No Bumps on US-bound flights?
 

Returning from FCO last weekend, I got to AMS for my KL AMS-ATL connection. Inquired at the gate about whether they were in an oversold situation.

The rest of the conversation went something like this:
Agent: "Yes, I currently have 4 passengers without seats."
Agent: "Why would you ask this, sir?"
Me: " I was wondering if you needed any volunteers."
Agent (with puzzled look): "You don't want to fly today?"
Me: "I don't NEED to fly today"
Agent: "I'm sorry sir, we can't do that.
Me: "Why not?"
Agent: "On US-bound flights we are not allowed to take people off of the flight, because of concerns over baggage."
Me: "Really??...Ok, thanks."


Is this a new rule? I know that they were offering €600+hotel and food if anyone was willing to take a bump AMS-YUL earlier in June. I had not heard of this rule. Anyone else?

I wonder if the agent would have replied differently if you said you had no checked luggage? I have been bumped AMS-DTW, but not in a few years. Stating I only had my carry-on seemed to give me some kind of priority though.

Yes, the agent would have responded differently.

I was on an ex-AMS longhaul KL flight a week ago, which was oversold, and also 4 hours late. Another pax and I considered volunteering, but when he (the other pax) went up to ask, they said they could only take volunteers with no checked baggage.

Basically, while they'd like volunteers, they wouldn't like to dig through the cargo hold of a widebody looking for your bag. :)

It's possible, although I did have checked luggage. Ultimate irony is that my tight connection from FCO prevented said checked luggage from making it onto the flight anyway! Additionally, for any that have been through AMS recently, I'm sure you've heard the "you're delaying the flight" announcements that end in "we will proceed to offload your luggage", so it can be done...

forget about US bound, CO even Out Bound from the US will NOT allow a passenger to be a Vol if they have already checked in their bags! dont know what they would do with an all Domestic itn if bags were checked.

Cheap IDB Insurance?
 

Does this mean that they won't IDB someone with a checked bag? :p

I can picture that conversation now:

Agent: "I'm sorry sir, but we don't have a seat for you."
Passenger: "WHAT??? But I have a CHECKED bag!!!"

:D

If you believe that announcement in the first place...

Well... they didn't say where they'd offload it. At your destination, without you having gotten there, seems like a fitting choice. ;)

I have been bumped several times form AMS to the US and from NRT as well. I swore off checking luggage, ever, a few years ago so I am always a prime candidate anyway. I have been told the same thing though (if you checked you can't get the bump)

CO pulled our checked bags when we volunteered on HNL-LAX. The bags had been interlined from LIH on HA.

I have noticed that AA and UA at Lhr special tag the checked bags of volunteers so they can be easily located if they are selected for VDB. I don't check bags; therefore, several gate agents have told me, I move to the head of the list. Where a bag matching requirement is in effect it is much easier to bump pax with no checked luggage.

I was at LGW last week and they were thrilled I wanted to volunteer. They marked my bag with special "VOLUNTEER" tape to expedite the offloading provided they needed me to volunteer -- which they didn't.

At MSP recently for an AMS-bound flight there was ground crew personnel with a walkie talkie standing at the gate to get the names of volunteers from the gate agents. He would then relay the names of volunteers to the baggage handlers, and each one would then have their bags pulled off the flight. Then, once the late-comer's would start trickling in, he would call down and one-by-one have each individual's bag put back on.

I've always found that funny about Amsterdam (not just the airport). Apparently when they try to enforce something they always throw in a threat. Even a "no littering" sign says "you will be fined". :)

My trips are usually lengthy so I never have the luxury of traveling without checked luggage. I've tried to volunteer several times out of AMS but the bump gods haven't been kind to me. Once I got to the gate super early and when I offered to take a bump the GA typed something and said "I see you have 1 bag. But it hasn't been loaded yet so it's ok."