Online Volunteer Bump
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: up in the air
Programs: Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 219
Online Volunteer Bump
Today, I checked in for my flight from AUS-JFK (tomorrow morning) and was offered for volunteer bump online
They asked me to "Name my price" and they will select the people who offer the lowest price. They will let me select an alternative flight at gate agent tomorrow for possible option. This never happens to me and it seems like this online volunteer bump will work in favor of the airlines since
Anyone experiences the same thing?
They asked me to "Name my price" and they will select the people who offer the lowest price. They will let me select an alternative flight at gate agent tomorrow for possible option. This never happens to me and it seems like this online volunteer bump will work in favor of the airlines since
- You don't know how many people volunteer
- You tend to offer less if you want to volunteer
- They can control how much they want to offer
Anyone experiences the same thing?
#2
Join Date: May 2010
Location: California, USA
Programs: DL PM, HH Diamond, Marriott Silver, National EE
Posts: 475
The online offer is strictly to see who is interested in volunteering. First off, it is not always used. Second, if you are selected, my experience has been that everyone being VDBed was given the same voucher value, regardless of what they bid. The bids, I have heard, are also used to "rank" volunteers in a given order. I typically bid about $5 less than the normal amount I would expect to receive, if I am truly interested. If they can get volunteers at the gate to take less than your bid, then those persons get the VDB. Remember, YMMV.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Search term 'auction'. There's lots of comment regarding bidding but it's hard to get enough observations to nail down the parameters successfully. Maybe they continue to evolve it.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...g-auction.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...g-auction.html
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bye Delta
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Plat, Nat'l Exec Elite, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 16,277
I've never actually seen the auction in action. I've been asked to bid online or at checkin, but the GA always offers a set amount to everyone and as far as I can tell doesn't use the bid list except to call people up and see if they are still interested.
#5
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: United - PG, Marriott Silver
Posts: 1,625
If DL was smart they would reverse the procedure. When you checked in, you would get a message stating, "This flight is oversold. How much more are you willing to pay to keep your seat." Offer options like $10, $25, $50. Then the kettles unaware of IDB rules might bite at the extra cost which could then be used to offset the compensation for those who end up VDB. Heck they could even do this when the flight wasn't oversold; help with those huge targets for extra fee revenue.
#7
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 5,015
If DL was smart they would reverse the procedure. When you checked in, you would get a message stating, "This flight is oversold. How much more are you willing to pay to keep your seat." Offer options like $10, $25, $50. Then the kettles unaware of IDB rules might bite at the extra cost which could then be used to offset the compensation for those who end up VDB. Heck they could even do this when the flight wasn't oversold; help with those huge targets for extra fee revenue.
#8
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: United - PG, Marriott Silver
Posts: 1,625
I was being sarcastic. Apologies as I am prone to such posts.
#9
Join Date: May 2010
Location: California, USA
Programs: DL PM, HH Diamond, Marriott Silver, National EE
Posts: 475
If DL was smart they would reverse the procedure. When you checked in, you would get a message stating, "This flight is oversold. How much more are you willing to pay to keep your seat." Offer options like $10, $25, $50. Then the kettles unaware of IDB rules might bite at the extra cost which could then be used to offset the compensation for those who end up VDB. Heck they could even do this when the flight wasn't oversold; help with those huge targets for extra fee revenue.
#10
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: SAN
Posts: 4,923
#11
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SFO,OAK,SJC
Programs: DL PM, AS MVPG, Hyatt DIA, PC PLAT, Club Carl Gold, HH Gold, Accor Dia
Posts: 406
I can easily envision this - it's that "guarantee you won't be bumped package and it comes with free carry-on luggage" - Keep rising!
In a way (somewhat less sinister IMO) this is exactly what the Economy Comfort program and preferred seating is; kettles without status book a flight and are unable to be accommodated in adjacent seats without paying to "upgrade" to EC - or at least this is how it appears. A panic ensues within a pax's mind and those who like to make plans rationalize a few more $$$ for peace of mind of having things set. I would venture to guess that more often than not families booking EC could care less about extra legroom and instead just want seats adjacent to one another.
More often than not they CAN actually be seated adjacent to one another either in unclaimed preferred seating that won't get booked up or in the residual Y empties that arise FC upgrades especially if willing to do OLCI right at T-24. Pretty smart business and not that far off from what you describe especially if those seats that are held back for status folks are made to opaquely seem as occupied.
#12
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Alexandria, Va. USA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, DL Silver, UA Gold, *A Gold, OW Emerald
Posts: 1,492
a twist
I have never been notified of a possible bump when doing OLCI; however, I sometimes get an offer to switch to other flights when checking in at an airport kiosk. I guess they are just trying to bleed traffic off overbooked flights.
#13
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: DTW
Programs: DL 0.22 MM, AA 0.34 MM, PC Plat Amb, Hertz #1 GC 5*
Posts: 7,511
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Right now, the flight may be overbooked, but that doesn't mean that all booked pax will actually show up at the gate ontime:
1. People may cancel between now and departue.
2. People may misconnect (not hugely likely @ AUS).
3. People may simply miss the flight
And, others may arrive past the deadline and therefore get bumped without any IDB due.
I can't pin this down, but it's my deep suspicion that DL uses the pre-departure VDB reverse auction as a means of gathering data about what people will accept rather than as an actual auction on a flight-by-flight basis.
In theory, if 95% of people on TCONs say they will take $50, that's what you will see as the VDB offer going forward.
#15
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,679
I think the main problem with the online bid system is it still has to get sorted out by the GA. I'm assuming the system is using pace (both purchase and check-in) versus to the rev management system model to predict if the wash is going to match the model.
I think they would be better served to re-issue tickets on the spot for a certain portion of pax. In particular when there is room on earlier flights.
Then again, I may be giving RM at DL more credit than they deserve, and the online prompting is based on far simpler metrics.
I think they would be better served to re-issue tickets on the spot for a certain portion of pax. In particular when there is room on earlier flights.
Then again, I may be giving RM at DL more credit than they deserve, and the online prompting is based on far simpler metrics.