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Have you ever been paid in cash for being bumped from a flight?

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Have you ever been paid in cash for being bumped from a flight?

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Old Jun 19, 2008, 12:48 pm
  #1  
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Have you ever been paid in cash for being bumped from a flight?

I was traveling by plane a while ago and was offered a chance to take a later flight for a $300 voucher. I decided against it because I did not know if that airline will be in business after this summer. If it would have been a $300 check I would have taken them up on the offer. I might even have waited the 3 hours for $200.

Do the airlines ever offer cash or a check to bumped passengers?
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Old Jun 19, 2008, 1:06 pm
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About three years ago I was on UA's last flight of the day from Ord to Lhr and they were in an oversold situation. They offered a $300 check or $600 in travel vouchers plus hotel and meal vouchers. I flew the next morning on their daylight service. I am still kicking myself for taking the check. I flew UA a lot back then and the travel voucher would have made more sense. I had never been offered a check before.
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Old Jun 19, 2008, 1:36 pm
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Last summer I flew NWA PHL to DTW and got bumped. They offered me travel voucher or $380 cash...I took the cash.
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Old Jun 19, 2008, 2:55 pm
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Originally Posted by Travel_intellectual

Do the airlines ever offer cash or a check to bumped passengers?
For involuntary bumps operating from the U.S.A., it's the law.

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/08-1145.htm
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Old Jun 19, 2008, 3:05 pm
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I know this happens in europe. Last summer ZRH-LAX. (swiss)Asked for buyup at the
gate to C, flight was oversold, they offered C the next day, nights lodging and aprox 400 euro (forgot the exact amount) and paid in cash at the service counter.

Last edited by BILLRNNP; Jun 19, 2008 at 3:05 pm Reason: airline
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Old Jun 20, 2008, 9:49 pm
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Couple of years ago I was flying as a courier on a Nothwest flt from LAX to Seoul,because of heavy headwinds they had to lower the weight in the plane on the initial flt to Narita,they gave me a $400 check to switch to a Asiana nonstop flt which left a little later but got me to Seoul before the NWA (with connection arrived) .I have received bump vouchers many times but this is the only time I was offered cash
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Old Jun 21, 2008, 3:16 am
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Lh

Bumped me off an LH flight FRA-NRT and stuck me on an NH instead some 5 hours later. I was in C. Walked away with (i) meal-vouchers (ii) a voucher which at their service desk converted to 630 Eur cash and (iii) an upgrade to NH-F.

The former was spent on lunch in the airport (where the voucher, surprisingly enough, was enough to get a great meal and a diet coke. The 630 Eur, however, were spent on stuff for my spouse in Japan, after I was reckless enough to tell him over the phone of my fortune....(VDB-compensation appears to be domestically taxable income, in the same way as MR points and miles)
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Old Jun 21, 2008, 3:30 am
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€800 is what AF was giving to those in coach willing to take the bump on some long-haul flights from CDG. Given the conversion rate between the euro and the Bush peso, it could well be more money for taking the bump than the ticket itself cost.
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Old Jun 21, 2008, 3:42 am
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Several years ago, flying on SAS from Frankfurt to Newark (via CPH, of course), I was bumped and put onto a much later flight.

SAS compensation was $400, upgrade to Business Class on the later CPH-EWR flight, a taxi ride to/from the airport + approx. $30 USD spending money for the roughly 6 hours in Copenhagen.
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Old Jun 21, 2008, 7:59 am
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Originally Posted by etch5895
Several years ago, flying on SAS from Frankfurt to Newark (via CPH, of course), I was bumped and put onto a much later flight.

SAS compensation was $400, upgrade to Business Class on the later CPH-EWR flight, a taxi ride to/from the airport + approx. $30 USD spending money for the roughly 6 hours in Copenhagen.
Ah, SK C-class CPH-CDG, as part of a long-haul also in C. VDB (2h later, same class) and a 400 Eur voucher, exchangable for 200 Eur in cash. Used the voucher on V-fares for spouse, self, and inlaws to OSL for a weekend. Free vacation, free miles and 2h of sleep in the Scandinavian lounge in CPH. Not bad.

I think that all European carriers offer cash-reimbursement of vouchers at a 50% rate or better, so I gather it must be law somewhere?
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Old Jun 21, 2008, 8:18 am
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Last summer I was flying an overbooked flight on SAS from SEA-CPH. I volunteered to be bumped for $600 voucher, upgrade to business class the next day, and overnight accommodations and expenses.

There were some hassles with the accommodations and retrieving my luggage at CPH, so I traded the $600 voucher for $300 cash, figuring I would not care to fly SAS again. Since I was traveling for a cruise where all the expenses were prepaid, I actually came home with more money than when I left.

I flew home on LH via FRA/DEN to avoid any further dealings with SK.
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