BeachBum770

I just have to post what I saw last night in ATL. I may get flamed for my opinion, but so be it. On DL 47 from ATL-LAX on Friday, they needed three people for VDBs. When they made the announcement, they were only offering $200. I would have considered it for $400, but wasn't giving up the hours at home for that low amount (I have taken $400 previously from LAX-ATL). There were two takers, and the GA was still announcing needing one more person.

As I am standing in line to board, a passenger from F (14D on a 777) goes to the desk and tells the GA he will take VDB for $400. She stated that they were only offering $200. He then began to lambast her about how she should be offering $400 and that her offer was ridiculous. The GA did nothing to deserve his reaction. The funny thing is that Mr. 14D was one of the last ones to board. I guess he was waiting for that additional $200.

Sorry I made this so long, but here is the point. If the GA makes and offer you don't like, and you counter and she doesn't accept, then leave her alone. There is no reason to berate the GA because she isn't willing to offer the amount of $$$ you want. FYI, they rebook was on the very next flight one hour later.

Often1

People think that there is an entitlement to some specific level of VDB when it's a simple negotiation. It's DL (and therefore the GA's) job to pay as little as possible to buy out the VDB's and if they can do it for $200, that's good. Conversely, if you won't do it for $200, you should board and be done with it (no harm in asking for the $400, but no reason to be pushy).

I was on a UAX flight xORD a couple of weeks ago which was oversold by 2 at the gate and the GA was able to find 2 volunteers for $50 + F on the next flight 4 hours later.

Interestingly, as IDB rises, the # of people willing to take smaller VDB is rising as well.

xliioper

They only raised the maximum IDB comp. For the vast majority of domestic pax (with a one way ticket value of $400 or less), the IDB compensation is exactly the same as before the rule change. (I'll concede that this will have an impact on most international IDB's).

Often1

Practically speaking, there are a lot of people who will take a delay for not much. The days of people getting $400 for the asking are swiftly coming to an end. Don't like it, someone else will.

chemist661

Recently, we flew DL on award tickets. For the LAX-ATL flight, they offered $400pp. They ended up not needing any volunteers. It was the 767 in the morning.

DLAtlPdx

I hit that jackpot a year ago -- after paying $0 for an award ticket, Mrs. DLAtlPdx and I got $400 each plus another day of vacation in sunny SFO.

MSPDeltaDude

I kind of agree....also depends where and when you are flying....
If your flying Sunday PM/Monday AM from a HUB to a major business city your chances of getting a VBD and not getting in a cat fight are a lot less then flying from MSP-HNL/RSW for example.

I'm also going to add if you have "status" remind the agent of that and give your opinion that you think people with "status" should get the chances to VBD before the kettles. This works great! Many times I was lower on the list and have brought this up and the GA's have agreed with me.

Data Point: Scored $600 when I VBD on my 5pm non-stop to connection. When waiting for 1st segment on my new route, I noticed on KVS the later non-stop to my original destination went to Y1. SDC onto that. Got Bumped on that get another $400. In the end, I scored $1000 in E-certs, $36 meals, 1000 miles, a handful of HOOU tickets, and was able to sleep in my own bed another night for switching from my 5pm non-stop to a 7am non-stop. I could've took another bump @ the 7am for $400,but I had a meeting I couldn't miss as the next flight was 4hrs. Someone might have got IDB as GA kept asking for VOL's and I noticed over 2/3 of the plane was on the upgrade list!!!!

BearX220

I was waiting on a delayed MD80 PHX-SLC a few weeks ago. While we were cooling our heels the later-scheduled PHX-SLC began boarding at the next gate. It was a Skywest RJ, and they startedthe IDB bidding at $400 PP.

rwoman

I did not in any way complain about my VDB on an ATL-LHR flight in June...I happily took $600, a night at the Westin, 3 food vouchers, and a BusinessElite seat back to the UK.

bonoman

IIRC, I was doing MDW-MSP a few months back and got a VDB for $200. When I asked why not $400, I believe I was told it was because my delay until the next flight was less than 2 hours. Seeing as how that it was really only 90 mins until I got on the next flight, I thought that was fair.

steex

That's sensible, but certainly not a hard rule. I've received a $400 VDB voucher switching to an itinerary that got me on a flight less than 60 minutes later and had me arrive at my final destination more than 2 hours earlier than originally scheduled.

dnkywhisperer

My favorite was Mrs. Dnkywhisperer and I on award flight PHL-SLC (stopover 2 days)-HNL-SLC-PHL. On PHL-SLC we both got $400 and F PHL-MSP-SLC and we got in less than 60 minutes later. Than HNL-SLC we each got another $400 and F HNL-SFO-ATL-PHL. on the connection ATL-PHL we each got another $400 Mrs. got on the next flight out I got a hotel and left the next morning. total for trip was $2400 and from Y to F for about 3/4 of the trip.

With all that $$ and other VDB $$ I took many short (2-5 day) vacations when I could miss class and ended up DM with very little $$$ out of my pocket. Now I have a real job with ZERO vacation days for the first year and no opportunity to use my DM status.

debbieb

I flew SNA-ATL on a redeye last Sunday night and then was on the first ATL-PIT flight in the morning. Deplaning to an empty ATL at 4:15am was a strange experience. Anyway, the ATL-PIT flight was overbooked by 3. First the GA offered $400. Catch was the next flight with seats was not until 3:25pm (it was around 7:00am). After flying all night, there was no way I was sitting around 8 hours. No one approached the gate agent. He then announced $600! It was tempting but I didn't. I didn't see anyone go up. Not sure if they needed them because there were at least 2 empty seats I saw from row 7. I was on an award ticket so not upgrade eligible but I noticed there were 26 people on the upgrade list for a CRJ700! I guess lots of Pittsburghers became medallion from the promo last year (including myself). There had to be 25 people in line for zone 1.

Often1

+1 - I would have done the $600 if they had included a voucher for a day room.

The Weekly Flyer

I was on a LGA flight to ATL the other morning and they offered 300 for 2 people. There was a mad dash to the counter by about 5 people.

I usually volunteer but it was so early I barely recognized the offer before it was gone.