themicah

But only if the denied boarding was truly involuntary could you have actually gotten cash (not a voucher). If it was oversold and you volunteered your seat for the voucher, you were not really screwed. You took what they offered, and just didn't know about the $300 ECV option.

I advised my fellow bumpees the same way a couple months ago, and not one of them took the $300 ECV. They all wanted the free ticket, despite all my explanations of why the $300 was a better deal (flexibility, miles unlikelihood of finding free seats--let alone on an itin that costs significnatly more than $300, etc.).

Fly2005

I got bumped a few weeks ago and was given a free trip electronic voucher, which I knew would be impossible to use. I asked the NWA folks to give me a cash voucher instead, which they declined. HOWEVER, upon calling reservations (and searching online) and finding no W class availability (as I expected, thanks to reading this board!), I talked to an extremely helpful reservations agent who let me use the voucher as $200 towards a ticket. It's certainly not as good as a free trip, but I jumped on it--$200 I can use anywhere vs. a free trip I can never use? No brainer (especially since the whole thing was a boondoggle to start with--I was "bumped" on an 18 minute flight from TOL to DTW; they drove me there, I made my connection, plus received the voucher). She also let me use a $-off cert I had--so I got a $300 ticket for $65 (and I'll get miles for the flight).

I advise you to try the same if you feel like you have exhausted all possibilities of finding a W-Class ticket. Call the reservations line, not the nwa.com line.

BOB W

If you can do it, September is a great time to visit. The state fair is going on in Palmer through Labor Day, the leaves are turning & the weather is usually mild, esdpecially earlier in the month.

School is back on, most tourists have already come & gone so the rates for hotels, excursions, etc. are lower too. It's also less crowded around here starting in September. Availability of flights might be better too.

De'Teri Mayes

Thanks for all of the help. You guys know your stuff. I will use this advice to see if I get lucky.

Yes, the bumping was definitely involuntary. I thought something was up because they first offered us the free tickets or $300 vouchers if we gave up our seats. Another couple took that deal, but we did not. We were trying to make a wedding and were already making a very short weekend of it because we had to travel somewhere else shortly after this weekend trip. That is when they asked for people to give up their seats for the above compensation. Nobody took the offer, so at that point they said too bad, there are not any seats. Then, they gave us the same offer as if we had voluntarily given up our seats. We asked if that was proper and they said that it was. Logically it did not seem right to me, but I did not have knowledge or experience in this area. Perhaps I should have fought it. A few weeks later, after my longer trip, I remember doing research that made me think that I was screwed. I sent an email to northwest to ask them if what happened to me was correct and they said that it was entirely proper. I let it go deciding to not waste more time on it. Plus, we had free tickets.

Thanks again.

DT

keithguy

NW is allowed to offer you travel credit/free ticket vouchers when you are involuntarily denied boarding (which you were), however, you don't have to accept it. If you don't accept it, NW is obliged to give you the cash payout. NW agents not telling you about the cash option seems very sneaky.

Were you asked to sign any forms when receiving your vouchers? It'd probably be something along the lines of 'I hereby release Northwest Airlines from any claims related to NW XXXX'. Hopefully, you did not as it strengthens your case of being involuntarily denied boarding.

If it's worth the time and effort to you, you might want to complain to the US Department of Transportation - they don't like airlines treating involuntarily denied boardings as denied boardings and if they find out, then you can receive the cash payout.

De'Teri Mayes

I sent them a follow-up email this morning requesting a response within 7 days or else I would file a complaint with DOT. I know that these kind of companies rarely jump until a regulatory agency is involved, but I thought that I would give them a chance.

We did not sign anything.

keithguy

It's probably best to read over the section of NW's Contract of Carriage in regards to involuntarily denied boarding. It's kind of long, but it's quite useful. Specifically, start on page 112 (Rule 245 - Denied Boarding Compensation). Particular attention should be noted in Section E - Compensation for Involuntary Denied Boarding (bottom of page 115).

De'Teri Mayes

The complaint has been filed.

In the meantime I continue searches for my ecv ticket. I started looking for 1 seat on 1 way flights searching with the +/- 3 days option on departure. I went from April through August making sure each day was accounted for. I did this for several different departure and destination points. I did not find a single seat available. There is another hour of my life wasted. It is not worth more time. These tickets are useless. I will save them for the next time I have a runny nose so that they will provide some benefit to me.

I am finished with Northwest. You can bet that if given the choice of traveling by Northwest or by foot, I will be putting on my walking shoes. At least I am not bitter.

Snoopyo

I was involuntarily denied boarding Jan. 04. It was a RJ or maybe Saab out of YOW-DTW. When I checked in, I was told they were overweight so I cannot get on
They offered to sign me over to AC but did not do it properly so AC asked for the printout of a ticket that is signed over and NW Airlinks people did not do it but instead went to board the passengers. I was very unhappy at that point and they only offered me a free ticket, not the $$ ECV option nor cash option.

I did have a little difficulty in finding availability for one of my trip but ended up booking my brother-in-law for a ticket to YOW-LEX for his niece's wedding so it worked out okay.

Sounds like availability have gotten worse with increased rule buster...

andyjo

I have received a free ticket ECV as well. I had the same issue regarding no avail. flights to places I wanted to go. Just for grins I tried to apply the ECV number to a regular reservation on nwa.com. Sure enough it let me use the "Free ticket ECV" for $200 off the flight. So even though they told you it was for a free ticket you may try to use the number for $$$ off. There is a field on the billing page to use a ECV for credit. Once you proceed it will tell you how much it is good for and the final total.