Can I go back and offer a "bid to VDB"
Oct 18, 2019, 11:01 am
#1
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Can I go back and offer a "bid to VDB"
At OLCI this morning I was prompted with the page where I can bid how much it would take to VDB, and I declined because I didn't think my wife would be interested. She now said we might as well since our plans are flexible, but is there a way to go back and enter that? Or will I have to wait until arriving at the airport or even the gate if they still need volunteers? She'd rather know sooner than later, but I believe even if I had put in values initially we wouldn't know until boarding tomorrow anyway.
Oct 18, 2019, 11:05 am
#2
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No, you won't know before the flight is almost finished boarding at the gate, with very few exceptions.....and note that most of the time when DL solicits bids for VDB, they end up not needing any seats.
However, have you tried just repeating the OLCI process?
If there's any chance that you might be interested in a VDB, it makes sense to enter something at OLCI since you're not obligated to take an offer. In the meantime, you can research alternate flights.
However, have you tried just repeating the OLCI process?
If there's any chance that you might be interested in a VDB, it makes sense to enter something at OLCI since you're not obligated to take an offer. In the meantime, you can research alternate flights.
Oct 18, 2019, 11:10 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2004
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I've only ever seen the VDB solicitation at airport. You will get the offer again if reprinting BP on kiosk, do make yourself known at the gate as well with your preferred reroute in hand.
Oct 18, 2019, 12:01 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,884
Try to online check in again using the full website (not the app). 80% of the time, you won't know if you will be needed until all pax have boarded. You will be asked to board last. I always go talk to the GA when I arrive and ask what the situation is and they usually have a pretty good sense of "we will definitely need you, maybe need you, or its unlikely."
Oct 18, 2019, 12:02 pm
#5
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I've done the VDB thing at check-in before but the only time I ever actually received a VDB it was a podium ask (no idea if they looked at the system) and I was first to the counter to take the offer
Oct 18, 2019, 12:44 pm
#7
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As other have said, you can hit Check In on desktop again and the screen will pull up during the recheck process, but this list doesn't seem to do much come gametime. Best to ID yourself as interested to GAs 45min-1hr before flight and see if they ask you to board last.
You can also keep up with EF or BCD to see how many seats are still being sold. Keep in mind, even for fully zero'd out flights, VDBs are rare these days.
Oct 18, 2019, 1:09 pm
#8
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The bidding at check-in gives Delta data for how much to offer on the now-rare occasions when VDB is still needed. There were definitely a couple press releases to this effect when it was rolled out years ago.
As other have said, you can hit Check In on desktop again and the screen will pull up during the recheck process, but this list doesn't seem to do much come gametime. Best to ID yourself as interested to GAs 45min-1hr before flight and see if they ask you to board last.
You can also keep up with EF or BCD to see how many seats are still being sold. Keep in mind, even for fully zero'd out flights, VDBs are rare these days.
As other have said, you can hit Check In on desktop again and the screen will pull up during the recheck process, but this list doesn't seem to do much come gametime. Best to ID yourself as interested to GAs 45min-1hr before flight and see if they ask you to board last.
You can also keep up with EF or BCD to see how many seats are still being sold. Keep in mind, even for fully zero'd out flights, VDBs are rare these days.
IDB is for sure in the post-Dao era but VDB is definitely still a thing as a way to avoid the IDB situation and VDB is what the check-in offer is aimed at.
In all of 2018, DL had 125k+ VDBs (34% of all VDBs across the top 10 US airlines)
On-time and VDB/IDB for 2018 from the DOT
Oct 18, 2019, 1:12 pm
#9
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The bidding at check-in gives Delta data for how much to offer on the now-rare occasions when VDB is still needed. There were definitely a couple press releases to this effect when it was rolled out years ago.
As other have said, you can hit Check In on desktop again and the screen will pull up during the recheck process, but this list doesn't seem to do much come gametime. Best to ID yourself as interested to GAs 45min-1hr before flight and see if they ask you to board last.
You can also keep up with EF or BCD to see how many seats are still being sold. Keep in mind, even for fully zero'd out flights, VDBs are rare these days.
As other have said, you can hit Check In on desktop again and the screen will pull up during the recheck process, but this list doesn't seem to do much come gametime. Best to ID yourself as interested to GAs 45min-1hr before flight and see if they ask you to board last.
You can also keep up with EF or BCD to see how many seats are still being sold. Keep in mind, even for fully zero'd out flights, VDBs are rare these days.
Oct 18, 2019, 1:23 pm
#10
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when you get called , get paid, if you don’t get called just eat your BE fare and go home
Oct 18, 2019, 1:35 pm
#11
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I don't think the VDB rates are high enough for this to work to someone's profit on average, even if BE fares are cheap, and many BE fares have advanced purchase requirements that would make it hard to pick full flights.
Also, if you do take the VDB, you pretty much have to take the new flight DL gives you to be compensated. You can't book refundable fares, grab the money (VDB payments), and cancel the tickets.
Also, if you do take the VDB, you pretty much have to take the new flight DL gives you to be compensated. You can't book refundable fares, grab the money (VDB payments), and cancel the tickets.
Oct 18, 2019, 2:00 pm
#12
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When did VDBs become rare?
IDB is for sure in the post-Dao era but VDB is definitely still a thing as a way to avoid the IDB situation and VDB is what the check-in offer is aimed at.
In all of 2018, DL had 125k+ VDBs (34% of all VDBs across the top 10 US airlines)
On-time and VDB/IDB for 2018 from the DOT
IDB is for sure in the post-Dao era but VDB is definitely still a thing as a way to avoid the IDB situation and VDB is what the check-in offer is aimed at.
In all of 2018, DL had 125k+ VDBs (34% of all VDBs across the top 10 US airlines)
On-time and VDB/IDB for 2018 from the DOT
2018: 5.89
2017: 9.70
2016: 10.04
2015: 11.63
2014: 9.31
2013: 7.59
2012: 11.69
2011: 10.13
2010: 11.07
PMDL (not including regional) 2009: 9.23
PMDL (not including regional) 2008: 9.47
PMDL (not including regional) 2007: 11.69 (IDBs were a whopping 2.47 this year)
PMDL (not including regional) 2006: 12.87
PMDL (not including regional) 2005: 11.07
Data is beautiful.
Oct 18, 2019, 2:25 pm
#13
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I pulled the data for a couple years (not every year to save time) and converted the VDB rate into per 10,000 pax (**Data from some of the early teens is questionable as to whether regionals are included.):
2018: 5.89
2017: 9.70
2016: 10.04
2015: 11.63
2014: 9.31
2013: 7.59
2012: 11.69
2011: 10.13
2010: 11.07
PMDL (not including regional) 2009: 9.23
PMDL (not including regional) 2008: 9.47
PMDL (not including regional) 2007: 11.69 (IDBs were a whopping 2.47 this year)
PMDL (not including regional) 2006: 12.87
PMDL (not including regional) 2005: 11.07
Data is beautiful.
2018: 5.89
2017: 9.70
2016: 10.04
2015: 11.63
2014: 9.31
2013: 7.59
2012: 11.69
2011: 10.13
2010: 11.07
PMDL (not including regional) 2009: 9.23
PMDL (not including regional) 2008: 9.47
PMDL (not including regional) 2007: 11.69 (IDBs were a whopping 2.47 this year)
PMDL (not including regional) 2006: 12.87
PMDL (not including regional) 2005: 11.07
Data is beautiful.
In 2018 that would make DL higher than:
UA: 4.97
AA: 5.74
WN: 1.33
AS: 2.76
HA: 1.03
B6: 0.65
The only airline in the top 10 DL doesn't beat per 10k in 2018 is Spirit coming in at 7.84 -- so DL might be trending down against their own history but getting a VDB on DL is still more likely than any other US airline apart from Spirit
Oct 18, 2019, 2:26 pm
#14
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I could be mixing things up, but I could swear there was a story from a few years back about someone getting in trouble for doing exactly that.
Oct 18, 2019, 2:29 pm
#15
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