Seeking help- BUMP program
Dec 18, 2002 | 3:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 370
Seeking help- BUMP program
For those familiar with the BUMP program, I’d like your advice and/or clarification. I do not know if I misunderstand the program and if I was asking NW to do something that it shouldn’t.
In short this is what I tried:
Holding e-ticket CO EWR-ATL T class and e-ticket DL ATL-MSP T class. Trying to BUMP NW direct EWR-MSP. Same day, NW flight wide open (meeting cancelled and at airport several hours early). GA at EWR says OK, issues me boarding pass. Supervisor pulls me off the soon-to-depart flight saying no BUMP program exists or I don’t qualify (did not take time to explain).
Would I qualify for the BUMP with the above tickets?
Longer explanation-
Originally ticketed on CO EWR-MSP and DL ATL-MSP. Arrive at EWR and ask at NW ticket counter if they will accept my CO and DL tickets under the BUMP program and fly me direct on NW. Ticketing agent not too familiar with the BUMP process. Says something about needing an endorsement for my e-ticket from Delta. She calls the help desk, but they do not seem familiar with the BUMP program either. Ticketing agent says that I cannot use a DL or CO ticket on NWA and says something about NW does not fly from EWR-ATL direct.
Realizing that agent may not be familiar with program, I hurry to gate to see if gate agent is familiar with program and if I could try to standby on flight. GA is familiar with program and says not a problem, flight is wide open. Takes my CO/DL e-ticket #s and issues me a boarding pass for NW EWR-ATL.
As I am sitting on the flight (one of the last pax to board), another GA approaches me and asks me to gather my items and get off. I ask for an explanation, and I am told that I need to immediately get off the flight. I follow the agent, who turns out to be the gate supervisor, and get a very poor answer as to what transpired. Supervisor says “there is no BUMP program for you, just as you were told at the ticket counter”. When I ask for further explanation as to what transpired and as to why I was issued a boarding pass, the supervisor writes his name on a piece of paper and tells me to call customer service. Refuses to talk to me further.
Call CS. Very upset by being pulled off flight. CS agent not familiar with BUMP. Does some research and told me that I cannot be processed under BUMP program because of the type of ticket that I was flying on.
FT-ers- Did I miss-understand the BUMP program? Was I asking NW to fly me on routing that they never would have been compensated for? Just trying to understand for future reference. It has been a frustrating process.
In short this is what I tried:
Holding e-ticket CO EWR-ATL T class and e-ticket DL ATL-MSP T class. Trying to BUMP NW direct EWR-MSP. Same day, NW flight wide open (meeting cancelled and at airport several hours early). GA at EWR says OK, issues me boarding pass. Supervisor pulls me off the soon-to-depart flight saying no BUMP program exists or I don’t qualify (did not take time to explain).
Would I qualify for the BUMP with the above tickets?
Longer explanation-
Originally ticketed on CO EWR-MSP and DL ATL-MSP. Arrive at EWR and ask at NW ticket counter if they will accept my CO and DL tickets under the BUMP program and fly me direct on NW. Ticketing agent not too familiar with the BUMP process. Says something about needing an endorsement for my e-ticket from Delta. She calls the help desk, but they do not seem familiar with the BUMP program either. Ticketing agent says that I cannot use a DL or CO ticket on NWA and says something about NW does not fly from EWR-ATL direct.
Realizing that agent may not be familiar with program, I hurry to gate to see if gate agent is familiar with program and if I could try to standby on flight. GA is familiar with program and says not a problem, flight is wide open. Takes my CO/DL e-ticket #s and issues me a boarding pass for NW EWR-ATL.
As I am sitting on the flight (one of the last pax to board), another GA approaches me and asks me to gather my items and get off. I ask for an explanation, and I am told that I need to immediately get off the flight. I follow the agent, who turns out to be the gate supervisor, and get a very poor answer as to what transpired. Supervisor says “there is no BUMP program for you, just as you were told at the ticket counter”. When I ask for further explanation as to what transpired and as to why I was issued a boarding pass, the supervisor writes his name on a piece of paper and tells me to call customer service. Refuses to talk to me further.
Call CS. Very upset by being pulled off flight. CS agent not familiar with BUMP. Does some research and told me that I cannot be processed under BUMP program because of the type of ticket that I was flying on.
FT-ers- Did I miss-understand the BUMP program? Was I asking NW to fly me on routing that they never would have been compensated for? Just trying to understand for future reference. It has been a frustrating process.
Dec 19, 2002 | 3:29 am
#3
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Las Vegas, NV USA
Posts: 748
This situation appears to have been totally mishandled.
I assume both tickets you had purchased on CO and DL were not bulk fares and that both tickets were acessable to NW, if the agent printed both tickets, that would lead to a problem with you using them on the original carriers. Was this attempted prior to 12/10 when NW established an E-tkt link with DL?
I would suspect that the agent you spoke to at the ticket counter got wind that you then spoke to the gate agent about the same thing and received a different (and correct) answer...they advised the supervisor and it went from there. Basically an ego problem with someone that was wrong, was overridden, and wanted to show you who was running the show. I would get names of everyone you talked to and submit them with your note to Customer Relations. The BUMP program still exists and was recently mentioned in an internal memo "Q & A" as to it's current validity...as the program is several years old and not heavily promoted within the company (to say the least), I would estimate at least 50% of customer service agents are not familiar with it. It is not necessarily something NW wants to make public knowledge, for lack of better terminology, as to not encourage someone to purchase a less expensive fare on another carrier and then fly NW with it. The program is designed to capture revenue on day-of-departure only to fill empty seats. Why a supervisor would actually remove you from an aircraft, even if NW was only getting $10.00 for the ticket(s) you purchased, is beyond me and as I said, at least on the face of it, wrong.
Curiously, did you speak to the GA afterwards?
[This message has been edited by Vegas Agent (edited 12-19-2002).]
I assume both tickets you had purchased on CO and DL were not bulk fares and that both tickets were acessable to NW, if the agent printed both tickets, that would lead to a problem with you using them on the original carriers. Was this attempted prior to 12/10 when NW established an E-tkt link with DL?
I would suspect that the agent you spoke to at the ticket counter got wind that you then spoke to the gate agent about the same thing and received a different (and correct) answer...they advised the supervisor and it went from there. Basically an ego problem with someone that was wrong, was overridden, and wanted to show you who was running the show. I would get names of everyone you talked to and submit them with your note to Customer Relations. The BUMP program still exists and was recently mentioned in an internal memo "Q & A" as to it's current validity...as the program is several years old and not heavily promoted within the company (to say the least), I would estimate at least 50% of customer service agents are not familiar with it. It is not necessarily something NW wants to make public knowledge, for lack of better terminology, as to not encourage someone to purchase a less expensive fare on another carrier and then fly NW with it. The program is designed to capture revenue on day-of-departure only to fill empty seats. Why a supervisor would actually remove you from an aircraft, even if NW was only getting $10.00 for the ticket(s) you purchased, is beyond me and as I said, at least on the face of it, wrong.
Curiously, did you speak to the GA afterwards?
[This message has been edited by Vegas Agent (edited 12-19-2002).]
Dec 19, 2002 | 6:12 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 370
The GA was standing right next to the supervisor but did not add anything to the conversation, although I was asking both for an explanation (have both their names). Actually this occurred yesterday so the DL agreement was already in place.
These were tickets purchased directly from CO and DL in T class. I thought that the direct routing I was trying to get (EWR-MSP) might have been the problem because I had an EWR-ATL and ATL-DTW ticket, but then I recalled the earlier posts on this subject and the origin and destination were the same and earlier discussions indicated that routing did not matter.
I thought this would be a win-win. I would get to home early and NW could pick up a few bucks. Instead I got to sit in EWR for 5 hours stewing , embarrassed, and inconvenienced. In the end, there was an ATC delay in EWR so with my tight connection in ATL, CO offered to put me on a direct flight (probably got DL’s revenue and certainly got my gratitude). More or less got home on schedule.
And CO did have trouble with my ticket because it was already pulled and printed by NW.
Thanks for your comments VA, at least I feel a bit more vindicated now.
[This message has been edited by goblue (edited 12-19-2002).]
These were tickets purchased directly from CO and DL in T class. I thought that the direct routing I was trying to get (EWR-MSP) might have been the problem because I had an EWR-ATL and ATL-DTW ticket, but then I recalled the earlier posts on this subject and the origin and destination were the same and earlier discussions indicated that routing did not matter.
I thought this would be a win-win. I would get to home early and NW could pick up a few bucks. Instead I got to sit in EWR for 5 hours stewing , embarrassed, and inconvenienced. In the end, there was an ATC delay in EWR so with my tight connection in ATL, CO offered to put me on a direct flight (probably got DL’s revenue and certainly got my gratitude). More or less got home on schedule.
And CO did have trouble with my ticket because it was already pulled and printed by NW.
Thanks for your comments VA, at least I feel a bit more vindicated now.
[This message has been edited by goblue (edited 12-19-2002).]
Dec 19, 2002 | 6:21 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Seattle, Cagayan de Oro
Programs: CebGo 5J, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Alaska Titanium
Posts: 4,778
Here is the question......What is the BUMP programme?
Dec 19, 2002 | 6:27 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 370
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by davistev:
Here is the question......What is the BUMP programme?</font>
Here is the question......What is the BUMP programme?</font>
[This message has been edited by goblue (edited 12-19-2002).]
May 27, 2003 | 6:38 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 260
Has anyone had success at DCA with the BUMP program?
My fiancee had an e-ticket on DL (U class), DCA-ATL-BNA for tvl on the afternoon of June 24. DCA-MEM-BNA was wide open on itn.net for the morning of June 24.
She tells me that when she arrived at the DCA ticket counter the NW agents were very nice but confessed they had little more than passing knowledge of the BUMP program.
Eventually a supervisor got involved and told her that my fiancee would have to contact DL and get them to print out her e-ticket as a paper ticket and then bring it over to the NW ticket counter. Based on the information we got from FT, my fiancee tried to convince them that there truly WAS a way for NW to access her DL e-ticket. They responded that this could only be done with a Continental ticket and not with any other airlines.
Again, just wondering what others experiences have been, or if anyone has suggestions on what to communicate to agents when situations like this arise.
My fiancee had an e-ticket on DL (U class), DCA-ATL-BNA for tvl on the afternoon of June 24. DCA-MEM-BNA was wide open on itn.net for the morning of June 24.
She tells me that when she arrived at the DCA ticket counter the NW agents were very nice but confessed they had little more than passing knowledge of the BUMP program.
Eventually a supervisor got involved and told her that my fiancee would have to contact DL and get them to print out her e-ticket as a paper ticket and then bring it over to the NW ticket counter. Based on the information we got from FT, my fiancee tried to convince them that there truly WAS a way for NW to access her DL e-ticket. They responded that this could only be done with a Continental ticket and not with any other airlines.
Again, just wondering what others experiences have been, or if anyone has suggestions on what to communicate to agents when situations like this arise.