BobH

It's bowl game season and a certain team from Michigan will be playing in Fla Jan 1....

Combine that with the weather the past couple of days --- right now we have 7 inches on the ground in the DTW area -- and you can see why they might have an oversold condition....

Now, did you follow FT rule #1 and make the GA your best friend....?

It can make a difference.

Bob H

HongKonger

All too often.

NY-FLA

Didn't realize I'd have to dumb it down for some. GA needs one more volunteer, and clearly states she is willing to offload 2 or 3 and pay $600 each, but is not willing to pay an exact match, ie a lone traveller, say $800. Maybe she's constrained by DL rules, but the outcome, ie pay multiples of $600 rather than pay slightly more than $600 to a lone traveller is stupid and counterproductive to the bottom line whatever circumstance caused that outcome. There is always the possibility that she would reneg on a couple of those who agreed earlier to get 8 bumps at $600 per, but that seems unlikely.
Quite arrogant of you to deem my negotiation strategy suboptimal. In these circumstances each person should be aligning what they choose with their circumstance specific personal values and needs, of which you have no knowledge whatever. Disrupting my travel plans to that extent was not worth $600, or I'd have been clamoring for a bump at the $600 level.


Don't know, lost interest, for all I know some poor pax was IDB'd, or maybe she used her superoptimal negotiation strategy and got 3 to depart for that last bump, paying for 10 @ $600...

flying_kicks

I've seen starting bids of $600 only around holiday times before/after Christmas vacation times etc. when there are more likely groups/families filling the flights with deadlines to get back.

Earlier this month, I attempted to get 3 x $600 when my family was traveling, but another party had an easier re-route, unfortunately!

-flying_kicks

jakeflynwa

The maximum she could offer is $600 domestic. This is no override to offer you more compensation of $600 x 2 or x 3. That's it, done.

DLYoda

They were offering $600 tonight for the AtL to SJC flight as well as hotel and meals to take the same flight tomorrow night.

HongKonger

Dumb it down LOL. I understand perfectly what you were trying to say. My response stands. DL policy won't be ideal for every situation; it is calculated to ensure smooth running and profitability of the overall system. But in this case it worked perfectly.

Guess you'll be waiting a while longer for some airline to love you.

fti

yes I think we need to dumb it down for the OP. Delta's rules generally give everyone the same compensation. So to negotiate a higher amount everyone else gets that higher amount as was stated above. thus his strategy was a fail from the start

bubbashow

Methinks that the ops shining attitude (which is clearly visible in this thread) may have factored into any employee's willingness to help. I dont think i neec to dumb that down any more, do I op?

NY-FLA

My attitude? GA refuses to tell me how many it's oversold by, then announces it to the whole gate area on the PA a few minutes later. GA holds up an already delayed flight to harangue one more volunteer out of an already boarded aircraft that had previously rejected all her gate entreaties.

Just line yourself up with the apparent majority on this board, who somehow have concluded it's a rational business strategy to pay more overall to hold individual comp to the same across the board amount. After all, it's DL policy, it must be both wise and correct.

Once the GA flat refused to consider paying > $600 for my seat, I'm done, just bemused at the wrongheaded strategy displayed by DL and/or its agents and the volume of apologists for such a foolish business approach displayed on this board.

StayingHomeIsBetter

It is somewhat amusing that some of those folks who are willing to justify just about anything the airline does to put more cash in the coffers are now taking you to task for pointing out a common-sense solution that would have left the coffers less depleted.

Even if the GA ended up IBD'ing someone (rather than paying out 3 x $600 for volunteers), it could have cost the airline up to $800. Would seem that there should have been another $200 room to negotiate.

ttuna3

Perhaps the last passenger waiting for a seat was a must carry of some flavor (STE+ guarantee at+24, mega Diamond, or a messed up attempt with Shena...). I'm surprised with the flight being late pushing delayed for an attempt to get a VDB from boarded pax didn't get some attention from management or OPS. Looks to me like a return to the "good old days" at DTW.

davetravels

Not to mention that IDB, I believe, is supposed to be CASHOLA, vs DeltaPlayDollars for VDB!

exwannabe

NY, I am a little slow so could please clarify a few points.

First, you seamed to think you could get more for VDB'ing from a booked F seat. I do not understand why. DL will potentially incure an extra cost in rebooking you, and there is nothing to be saved in releasing your F seat (as they certainly can not sell it). I would assume purchased F seats would be a negative factor for VDBs, but you expect otherwise. What is your logic?

Second, as has been explained several times, DL generally pays all at whatever the last VDB got (like a Dutch auction). So if we have 7 early VDBs at 600, the you at 800. that would cost DL 6400(8x800) total. But if they took 3 more at 600 it would only be 6000 (10x600). Seams like it is cheaper to pay the extra pax at 600.

Third, should a GA have a cap on this? If not, I suspect Shena would now be able to fly paid F on SQ.

Please answer slowly so us ATL boys can understand.

StayingHomeIsBetter

True... it is supposed to be actual, usable, legal US tender. I have often wondered if the recipient would have to insist on this to avoid having DL Monopoly Money foisted upon him/her.