FlyngSvyr

2/16 BWI-IAH over by 2. Got the usual online offer @ check-in & put $800 down. I was paged @ the gate & told they needed me & offered the $800. Ended up driving over to IAD to catch the next flight & arrived @ IAH 3 hours later than originally scheduled & got to ride in a Polaris seat for the first time Not bad since the BWI flight was in Y w/ no chance of an upgrade.

They also changed my return flight on 2/17 (separate PNR) from IAH-BWI to IAH-LAX-IAD since my car was re-positioned. Part of my request for the left coast reroute was more PQM, & the other part was I needed to make a 9am meeting on Monday morning. Any more direct options either leave too early on Sunday, or arrive too late on Monday. I wasn't sure how they would react to the request, but the GA said "we can anything for you 1K's"

RobOnLI

2/16: SEA-SFO oversold by 3. I volunteered during mobile check-in but the only options they gave me to my final destination (not SFO) were the following day. It's interesting to note that I attempted app check-in several times but never completed it as I was waiting to SDC to a different flight. Each time the voucher options I could select increased, starting at a high of $500 to a high of $850. I ultimately finished app check-in with an $850 offer.

I got to the airport early to try and standby on the earlier flight. I also had to check a bag and the agent was happy to tag it for the earlier flight. SWEET. I finished "first loser" on the standby list for the earlier flight as that was also overbooked and they bumped one person.

As I'm waiting for the gate to open for my originally scheduled flight I looked at my reservation on the app. Someone manually added an AS segment non-stop to my destination. Odd... Gate opens, I'm #2 in line and the first guy takes 15 minutes and they're discussing the oversale and a bump. It's finally my turn and the agent tells me I'm not #1 on the volunteer list but if I'm the easiest to take they'll take me. She noticed someone already put the AS non-stop in my reservation so she asked me if I would take $500. I said no problem.

Fast forward and the flight is missing two people not boarded...me and 15B. One agent goes onto the plane and comes back and says 15B is boarded. YES! Bump time. They take my seat, give it to the girl waiting patiently to get on the flight and then processes my bump voucher. I also asked about a meal voucher since I don't get 'free' food on AS like I would on UA for being 1K. Those snack boxes have saved me many times.

Oddly, during this whole time, someone manually went into my reservation and removed the AS non-stop. Thankfully it was Y2 still so they got me back on it. Run over to D concourse and find that flight is 30 minutes late.

Bottom line...took $500 voucher, $20 food voucher, arrived at my destination 1hr15min earlier than planned and my bag was waiting for me! All on a ticket I booked less than 24 hours before the flight.

-RM

BZRORG

Forgot to post
1/5 LAX-IAD redeye: at check in at the airport indicated they were over. Put in my bid at $650 for my wife and I.
Arrived at gate and was told the offer was $200 and a flight the next day. I told the GA if they still needed the two seats and had a more reasonable offer I would entertain it.

About 10 min before boarding was to commence, the GA came up to us and gave us an offer of $1000 each and a reroute LAX-IAH-IAD, with LAX-IAH in F. Sold. Arrived into IAD about 4 hours later than originally booked.

Trappy

prometa

Yes, they would consider you if the plane is still oversold by the time you arrive at the gate (plenty of chance for no-shows, misconnects, etc). However, I see UA479 on 2/23 as J0 but Y6, so the business class cabin is sold out but UA is willing to sell up to 6 more economy tickets -- so a fairly strong indication it isn't oversold yet.

What suggestions are you looking for? alternative flights, strategies for maximizing the chances you get bumped?

Trappy

1KChinito

Current fare availability

• J1
• JN1
• C1
• D1
• Z1
• ZN1
• P1
• PN0
• PZ0
• IN0
• I0
• Y5
• YN5
• B5
• M5
• E3
• U0
• H0
• HN0
• Q0
• V0
• W0
• S0
• T0
• L0
• K0
• G0
• N5
• XN0
• X0

UA is still selling 5 seats in economy class and 1 in business class.

BOSNRTSFOICH

Out of curiosity, if you're booked on a basic economy ticket and the gate agent requests volunteers -- can you submit yourself for consideration? Or do the prohibitions on changing flights extend to that situation?

jsloan

Yes. You cannot make voluntary changes to a BE ticket. However, VDB is considered an involuntary change (because you only switch flights if UA needs you to do so). Therefore, you are permitted to volunteer.

RobOnLI

It's fair game for anyone on the flight, revenue or award ticket, to volunteer to be bumped off the flight. United would much rather give away "free" United dollars in the form of a travel voucher than to IDB passengers.

And everything becomes negotiable when you take a bump. You can rebooked in first or "Y" (full fare coach) on the new flight, regardless of whether you were N class, X class or any other class.

-RM

tracon

Sometime in the last week.
I'm getting this second hand.
IAH-YYC oversold.

Passengers (2) were able to reroute IAH-YVR, which was their final destination.
"Upgraded' to E+ and $2000 each in vouchers.

Jay00848

hoopics

DEN-EGE, last flight of the day today, they asked for 10 volunteers due to weight and balance, and offered $1000, a hotel, and first flight tomorrow. Flying with a family of four and almost took it, but need our checked bags and couldnt go without. They had more than 10 people queued up for it almost instantly.

jjmoore

I would have taken a rental car so fast for those vouchers. sounds like a lucrative day for quite a few.

Calliopetcat

GA was very kind and efficient about finding multiple volunteers to give up seats for this full flight. When I checked in 24 hours in advance, I was asked to bid with preset options for same day flight at $300, $500, and $750. I bid $950 for a flight that had one stop in Denver and would arrive in Austin 3 hours later than the original flight.

At the gate, the GA offered $1500 to take a flight the next day (plus hotel and meals). I had to arrive that night for a work obligation in the morning, but at least four people took the next day option.

Weather was great, and this was late in the evening already, so even the flights on other airlines were full.