If one gets bumped (voluntarily) from their flight, what "power" does the GA have in securing your next flight?

The one time I was bumped the GA put us on standby for the next flight out, the next day. That was fine as our schedule was very flexible, the next flight out was only about half full as well.

What if for instance you have some flexibility but need to make sure you get there on the flight after you were bumped as you can not be any later than that (else you miss the meeting or whatever)?

Instead of being placed on standby, can they "guarantee" (I am not sure how exactly - actually assign you a seat maybe?) that you will be on the next flight?
Or is that just the chance you take on volunteering (and getting $300 ECVs)?

Depends how full the next flight is. If there's space available, they'll confirm you. If it's already oversold, standby.

Before accepting the bump, ask what flight they'll put you on and decide if it's acceptable. I got bumped a couple of weeks ago, but accepted only after G/A told me she'd confirm me on next flight (and. I'm ashamed to admit, confirmed that she'd keep me in F. So spoiled).

You can request to have a CONFIRMED seat before you hand over your existing confirmed seat. It's helpful to have reroute options in mind, e.g. "could you check if you can book me on AA through ORD or on Midwest through MKE?"

This is often helpful, becuase you can then earn miles on a new carrier, and request the miles you would have earned on NW!

If you push them hard enough, they can even call and get a seat cracked open an a full flight so as to confirm you on it.

But agree with the advice above -- always get an acceptable confirmed flight as a worst-case scenario. I recently did a bump on CO where the confirmed flight was in the morning (worst case scenario), but I could standby for any flight into 3 alternate airports that evening. I ended up getting out that night.

The last time I got bumped the GA (a young Mesaba guy) was very hurried. He put me on the standby list for the next flight AND confirmed me on an alternate AA routing for the next morning in case the standby thing didn't work out.

Great, right? Except that I later discovered that he had accidentally "confirmed" me on the alternate AA flight for the day before, not the next day. So I actually had nothing when the standby flight cancelled.

Luckily I got it worked out and arrived only about 12 hours late (on a combined NW/UA routing with a free stay at the MSP Sheraton). But it could have been very bad.

Moral of the story: Double-check those print-outs they give you!

I have always asked to be confirmed on a flight and stand-by on earlier flights. That way I know for sure when I'm going to fly out. My favorite deal was volunteering for a bump, getting a confirmed flight and my voucher then having the original flight cancelled for a mechanical. I was then able to get bumped from the new confirmation an picked up another voucher. Whoo Hoo.

Thanks for the replies and advice!

I believe the logic is as follows. When you are bumped, your ticket becomes a full fare ticket. Thus, you have the highest priority on any flight the GA books you on. It's not a guarantee so to speak but it gives you high priority over others.