Nov 30, 2018, 8:49 am
Last edit by: ryandc99
Link to open 2020 and beyond version of this thread:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...20-beyond.html
My (LoganFlyer's) guide to maximizing your bump chances on Delta:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30484249-post1713.html
(The concise version:
1. Use the App to see if more people are looking for seats than there are seats available. As part of the Customer Commitment, gate agents, phone res agents, and tickets agents must tell you if a flight is overbooked if you ask. (They don't need to say by how many seats.)
2. Do everything you can to get on the volunteer list through OLCI or a kiosk at the airport, since some GAs use that list.
3. Talk to the GA as soon as the gate opens up--don't wait for them to make an announcement.
4. Don't be afraid to negotiate with the GA.)
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...20-beyond.html
My (LoganFlyer's) guide to maximizing your bump chances on Delta:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30484249-post1713.html
(The concise version:
1. Use the App to see if more people are looking for seats than there are seats available. As part of the Customer Commitment, gate agents, phone res agents, and tickets agents must tell you if a flight is overbooked if you ask. (They don't need to say by how many seats.)
2. Do everything you can to get on the volunteer list through OLCI or a kiosk at the airport, since some GAs use that list.
3. Talk to the GA as soon as the gate opens up--don't wait for them to make an announcement.
4. Don't be afraid to negotiate with the GA.)
Compensation: “Bumps” — Voluntary and Involuntary Denied Boarding [2000-2019]
Sep 9, 2013, 7:05 pm
#466
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 672
On Sunday, yesterday, I was voluntarily bumped from DL 1134 out of PBI to ATL. An hour earlier I had reprinted my boarding passes at the kiosk outside of security and there was no offer of volunteering. At the gate an announcement was made and I became volunteer # 1. I believe I was the only bumpee. I received a $400 Delta Dollar travel voucher, a $7 meal voucher and travel to my destination, IAD, in first class in both segments with arrival at Dulles less than three hours later then originally scheduled.
My new PBI departure was soliciting volunteers. I don't know if anyone was needed. They could not get people out until the next day if they were needed.
If you use the meal voucher at Starbucks in concourse "C", do not purchase a plain bagel. It is a bagel in name only. It was useless in every way. It wouldn't even work as a flotation device.
I have two more trips scheduled to PBI. One more on Delta and another on United (via EWR). I hope to get bumped again.
People leave town every day of the week. Most of them want to go back home on Sunday.
My new PBI departure was soliciting volunteers. I don't know if anyone was needed. They could not get people out until the next day if they were needed.
If you use the meal voucher at Starbucks in concourse "C", do not purchase a plain bagel. It is a bagel in name only. It was useless in every way. It wouldn't even work as a flotation device.
I have two more trips scheduled to PBI. One more on Delta and another on United (via EWR). I hope to get bumped again.
People leave town every day of the week. Most of them want to go back home on Sunday.
I will give you one tip though if you're playing this game and need more options. FLL and MIA are either a train ride or an inexpensive one way rental car away. I've taken a $400 voucher, taken the train down for about $5 and taken a flight in first instead of sitting in coach.
I like quiznos more than the starbucks food and the sky club is nice to hang out in if you have a membership or can get the discounted $25 entrance through Amex etc. My mom said the pizza place is good but I've never been!
Sep 10, 2013, 5:32 pm
#467
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Alexandria, Va. USA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, DL Silver, UA Gold, *A Gold, OW Emerald
Posts: 1,492
things that go bump in the night
Thanks for your comments, stils. I only know what happened to me last Sunday. I know nothing about the situation on the other 51 Sundays in the year. Thanks for the suggestion about the other airports. I like being able to be flexible to enhance my chances of being used as a volunteer.
I believe the yield management system learns from its own experience so my chances are always getting slightly slimmer.
When Delta was new to LHR I was told that Delta back to JFK was oversold by 28 pax. I volunteered, was vouchered and sent to my final destination (IAD) on British. And I received original routing miles. I guess Delta had no history to base their bets on show up percentages.
I believe the yield management system learns from its own experience so my chances are always getting slightly slimmer.
When Delta was new to LHR I was told that Delta back to JFK was oversold by 28 pax. I volunteered, was vouchered and sent to my final destination (IAD) on British. And I received original routing miles. I guess Delta had no history to base their bets on show up percentages.
Sep 11, 2013, 5:43 am
#468
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 672
Oooh one more tip about going to South Florida. The PBI/FLL/MIA trick works in reverse. If you're headed down and it's oversold and there aren't any other options offer to go to any of the three airports rather than stay at home or in a hotel. I got a great bump that way as well. I think I made $600 for that one!
Sep 11, 2013, 5:20 pm
#469
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
Wife and I got $600 each around July 4 weekend when getting bumped off SLC-BIL. Having an EF subscription and a stash of Hertz points saved me as I knew we could go SLC-GCC the next morning (which was closer to ultimate destination anyway). Whipped out smartphone and booked one-way hertz rental for 600 pts. Meanwhile SLC-BIL was sold out for another 2 days.
Agent upper her offer from $400 to $600 each when she noticed that SLC-GCC was operated by a turboprop w/o F (we had cleared SLC-BIL @ window). Thought that was a really genuinely nice touch. Love the staff at SLC.
Also got $50/pax ECV debit to use at SLC the following morning and room at the Airport HGI. The $100 worth of debit was good at all vendors at SLC and bought a really decent breakfast.
$1300 was not a bad haul at all I thought.
Agent upper her offer from $400 to $600 each when she noticed that SLC-GCC was operated by a turboprop w/o F (we had cleared SLC-BIL @ window). Thought that was a really genuinely nice touch. Love the staff at SLC.
Also got $50/pax ECV debit to use at SLC the following morning and room at the Airport HGI. The $100 worth of debit was good at all vendors at SLC and bought a really decent breakfast.
$1300 was not a bad haul at all I thought.
Sep 13, 2013, 10:00 pm
#470
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: ATW
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 72
Upgrades to int'l BE are a "crap shoot" from my perspective. It has happened several times in the last few years, primarily from int'l destinations to other int'l destinations (or to the USA). Nonetheless, I am grateful for ANY upgrade. 
Sep 13, 2013, 11:06 pm
#471
Join Date: Apr 2006
Programs: UA, DL, AA, LH
Posts: 144
Quite often? This seems to be an overstatement. What percentage of flights do you think this happens on? What is your record? I am about 2 for 100.
And I don't agree that it had nothing to do with the volunteering. As a Silver the OP would be pretty far down the totem pole. It's my experience (and I've read it here) that volunteering is the best way to position yourself for an op-up. You get your name on the list with the GA, which helps. The GA appreciates you are willing to assist them, which helps. And when your seat is not needed but the empty seat is in J, it's easier to give that seat to the patient helpful pax than call someone up from Y. None of this is a guarantee, but it all helps.
And I don't agree that it had nothing to do with the volunteering. As a Silver the OP would be pretty far down the totem pole. It's my experience (and I've read it here) that volunteering is the best way to position yourself for an op-up. You get your name on the list with the GA, which helps. The GA appreciates you are willing to assist them, which helps. And when your seat is not needed but the empty seat is in J, it's easier to give that seat to the patient helpful pax than call someone up from Y. None of this is a guarantee, but it all helps.
Sep 14, 2013, 6:09 am
#472
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: Fallen DL DM (PM) 2MM
Posts: 4,783
A couple of years ago I was flying DUB-JFK-LAX with a friend (different PNR, he had no DL status).
I noticed on EF that the flight was fairly full. When we checked in I told them we had only carry on and if they needed our seats we were flexible. We both ended up getting upgraded. At the time, that was only my 2nd OpUp with DL. Since then I've been OpUp-ed many times without offering my seat, so it's hard to say if offering my seat worked or not.
I noticed on EF that the flight was fairly full. When we checked in I told them we had only carry on and if they needed our seats we were flexible. We both ended up getting upgraded. At the time, that was only my 2nd OpUp with DL. Since then I've been OpUp-ed many times without offering my seat, so it's hard to say if offering my seat worked or not.
Sep 19, 2013, 9:45 pm
#473
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 367
Never Ever Call The Airline
I was bumped off my ATL to JNB flight last weekend once on Friday and again on Saturday. As a result, the airport rebooked at my request flights for this coming weekend. Since I took a bump, my V fare was reticketed as a Y at the airport which means more sky miles and MQMS. I called to inquire about an upgrade and the rep got angry at me being in Y with a V fare basis code and reissued my ticket at V. I was very depressed by this. I never should have called and pointed this out. Should have just kept my mouth shut!
Sep 19, 2013, 9:47 pm
#474
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 367
P.s. Corporate Customer Care agreed to honor the Y fare mistake, but I really had to fight to get them, to do this! I hopefully should get Y level MQMs and Skymiles.
Sep 19, 2013, 9:50 pm
#475
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: 16,273
There's a saying... Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. 
Sep 19, 2013, 9:53 pm
#476
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
How much did ya' get for th' bumps last weekend?
Sep 19, 2013, 9:56 pm
#477
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: NYC, CDG, NCE
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 2,633
Interesting.
In the old days, you might have gotten Y miles and MQMs but these days it's much stricter and the systems see right through it.
I'm surprised they gave it to you, but good score.
In the old days, you might have gotten Y miles and MQMs but these days it's much stricter and the systems see right through it.
I'm surprised they gave it to you, but good score.
Sep 19, 2013, 10:22 pm
#479
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Addison, TX
Programs: DL PM, AA PM, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 213
So since they re-ticketed you in Y, were you able to upgrade?
Sep 20, 2013, 5:47 am
#480
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 15,198
After getting 2x$750 vouchers, I wouldn't have been pushing for the Y fare credit as well. As you found out from the agent, the system still has your original booked fare in there so for credit it would've shown up as V/Y for paid/flown and given credit for the V fare. The Y is to give additional protection and flag you as a displaced traveler.
I assume it was actually a single 750 voucher and not a bunch of smaller ones that can't be combined?
I assume it was actually a single 750 voucher and not a bunch of smaller ones that can't be combined?