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Old Apr 1, 2017, 10:26 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by pvn
There has to be more to the rule. If they are over by one, and there's only one volunteer, and he demands a $1,000,000 voucher, they have to give it to him?
I would imagine the DOT does look at reasonableness. I'd be willing to say if the passenger demands more then what an IDB would cost the DOT would view it as unreasonable. However on this I actually have no clue. I'd enjoy hearing if someone knows.
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Old Apr 1, 2017, 11:09 am
  #17  
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There have been reports that airlines would prefer to pay a bit more than the IDB mandated amount in order to keep their IDB stats looking good. It's also better customer service to avoid picking someone to (possibly) make very unhappy. In the extreme, IDBs could lead to bad publicity if the victim is, for example, flying to see a dying relative.
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Old Apr 1, 2017, 1:25 pm
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
I would imagine the DOT does look at reasonableness. I'd be willing to say if the passenger demands more then what an IDB would cost the DOT would view it as unreasonable. However on this I actually have no clue. I'd enjoy hearing if someone knows.
The airline is required to ask first for volunteers before IDB. The compensation for voluntary denied boarding offered is at the discretion of the airline. The poster who asked for FC as compensation and was refused has no leg to stand on nor does the million dollar man. If the airline offers $5 and has not takers, IDB is in force. IDB compensation amounts are codified and are based on the cost of the ticket, the length of the delay, and includes maximums.
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Old Apr 1, 2017, 2:25 pm
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Bicostal
The airline is required to ask first for volunteers before IDB. The compensation for voluntary denied boarding offered is at the discretion of the airline. The poster who asked for FC as compensation and was refused has no leg to stand on nor does the million dollar man. If the airline offers $5 and has not takers, IDB is in force. IDB compensation amounts are codified and are based on the cost of the ticket, the length of the delay, and includes maximums.
However the DOT rules require they take volunteers before IDBing someone. I really doubt DOT would allow a loophole of allowing the airline to only take a volunteer if the amount offered was below a certain amount. Doing so would render the volunteer rule pointless/toothless.
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Old Apr 1, 2017, 2:59 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
However the DOT rules require they take volunteers before IDBing someone. I really doubt DOT would allow a loophole of allowing the airline to only take a volunteer if the amount offered was below a certain amount. Doing so would render the volunteer rule pointless/toothless.
A VDB results from a successful negotiation between the airline and the customer. If there is no agreement, then the customer didn't volunteer.
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Old Apr 1, 2017, 3:00 pm
  #21  
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Is this the applicable regulation?

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/250.2b

(a) In the event of an oversold flight, every carrier shall request volunteers for denied boarding before using any other boarding priority. A “volunteer” is a person who responds to the carrier's request for volunteers and who willingly accepts the carriers' offer of compensation, in any amount, in exchange for relinquishing the confirmed reserved space.[...]
This seems pretty clear that they merely need to solicit volunteers, not accept any arbitrary volunteer's offer, and moreover that the direction of the offer goes the opposite way ("who willingly accepts the carriers' offer of compensation")

Aside: I've volunteered a number of times and never had the info in the first sentence of (b) mentioned to me, although practically speaking as a DM the chances of me being IDBed I guess are minuscule.
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Old Apr 1, 2017, 4:29 pm
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by sbr7d
Assuming that it might be a bump to C+ or maybe business class?
If you are asking for better seats, I would not even bring up C+ at first as it's not really much of an improvement (though that does depend on where you are currently seated).

Unless they are really desperate, you won't get money and an upgrade. You might get oen or the other, so decide what you want. (Personally I'd choose the upgrade,though they very well may refuse).

If you choose cash or airline credit, then I think you can also make C+ part of your request on your new flight (but be careful to specify no middle seats). If you offer to just switch for C+ on a new flight without any money, you will not be getting enough compensation.
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Old Apr 1, 2017, 7:03 pm
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by jdrtravel
If you are asking for better seats, I would not even bring up C+ at first as it's not really much of an improvement (though that does depend on where you are currently seated).

Unless they are really desperate, you won't get money and an upgrade. You might get oen or the other, so decide what you want. (Personally I'd choose the upgrade,though they very well may refuse).

If you choose cash or airline credit, then I think you can also make C+ part of your request on your new flight (but be careful to specify no middle seats). If you offer to just switch for C+ on a new flight without any money, you will not be getting enough compensation.
Which makes it a VDB.
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Old Apr 2, 2017, 12:12 pm
  #24  
 
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In the OP's case, with J open, they will upgrade medallions before requesting VDB volunteers.
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Old Apr 2, 2017, 1:22 pm
  #25  
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8 days from departure and there are 4 open economy seats and a hand full of business. Probably will not have an opportunity to voluntary bump or anything.

Thanks for everyone's advice. This will come in handy in the future!
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Old Apr 2, 2017, 7:38 pm
  #26  
 
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I fly that route fairly often. I would say at least 50 percent of the time there is a request for volunteers to bid when I check in. The amounts differ but it most often starts at 200. I have never tried to volunteer but last time heard someone ask and the gate agent said they always get tons of volunteers and rarely need anyone.
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