRC, being seated (moved) into BF does happen for VDBers.

I have offered, as part of the get off the plane deal VDB, FClass seats on the next day's flight, plus a small amount of VDB ($100) and a hotel room. But this is rare.

Another shameful offer.

If you have to get on the plane and ask for volunteers, you're already in bad shape.

An overnight bump is almost always pretty damaging to one's schedule. And to an Elite, that F seat is something he/she may get anyway. I consider pre-confirming F for an Elite after a VDB is more of a courtesy, not part of the compensation.

I find that most elites and/or business people don't take bumps. It's usually the leisure solo traveling person that is interested. I get good results from my offers.

I know many biz travellers who do it. And I've done it a number of times myself while travelling on business.

Especially on heavy business flights, with few leisure pax, I find that willingness to VDB is very appreciated.

Though when I travel and am not headed straight to work or a meeting, I dress in jeans and such, so I may be one of those "leisure solo" types you're talking about.