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]
Jan 27, 2015, 6:19 pm
#827
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL DM, SPG Gold
Posts: 832
Arrived late to the gate for DL 109 ATL-SEA on Sunday. Gate agent sounded stressed and was offering $800 "delta dollars" for one volunteer to fly out the following day.
She was asking all volunteers to wait in the gate area to make sure they were needed. She was careful to say that if they weren't needed they would board to their original assigned seats.
She was asking all volunteers to wait in the gate area to make sure they were needed. She was careful to say that if they weren't needed they would board to their original assigned seats.
Jan 28, 2015, 7:01 am
#828
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: DUS
Programs: DL, HHonors, Bonvoy, Hyatt
Posts: 2,072
I guess that's what confused me, as I watched the GA take my exit row seat away from me... I suppose there could have been a late no-show that opened a seat back up for me, but why take a DM's seat away if you don't really need it?
Jan 28, 2015, 10:34 am
#829
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: BOS/PVD/BDL
Programs: PC Plat, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold,HHonors Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, National Exec Elite
Posts: 726
Go a call 16 days ahead of time trying to find volunteers for DL3705 on 2/14/15 from BOS to FLL direct. Agent said they are severely overbooked and offering $300/person or 30000 points/person to reschedule.
Jan 31, 2015, 11:13 am
#830
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Where you standing behind this agent and watching everything she did?
Jan 31, 2015, 11:43 am
#831
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If anyone wants to call me nosy I will refer you to the plain view doctrine
Jan 31, 2015, 11:52 am
#832
Suspended
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Location: NYC
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What's interesting is that if you do a dummy booking for BOS-FLL on 2/14 DL is still selling Y & F seats for that flight. Maybe they ended up compensating more people than needed and/or had a few changes/cancellations.
Jan 31, 2015, 12:22 pm
#833
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: Delta Plat Kool-Aid Drinker, Hyatt Diamond, SPG GM, Marriott GM, Hilton GM, and Priority Club GM
Posts: 1,184
Compensation: “Bumps” — Voluntary and Involuntary Denied Boarding
Well what does that $300 really cost Delta, I'm sure some will go unused and some might buy a ticket in excess of $300 that they might not have before. Actually,I was offered the same thing and was able to get even more for a flight that was 6 days out. Only way they really lose on this is if misconnects or VDB get those Full Fare Y's when rebooking
Jan 31, 2015, 7:47 pm
#834
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Location: MSP
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If you want to play silly games, buy it in Y and see if they'll pay you to switch; once they do, cancel and get a full refund.
Jan 31, 2015, 8:02 pm
#835
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: BOS/PVD/BDL
Programs: PC Plat, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold,HHonors Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, National Exec Elite
Posts: 726
This flight has also had two equipment changes in the last two months from A319 to 717 to CR900 so they supply has been cut a lot by Delta.
Jan 31, 2015, 8:12 pm
#836
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There have been reports of people getting into trouble for doing this. IIRC some airline VDB rules state that there will be no compensation if you don't fly the alternative flights to your destination. I guess you can cancel a full Y ticket without penalty at the last minute if you don't get the VDB, but if you must fly at such prices, the chances of VDB compensation exceeding the fare would seem unlikely.
Jan 31, 2015, 10:44 pm
#837
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That could be extremely nasty. E.g. I VDB from the noon non-stop to a 1 PM connection. The 1 PM flight is delayed (or canceled, but in the latter case I have a better chance to argue) so I switch to a 2 PM non-stop (which wasn't available for the VDB for whatever reason, or maybe it just got in after the connection). It would be very bad form to deny me my VDB compensation.
Feb 1, 2015, 6:41 am
#838
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That could be extremely nasty. E.g. I VDB from the noon non-stop to a 1 PM connection. The 1 PM flight is delayed (or canceled, but in the latter case I have a better chance to argue) so I switch to a 2 PM non-stop (which wasn't available for the VDB for whatever reason, or maybe it just got in after the connection). It would be very bad form to deny me my VDB compensation.
Feb 1, 2015, 9:21 am
#839
Suspended
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Location: NYC
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I think you'd be OK if you then switch to another flight, or even take VDB again, but what you can't do is cancel and refund the full Y ticket, take your VDB compensation, and go home without flying. This is to avoid the situation of someone who deliberately purchases a full Y ticket on on overbooked flight with the plan to use it to collect VDB comp without ever having any intention of flying. There was a report of some guy hanging around the airport and making a lot of money doing exactly this.
Feb 1, 2015, 9:36 am
#840
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But just out of curiosity; there's a big difference between someone hanging around the airport trying to continuously collect vs. someone who did this one time. Kind of like hidden city ticketing. If you do it once DL lets it slide. When it's becoming a repeat offense is when DL acts, no?