N104UA

didnt hear about a VDB offer but I had a friend on the 0830 EWR-LHR flight which went from a 764 to a 763 the night before. I am assuming this screwed up the rest of the day. Always a good reason to look at the other flights on that route to see if there were any IROPS earlier in the day and offer to the gate agent in advance, one time from LAS-SFO when there was a downgrade from a 320 to a 319 I walked away with $1000 after proactively asking the GA if they were looking for volunteers and was first in the list for comp.

​​​​​​​this happens to me often, but I always wait to board until they tell me my seat is not needed, as I have seen agents take someone present vs deboarding a pax.

Billiken

Award flight.
Late Sunday afternoon on Mother's Day (May 12).
The UA 738 was over by four(4) and delayed, so no mis-connects

Four vols needed, each receiving $1000.
I had gotten protected on the next flight ORD-CLE and arrived 25 minutes after my original flight.

Thank you and welcome aboard.

Billiken

Was flying CLE-EWR-STL on an award ticket.
CLE-EWR was over by one(1).

Offered at ticket counter and again at the gate.
$500 voucher received and routed CLE-ORD-STL on AA.

Arrived before my original UA itinerary via EWR.

jjmoore

Nice!

Did they book you into a revenue fare class on AA? If so, make sure you dip in and get your credit (at least the flown miles / segments / qualifying miles).

fumje

For me these were all at check-in, and all for US domestic or US-CA flights (I think).

The last time I had to go to the gate for possible VDB, they were saved by misconnects, and I ultimately did board last to my bulkhead Y seat fearing the worst, but the FA had protected my overhead. ^ ^ Not sure how he knew, but I appreciated it greatly.

UAFLYER22

BThumme

They won't. Only in very, very rare cases will they handle things in advance, and usually UA calls (with or without a voucher) to try and act like they're doing you a favor by changing your itinerary.

With that said, you could certainly try, and if you got lucky enough that they would switch you, you wouldn't be getting a voucher.

soccerguy985

You have no idea. Wasn't even drink service! The horrors! What a terrible flight! )

psychoidiot

I had an offer before my ORD-NRT flight for 400 600 700 or 11k, 13k, or 14k miles. However the flight got delayed because of mechanical so no point.

RobOnLI

Took a $1,000 VDB on LAS-ORD a few days ago. I SDC'd to this flight the day before and I was on a paid FC fare. I always double-check my check-in so I did the morning of the flight and the app solicited for volunteers. I figured I would test things out so I selected the $800 option.

At the airport I was originally told they were over by 2 but they had no way to get me to my destination in FC so they declined me. They then made a general announcement for two volunteers with flexible travel plans. Two guys came up and she offered to rebook them for the next day. I didn't even think to ask about that because I was already on the road for four straight weeks. I went back to the GA and asked if she could get me back the next day and she said of course. So I moved back up to #1 volunteer. She told me to board and she would come get me if she needed me.

After I boarded I noticed a new name appear as #1 on the upgrade list (not on the standby list). Then I saw my seat become available so I knew they bumped me. They gave #1 on the upgrade list my seat in FC and I got the bump. Not sure if he was a misplaced F passenger or what happened since his name definitely appeared after the T-30 cut off check-in time.

I then found flights OAL for the same day that they happily booked me into. This became a disaster but that's for another thread.

-RM

jj1983

UA 537 ORD-DFW. Flight delayed, previous ORD-DFW flight cancelled. They asked for volunteers at gate for $1000 vouchers. I was interested but there was a mob of people at the desk so I boarded the plane.

During boarding I saw several people from the line board the flight. At the end, an agent came on and said they needed one more and offered $3000. I popped out the phone and checked Kayak to see what a one way on another airline would be (~$400). Offer goes up to $4000 while I was checking so I hit the call button. Had plans that night, but for $4k, come on...

(edited) Note, they could not confirm a seat on a new UA ORD-DFW flight until the next afternoon.

I gathered my stuff and walked off the plane only to get to the gate and was sad to have them tell me they didn't need my seat! Bummer!

jsloan

threeoh

On that particular route if scrounging for alternative flights I would seriously consider WN MDW-DAL which UA won't interline you on and you won't find on Kayak, but 7 daily nonstops not likely to fill up with displaced UA pax.

briank1973

A few months late to post this, but was flying LAX-ORD in the morning after a MEL-LAX flight. It was a Friday (March 29th) The flight was already fully boarded and the GA came on and announced the 2K offer. I jumped on it. Every other direct flight was booked till the late red-eye, which I chose because they put me in F. I was also put on standby for the next flight, was first on the list, and was able to get on that and had an aisle seat in E+. So about a 90 minute delay for 2K.

When I got off the plane, a waiting passenger thanked me like I had saved her life or something. I'm not sure what her emergency was, but she seemed pretty shaken and it appeared to be very important that she got on that flight. I was the only person to jump for the VDB right away, and another person agreed about two minutes later.

HKBelonger