I am using FF miles to get my wife to LHR in business class w/her sister. This flight is constantly full, and she was wondering what would happen if she volunteers to get bumped, i.e. does she get next flight, still business, possibly get bumped to employee class, etc.
Any help is appreciated.

I've been treated the same as anybody else flying with Frequent Flyer miles in the bumping area, same incentives, same next flight, same hotel offer, etc.

With most airlines in the U.S., you can get bumped with any type of ticket and get the same compensation as the next person.

Last year, I was voluntarily bumped off a flight for a free domestic ticket. When I used the freebie, I was voluntarily bumped off that flight for a $300 voucher. When I used that voucher, I was voluntarily bumped off that flight a $400 voucher.

As with any bump, be sure to ask before you volunteer: Will I get the same class of service on the next flight? Will I have to go standby or can I be confirmed on the next flight? Sometimes the answers are 'No' or 'Well ...'.

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He who dies with the most miles, is dead.

[This message has been edited by ontheroad (edited 07-20-2000).]

while in cancun last month, i was called back early to the states for an emergency while using a TWA FF award. one nice thing about the award is that i changed the return date with no fee.

i was bumped from the flight (the only twa flight out of cancun that day), and was given a free future roundtrip to any 2 cities in North America (including mexico, so i can actually go back to cancun for more than a 1-day vacation next time...), plus a first-class seat on a continental flight leaving an hour later. continental actually got me back into new orleans 3 hours earlier than twa would have.

so, yes. award tix are treated pretty much the same as revenue tix.

I had a UA award ticket, business class, for NRTBKK last month. It was oversold and I was bumped into first class.

The only thing I can think of that would be different between a revenue and award ticket would be that it would be unlikely they would move you over to another airline (at least United doesn't, according to their tarif rules). But that probably wouldn't apply to a "volunteered" bumping anyway.

Yes, the rules are generally the same whether the ticket was acquired via either an award or via purchase.

I will say that once on Am West and once on SWA I received slightly lower compensation than others due to my lower ticket price. The bump award was X $ plus one half of the ticket price.

I have not seen this type of compensation used in awhile, though. Generally, just a voucher for X dollars to take a later flight, regardless.

Chiangi, as a "non-rev" in this instance you were just like the others in "Employee Class"!

Jim67094,

Yes. On this flight, there was even one uniform cabin crew, probably deadhead, who was escorted into the first class cabin after take-off.

I was once bumped from business to coach on a FF ticket. I got a bit of compensation but not as much as I should have, given the knowledge gained by reading this board.

When traveling to Antigua via Puerto Rico on the first day of spring break last year, we (family of 3) volunteered to get bumped twice. We were tranveling on AA FF tickets, and I asked to have the class of service changed so that I got miles on the flight on which we got bumped. It never hurts to ask. We got $5000 worth of vouchers and miles for one leg of the trip. Not bad for a free trip. and they kept thanking us for volunterring. (We got meal vouchers as well).

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DtG

i was bumped off a nw flight on a ff ticket and got a $400 voucher. then the gate agent realized that there was still one seat left, so i got on the plane and got to keep my voucher!!!

Awards aren't classified as "nonrev" tickets.

Ionman. That has to be one of the sweetest bump deals that I ever heard of. Good man.