I always try to be charming to the gate agent.. bump or not. Who knows where things could go? ;) However, in possible oversell situations, the GA usually seems frantic/busy and doesn't have time to chat it up.

Not to go overboard, but I am sure there are multiple scenarios behind the scenes that the GAs are juggling.. perhaps they are oversold but have seats that might free up from late connecting passengers.. and/or there is a missing passenger who checked in but cannot be found at the gate (likely boozing it up at the bar)... and so on.

Another reason all seats may be taken, but there is an unfilled seat on board.. albeit not often, someone may have used a hidden city route and got off a plane and not reboarded.

sapman, nowadays with scanners, etc., it's easier for them to see who is and is not on board. I can't imagine them thinking a seat is full when the person isn't on--- especially with FAs counting empty seats.

One thing to consider is weight restrictions--- there was a thread that BNA flights this summer can't leave with full loads. So a plane may still need volunteers in order to leave with X seats empty.

For the first time ever ever I saw an IDB, and it wasn't pretty. An airline to remain nameless had a red-eye out of PHX just before 4th of July weekend---agents made a few weak announcements at the gate for the typical free ticket, but didn't put much effort into the search. Of course I had options ready. ;) The agents boarded all, even though they needed 3 volunteers..... supervisor went onto the fully loaded AC and got 2 pax off with an offer of 2 tickets. Issued 2 boarding passes and sent the flight off before explaining to the last woman she was IDB-- she was waiting patiently for a BP, as she had been instructed. Turns out she was going for a wedding :-/ and at that point there were no other red-eye options. Agent gave her a carbon copy slip for part or all of the ticket price, since she would be delayed aome 8-12 hours.... I recall it was for around $200 cash. Don't even think he offered her the option of the 2 tickets, as the volunteers who had been bumped.

Like a good FTer, I asked about a csh voucher for a MEX trip--- agent and supervisor said they'd offer $200. $200 in exchange for each RT, right? Wrong! 2 RTs _or_ $200 total. :rolleyes: So, 2 more domestic tickets for me... hey, it wasn't that bad.

(End of story: rebooked the next day in F-- full F. :) looking good-- but mechanical cancellation on the outbound. Rerouted onto another carrier in F earning EQMs I can use. Arrived 8 min. before my reroute flight. ;))

And let's not discount the possibility of being confirmed in F (as opposed to upgrading from a coach fare) on your later flight/flights, if the agent is amenable. In addition to the DBC, you can score some extra miles and EQMs that way. I had some success doing this with non-upgradable LUT fares on DL (before their upgrade policy changed).

I recommended this tactic to an elderly couple a few months ago; they were quite pleased to receive the DBC, meal voucher and a pair of seats in F for their four-hour inconvenience. My dad is beginning to learn the finer points of volunteering, too. He used to think I was crazy for doing it; now he's beginning to realize that it is shrewd.

I am not a bump master but am not a bump novice either. So FWIW, these two things seem to help the most:

1. Being pleasant but not pushy.
2. Having some vague idea about rerouting possibilities and mentioning it. One time I picked up a bump on NW from MSP to ANC by mentioning to the GA that I'd be willing to overnight in MSP if NW would pick up my hotel and fly out the next AM. There had been a mechanical that day and flights to ANC were stacked. The gate agent gave me a hotel voucher, a meal voucher, a phone card, and a $500 travel credit. I didn't need to hurry home, so I spent the evening exploring the Mall of America.

[QUOTE=bhatnasx] . . . in case you ever need to invoke Rule 240 - which I actually have a printout of NW's rule 240 in my carry-on).


Oh my goodness, so much to learn for a new FT'er! It's like a whole new WORLD of traveling once you start learning the tips and tricks of the trade you all know!
So what is rule 240? And is there a comparable rule held by AA?