About 3 years ago I spent practically 1 1/2 days at LHR being bumped from 5 successive AA flights to JFK and ORD. Total: $5300 in vouchers. I couldn't believe it. Plus they put me up in a Radisson at the airport for which I got another 500 miles!

Last March...returning from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego after attending sister's birthday party...Fort Lauderdale airport swarming with people...bumped from American's 11:15 a.m. flight...$400 each for our family of four...bumped again from the 1:15 p.m. departure...this time, $500 each...and finally, bumped again from the 5:15 flight...$600 each, totalling $6000 for the day. American put us in a hotel, paid for meals, and confirmed us for the same 11:15 a.m. departure the next day (Monday). Sister came to hotel and had dinner with us! When we got to the airport the next day, we were greeted by "Attention ladies and gentlemen. This flight is oversold and we need volunteers to give up their seats". Wife and I were already one day late for work, and kids one day late for school, so we boarded the plane and flew home, once we stopped laughing! Do I ever love spring break in South Florida! I told my sister to plan the same thing next year, and I'll pay for her party!!!

[This message has been edited by Captain Mike (edited 07-12-1999).]

Anyone have a bumping story with CO? I didn't think so!!! In fact they are almost always #1 in fewest involuntary denied boardings. Just one of the reasons why it is my favorite airline. (Along with all the other carriers of the "wings" alliance.)

So what if they have so many voluntary denied boardings? It just means that they give out generous rewards to those who do so.

[This message has been edited by avek00 (edited 07-13-1999).]

I'm sure there are plenty of "bumping" stories with CO ... they may have the fewest involuntary bumps, but they had plenty of voluntary bumps (22,129 voluntary bumps in the first quarter, even more than a US Airways and Southwest, both of which carried more passengers than CO).


[This message has been edited by Beckles (edited 07-12-1999).]

About a year ago was traveling from TPA to YYZ. I preferred the AC nonstop, but it got in after 11 pm. My traveling partner who uses AA (a lot) promised me an upgrade if we took the AA connection through MIA (leaving 5 hours earlier, but only getting in 1 1/2 hours earlier). That's why he's a Platinum Exec. Anyway, the flight (as scheduled) was a fairly quick connection at MIA. Got to the airport, rushed to the ticket counter to buy the ticket (they wouldn't take the AC B-class ticket--grr.) to see an American Eagle plane taxiing in, so assume everything is all right. Get to gate to findout that is the flight 2 before the one we are scheduled on (this being 30 minutes before our scheduled flight time). They work that flight, then announce that they need a bump. I immediately take ($300), tell my fellow traveler "meet you in Toronto", and then tell AA "Please refund me the ticket you just sold me". I flew out later that evening--I got my Star Alliance miles and the ability to spend a few more minutes at work, and a $300 voucher!

I've been bumped a few times--I'm usually pretty flexible with my travel plans, so I always jump at the oppt'y...

STL to DCA on TWA--attended a big medical conference, flight was overbooked by about 10 people. ended up with a free RT voucher and got in only 2 hours later.

New Orleans to DCA on NW--had volunteered to give up my tix; they initially said they didn't need me, but then--once I was on the plane--the lead FA came up and asked if I'd like to give up my seat. got $500 credit voucher and was rebooked on another airline.

SLC to BWI on United--got $300 voucher; almost got another one in denver (where I rerouted through); ended up with 1st class seats to BWI

jexjex

Many years ago, as a inexperienced flyer, I took a bump from MIA to ORD. Compensation was a round trip ticket (FC space available) on Delta. I took it along with many other returning vacationers. We were routed via Atlanta and got to Chicago a few hours late. Being a newbie bumpee, my bags remained on the non-stop to ORD. I never saw them again. At least I did not have to do laundry when I got home.

Hopefully you received at least some compensation. Sorry.

All's I know is that I *always* carry at least $1200 worth of clothes in my checked bags (that's the limit right?) ... that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Trust me, the airline did, I had $1,200 worth of clothes in the bag. I received a check and went shopping. Alas, that was before I could have gotten airmiles on my credit card to boot!

This past March I was returning from Paris on a AF/CO code share flight for which I had paid one of those incredibly low fares ($248 r/t). Got to the airport Sunday morning with over 3 1/2 hours to spare, only to be told by the every so friendly, helpful & informative (NOT) AF check in desk "Sorry, your flight is overbooked due to a change of equipment and since it is coming in from Germany with a full load on board, there is no room for anyone to board in Paris!!(This with a line of about 200 behind me waiting to check in to this flight). Also they didn't think we could get out on Monday's flight, and "don't bother us because we are too busy looking bored and uninterested". A group of us early birds corned an AF official and just about bodily threatened her. She then came back and quietly said that if the 15 of us (by this time we were our own little group of previous strangers) could make a flight two terminals over that was leaving in 20 minutes to Rome, they could get us on a CO flight to EWR. OJ had nothing on us---we made it with barely time to spare. They put us in FC on the flight, got us on the Rome-Newark portion and we ended up in Newark only slightly late! Upon departure an announcement was made that the group rerouted from Paris had to see a gate agent immediately .....Only to find that we were each handed a free ticket for a future flight--the problem is it was only good on Air France!!!But I'll suffer...

Great bumping stories - a couple of questions:

1. If involuntary bumping will only cost the airline up a $400 cash penalty, why would they pay up to $1200 for volunteers? Do they refund the ticket as well for an involuntary bump?

2. Someone mentioned using United vouchers with bonus miles from buying online at United Connection. How do you pull this off?

I think the airlines go to great lengths not to involuntarily bump someone, since this usually creates a VERY unhappy customer, which any airline can ill afford. With the vouchers for voluntary bumpees, they allow everyone who really needs to take that flight to fly it, and in addition, make someone else happy at the prospect of a future free trip. Also, if you have a voucher for one or two people, you might pay for another ticket or two on that future trip and take the whole family. As an additional thought, there is certainly some percentage of those vouchers that are never redeemed (lost, forgotten in a desk drawer).

11 yrs ago, got bumped by CX from YVR - HKG. CAD $200 plus a birthday cake on the next-day (which was my B-day) flight.

To answer your question, Tino, No, they do not refund your ticket in a voluntary bumping situation. You are simply rebooked on another flight, and you get compensation toward a future flight.