Well, I've looked through the archives and seen the BUMP program discussed, but I really haven't seen this particular question addressed. FYI the BUMP program as I understand it is designed to seize revenue from other carriers. Basically, on a space available basis, NW agents are able to grab competitors e-tickets (or paper tickets) and then put you on NW metal and present the tickets for whatever they can get for them at the clearinghouse. I read that full Y can be confirmed in advance, and that discount fares are confirmable on day of departure only at the airport.

Ok, here's my situation. Basically, a company that I am interviewing with bought me an e-ticket BOS-ORD-BOS on AA to come and see them. Fare basis is N, which I think is like H class on NW. I have established that if I present the ticket to NW in Boston, that if there is space available they can put me on NW metal with a connection in DTW. This is fine, but what if on the return, NW doesn't have space available and can't take my AA ticket? Will AA balk at honoring the return coupon because I took the outbound on NW? As in, would AA automatically cancel the return because I didn't use the outbound with them? Or would they just plain not honor the return ticket? Or, would everything be fine...

Can anyone tell me what they think would happen? Can anyone who has used the BUMP program tell me whether or not it worked?

lopez151

Chances are quite high that AA would cancel your return and render your return ticket useless ORD-BOS. It MAY be possible that the NW BOS agent could book you RT when you present your ticket initially if availabilty is good and K open on all flights concerned (yes, AA N class is equivalent to NW K). This isn't standard policy to book the return but if it gives NW a couple extra bucks, I would certainly examine it...

What is the BUMP program?

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KARNS do a search! There are many many topics out there.

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Sorry mama i gots to get all the miles i can

Brian

None of which answer his question.... And I'd like to know as well.

Steve

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum35/HTML/004545.html

AH.... upgrade me, was waiting for your post

Trouble is, that link (nor any of the other threads) deal with what I know my questions (and I believe a core focus of the original poster) is.

Specifically:

If you did the BUMP with an AA ticket on your outbound leg, what happens to the return?

The linked thread makes a mention of "call the original carrier (in the example, AA) and make sure they don't cancel the return portion." But is that a specific obligation? Does the 'original' carrier have to keep the return leg open for you?

All the threads in the search at best mention what appear to be return portions of trips -- there's no specific mention of having/not having issues with return portions -- something that could really bite, having to purchase a walk-up fare because your return portion was cancelled.

In other words "Gee, we're sorry, sir, but the computer automatically cancelled out the return portion when it saw the outbound left and you werren't on it, and there's nothing we can do to override it."

That information is what would be appreciated.

Steve

karns is actually a woman...

I don't think anyone in the NW board could specifically answer a question as to what AA would do. I think you need to call AA and ask what happens if you fly another carrier on the outbound, would you be protected on the return? NWA has no control over what AA does or does not honor. Supposing that I or another passenger had some success in the past with your scenario is no indication that is what AA would do tomorrow.

BUMP (bring us more passengers, i think is what it means) also is supposedly not a very well know program at the ticket counters. I don't think it was intended so that you could buy tickets on one carrier and fly on another at will. I think it is intended more for "emegency" or "one time favors" type of things.

First of all,

Secondly, brians51 and UpgradeMe's (anticipated!) responses were answering karns' question as to what the BUMP program is (as opposed to your questions).



[This message has been edited by LGA (edited 03-31-2003).]

isn't this just a "rule 120" deal? where do we find all these rules anyway?

I got back from my trip tonight, and I thought I would share my results with the group.

On Tuesday, I took my non-stop AA BOS-ORD ticket to the NW ticket counter in BOS, where the agent seemed to immediately know what I was talking about when I mentioned the BUMP program. He had to call AA to release control of my e-ticket, but quickly confirmed my outbound and return travel on NW metal BOS-DTW-ORD-DTW-BOS. I was very pleased at how smoothly it happened.

One interesting thing was that even though my AA ticket was in N class, NW booked me in Y class on the outbound, and Q class on the return.

All in all, it worked great, and I was very pleased with how the program actually worked.

lopez151

Glad you had a positive experience.

The agent was actually going a bit outside the boundries set in the program in booking your ticket round-trip but if the return was within a just a couple of days, I'm sure availability wasn't going to change dramatically. Unless you had checked-in to the AA flight, there should have been no reason to call AA to release the ticket as it can be requested through automated channels...but nonetheless, the process was handled and you were readily accomodated.