Getting Bumped...
 

I know it's been discussed many times but after looking through the search I couldn't find an answer to a specific question.

Is a bump more likely on a 200 seater or a 50 seater? If going for a bump which would be the smarter segment.

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Anyway, I'm on a rewards flight to go back home for christmas and the flight is BDL-STL-SFO with the first being a 50 seat flight, second 150 seat MD-80. The itinerary is for Dec 21 (Wednesday), both planes showing currently to be full.

What's the likeliness of getting bumped, just from peoples experiences?

Do they provide rewards travelers with additional free travel or will look at me funny for volunteering on a rewards flight at check-in?

You'd like to see all zeroes in all fare buckets. There's no clear difference between the likelyhood of getting bumped on a 50 seater versus a 200 seater. In that respect, the timing of your flights is a bigger factor.

That's what I figured, are the any other odd coincidences that happen with being bumped.

Like... I was thinking. The likeliness of getting bumped is much higher on the weekend because there's more travel on the weekend but at the same time if a flight is oversold on a weekday it seems like more of those would be non-refundable fares (less business flights) and would probably be more likely to be bumped. This is somewhat fuzzy logic, but I have no experience. Anyone know a site or thread that discusses this thouroughly?

Cancelled flights (not yours but other flights) and they have to put PAX on your flight...There are numerous odd situations. All the PAX (who had a reservation) show up in an overbooked situation and etc.

If you want to go the weekend route try booking Friday evening when most people are trying to go home from work or Monday morning when they are trying to commute to work.

If they need volunteers, they will be happy to have you regardless whether you are on a reward ticket or a one-way first-class full fare.

I chained a few bumps off of a reward ticket. A couple of times they upgraded me on my rescheduled flight. On all they gave me what every other volunteer received (which was usually a free roundtrip ticket).

Bumping scenario
 

A flight is overbooked and you're the first to volunteer. They offer a Free Ticket and you accept. Later they find they need more volunteers and up the offer... to (whatever). Do you get the original amount you agreed to, or do they figure you'd get pretty pissed being the one to volunteer and get screwed because of it.

I figure you have to give everyone the same amount. If I talked to someone else and found out they got twice as much, I'd be pretty mad. Anyone know the airlines' practices?

Since I've never done this before, anyone have any sort of tips as to how to go about this? Do I ask at check-in or at the gate? When is it best to ask/arrive? Is it rude to ask more than once? Can I (non-elite) get #1 on the list? Are there any strategies to get them to up their offer? When to ask to get rerouted to a new destination?

I'm just so fuzzy about what to do, and afraid to be beat out... anyone have any tips as to a sort of systematic way to ask to be bumped once a ticket is already booked?

When you check-in, ask the agent if your flight is oversold. If they respond yes, then tell them you'd like to volunteer to be bumped. If the check-in agent says no, then ask at the gate.

At the gate, ask about the likelyhood of being bumped. If it's good, then inquire about compensation (most likely a free round-trip ticket) and how they'll get you to your final destination. If you don't like the answer, you can always remove yourself from the list. The only way they'll sweeten the offer is if they can't get enough volunteers.

You get what YOU agreed upon / negotiated, not what others agreed upon / negotiated. ;)
It is good practice before you say, "Yes, bump me!" to ask them what they are offering and if they can confirm you on the next available flight.

Never, never take the free ticket (unless that is the only thing they are offering... in which case still ask for the Credit Voucher, they may give it to you).

(I know the below is true for NW, not sure of other airlines)
You don't earn miles on the free ticket.
Free tickets come from the same class as award flights, so they can be hard to book.

I was bumped on a Sunday evening flight. I checked in via the kiosk, and then asked at the gate, when I overheard someone asking to fly standby, and the gate agent saying the flight was overbooked. At that point, I said I would volunteer. After boarding was complete, they had two empty seats, and were looking to fill those with people who'd volunteered to be bumped. When asked about me by another gate agent, the first gate agent said, "She was the first volunteer, so she's not an option to put on this flight." I'm non-elite, so that didn't figure in to the equation. I would ask at the check-in counter, and then ask at the gate, assuming you've been told the flight is full, as soon as you get there. I would arrive a bit earlier than normal, and be sure to go straight to the gate. Good luck!

Odd
 

I sometimes fly as a non-rev on Continental. On a number of flights this summer I was trying to get on a fully booked (or overbooked) ERJ. I got on every time, and I wasn't the only one. Some of them were booked at 54 when the capacity was 50. I was completely mystified, as on the larger aircraft I have sometimes been unable to board even when there were lots of seats available the day before.

It doesn't surprise me so much out of a hub like Houston or Newark, but it DOES surprise me in PIT! That's another key: are you flying on a major carrier at its hub? Because there's a much higher noshow due to misconnects in that situation.

No STL isn't a hub for AA I don't think and BDL (Hartford) isn't an international hub either like Boston would be. Although when I looked at farebuckets vs. the aa seat assignments I did notice there was 2 seats left. Good chance they get sold within 2 weeks?

Definitely, definitely try to get cash or a credit voucher. Sometimes you have a choice (voucher$ = 2x cash$ in me experience), and cash seems to only make an appearance on big international routes.

Trading time for $ is good, getting miles along with it (the flight your credit buys) is even better..

On AA everyone gets the final, highest offer.

I'm surprised that any airline has a different policy. Aside from the ethical issues involved and the hassling of agents that is sure to ensue from people who feel (with some justification, IMHO) that they were wronged, it's hardly the best way to get people to volunteer quickly.

If they say they are going to need more than 1, I would always say I'm willing to give up my seat, I expect to recived what ever your highest offer is.