Voluntary Denied Boarding - VDB/Bump Experiences on UA [2019]
Mar 18, 2019, 11:53 pm
#61
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: DL DM+5MM, AAGold MM, UA 1K+2MM, BA GGL,LH Senator, SPG Plat, HH Diamond, HY Plat
Posts: 840
Equipment swap MEX SFO March 18, checked in online in PZ, offered to take 2pm via IAH for $900. Got call from UA half hour later offering $600 and confirmed Business MEX IAH SFO. Took it, even though figured at airport offers would've been higher, to not lose the business reprotection
Mar 19, 2019, 6:43 am
#62
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Equipment swap MEX SFO March 18, checked in online in PZ, offered to take 2pm via IAH for $900. Got call from UA half hour later offering $600 and confirmed Business MEX IAH SFO. Took it, even though figured at airport offers would've been higher, to not lose the business reprotection
Mar 19, 2019, 7:31 am
#63
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: DL DM+5MM, AAGold MM, UA 1K+2MM, BA GGL,LH Senator, SPG Plat, HH Diamond, HY Plat
Posts: 840
Mar 19, 2019, 9:03 am
#64
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LBB
Programs: UA 1K 1MM ★G | Marriott LTT | Hilton ♦ | Hertz PC | Global Entry TSA Pre ✓
Posts: 2,820
Always nice when there is a downgauge and they call proactively. You made the absolute correct move, as the phone agents will call and get the situation corrected to the point that they don't need volunteers at the gate. Same has happened to me 2 separate occasions last year.
Just curious, did the downgauge result in overbooking in F? I'm assuming this was an A320 to A319 downgauge?
Just curious, did the downgauge result in overbooking in F? I'm assuming this was an A320 to A319 downgauge?
Mar 19, 2019, 9:11 am
#65
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SLC
Programs: United Gold, Hilton Silver, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 768
Wow - the load seems to have changed considerably for DSM. Last time I flew there, I was upgraded as a Silver on an award ticket, and there were still empty seats in first!
Mar 19, 2019, 3:52 pm
#66
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Mar 19, 2019, 5:48 pm
#67
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: DL DM+5MM, AAGold MM, UA 1K+2MM, BA GGL,LH Senator, SPG Plat, HH Diamond, HY Plat
Posts: 840
Always nice when there is a downgauge and they call proactively. You made the absolute correct move, as the phone agents will call and get the situation corrected to the point that they don't need volunteers at the gate. Same has happened to me 2 separate occasions last year.
Just curious, did the downgauge result in overbooking in F? I'm assuming this was an A320 to A319 downgauge?
Just curious, did the downgauge result in overbooking in F? I'm assuming this was an A320 to A319 downgauge?
Mar 23, 2019, 12:00 pm
#68
Join Date: May 2000
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K 2.7MM, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Spire
Posts: 3,317
finally got one!
Since Dr. Dao, haven't been able to score these nearly as often.
Thursday, night, last flight from DEN-IAH, departing 8:44pm. Had some broken seats on the plane and needed three volunteers. We all received a $1000 voucher and they booked me for a non-stop the next morning at 7:50am. Put me up at the Marriott too, a good property.
Thursday, night, last flight from DEN-IAH, departing 8:44pm. Had some broken seats on the plane and needed three volunteers. We all received a $1000 voucher and they booked me for a non-stop the next morning at 7:50am. Put me up at the Marriott too, a good property.
Mar 23, 2019, 3:17 pm
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Gold (1MM), Marriott LTT
Posts: 10,346
-RM
Mar 23, 2019, 5:04 pm
#70
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SFO
Programs: COdbaUA Platinum 2MM
Posts: 5,532
Since Dr. Dao, haven't been able to score these nearly as often.
Thursday, night, last flight from DEN-IAH, departing 8:44pm. Had some broken seats on the plane and needed three volunteers. We all received a $1000 voucher and they booked me for a non-stop the next morning at 7:50am. Put me up at the Marriott too, a good property.
Thursday, night, last flight from DEN-IAH, departing 8:44pm. Had some broken seats on the plane and needed three volunteers. We all received a $1000 voucher and they booked me for a non-stop the next morning at 7:50am. Put me up at the Marriott too, a good property.
Mar 23, 2019, 5:12 pm
#71
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: DL DM+5MM, AAGold MM, UA 1K+2MM, BA GGL,LH Senator, SPG Plat, HH Diamond, HY Plat
Posts: 840
UA's 739s all have 20 F seats. The 738's have 16 F seats. If it's a downgauge from a 739 then 8 people are stuck and United is in a very bad spot and you can likely negotiate a much better offer. If it was a 738 then only 4 are stuck and United can likely find volunteers for their initial offer more easily.
-RM
-RM
Mar 25, 2019, 1:20 pm
#72
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, UA GS/1Mil Flyer, Pond scum on everything else.
Posts: 68
Ord-mco aka the mouse Express
Its school vacation week here in ORD so everything is full. Took the VDB for 600 and a confirmed J seat a couple of hours later.
Mar 25, 2019, 1:41 pm
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,470
I have had several VDB bid offers at check-in in the past two months that, at the gate, don't apparently need to be resolved. I haven't bid on any. Does VDB always go to the gate now, or are people getting more early bumps? (By phone?)
Mar 25, 2019, 1:48 pm
#74
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
No, there are reports here of people being called in advance after submitting an offer in the app. I suspect United uses the app for data collection; I’ve gotten the in-app VDB notice at least 10 times and have yet to get a call or see anyone VDB’d at the gate.
Mar 25, 2019, 2:19 pm
#75
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Platinum Elite, National Executive, United Gold
Posts: 1,181
Man... Spring Break is the best time to get VDBed. Summer capacity hasn't fully ramped and a ton of Y fliers.