Should passengers refuse UA VDB offers in order to maximize oversale compensation?
 

I was on an oversold LHR-SFO flight last week, and they were "looking for volunteers" whom they promised an overnight stay at LHR + $800 travel voucher. I initially volunteered, but soon after reversed course. I figure all passengers should make it hurt AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE if the airline's going to overbook. And by that I mean, NOBODY should volunteer, which should force the airline INVOLUNTARILY bump somebody who will then get a lot more than just an $800 travel voucher.

Nice theory but unless you get everyone else to promise not to be a VOL I would have Grabbed that $800 and not looked back!

Me too :rolleyes:

There's nothing wrong with oversales and VDBs so long as they are done right. IMO that means a transparent process where anyone can get on any VDB list at any airport, elites get prioritized over GMs for selection, compensation is consistent (no "auction" to get low bidders), rebooking is fast and accommodates pax needs, and avoiding IDBs is a real priority for the airline. UA used to do things this way so there is no reason they can't now (they simply choose not to).

Unlike when I flew SFO-NRT and ICN-SFO last March, I was not in C for this flight. I was, however, in an E+ window seat. Would you risk getting stuck in a middle seat in E- for an $800 voucher? Or does COdbaUA typically give you a seat AT LEAST as good as the seat you gave up on the next flight? (I actually feel sorry for the people who paid for C on this particular flight, because it was the old configuration 777 instead of the new one even though UA's supposed to be using only the new 777s on the SFO-LHR route...the C seats didn't look THAT comfortable).

In any case, I stand by NOT volunteering. The way you maximize the expected return over the entire group of passengers, is for every passenger to stand firm. Anyone who steps out of line and becomes a VOL should be scolded by the rest of the pax. It's kind of like the problem with cops giving speeding tickets, like the one I got for doing 7 mph over the limit on a nearly EMPTY freeway (57 mph in a 50). CVC 22350, prima facie limit, I might add (NOT illegal to exceed, but burden of proof is on the defendant to prove that it WAS safe). If EVERYONE fought crap like this in court, it would quickly back up the system and they wouldn't be able to get people in for their trials within 45 days of arraignment. The cities and counties would be forced to only issue tickets to those people who, you know, do stuff that endangers other motorists. So if you decide that "it's not worth my time" and just roll over, pay the fine, and go to traffic school, you ARE part of the problem. Your inactions allow the problem to continue.

An ideal situation which doesn't exist in the real world. You're vision is utopian and foolish in light of human nature.

Seems no one forced you to, hence the term "volunteer"

Scold me all you want, I wasn't expecting a Chistmas card from you anyway ;)(I could care even less about those "pax" who scolded me... not like I would be sitting with them for the flight):p

FWIW, If I was returning from a business trip (say work was getting me home on Friday, and UA would get me home Saturday) and it could get me an additional $800 (and a "leisure day" in LHR? go ahead and hold out.... I'm taking the deal.

You have a very strange interpretation of how the system works.

If everyone refused to VDB, that would force them to IDB. But the pax that got IDBed probably just wanted a seat, and no amount of money would make him happy!

That's the whole point of VDB's..... the VDB gets some $$$ and is happy, nobody is unwillingly left behind, and the airline maximizes revenue. WIN-WIN-WIN.

OK, I was with you up to the "leisure day in LHR". Not unless it involves a taxi over to Windsor & Eton. I've spent a leisure day in Bath. On several occasions. :p

But I shall do it again, and again and...

+1. Darn right I'd take the 800 if it was not important for me to be back that day (especially if it's s nice city). I certainly would not take $800 (or $80,000) for any denied boring if I was in Lahore

You go ahead and stick to your "principles" and don't volunteer. I will gladly take your spot and grab that $800 voucher. Looks like you are all by your lonesome self in your position, and that's perfectly OK.

Exactly. Amazing how many people don't seem to understand this. :confused:

The point is to extract as much possible from the airline as a group, and THEN sort out who gets what. Like this:
1. NOBODY volunteers.
2. Airline is forced to bump passengers involuntarily. Bumped passengers demand cash from the airline.
3. If the bumped passengers want to stay overnight, they just got $1300, not as a stupid travel voucher, but in CASH. If they don't or can't, then they should start making offers to other passengers who CAN get off the flight. Basically, turn around and begin paying people to get out of your way, using the cash that the airline just gave you.
4. Given that the bumped passengers are holding more in CASH than the airline was offering in stupid VOUCHERS, they can probably get SOMEONE to bite. Say someone bits for $800 cash. Great, the pax who wants to be on the flight pays him or her $800* and pockets the remaining $500.

* The pax who now must reschedule the flight would likely be subject to a change fee, unless he or she is an elite. But still, the increased amount of cash being thrown around should more than pay for all of these fees.

Impractical, time consuming, the airline has already bumped the IDB, how would they put them back on IF the passenger found someone willing to take some cash? If the other passengers wanted something they would have volunteered. Your process would never work. VDB works and as others said is a win-win-win. If people don't volunteer then someone gets forced off. Once they are off, they are off. I seriously doubt a GA would have the time nor energy to do all these passenger swaps after they IDB'd someone.

This is as dumb of an idea as the idea to boycott a single oil company (Chevron) in an attempt to drive down oil prices (you all probably got an email forwarded from someone you know in the past few years trying to organize this idiotic and pointless protest).