Voluntary Denied Boarding - VDB/Bump Experiences on UA [2020-2021]
Feb 3, 20, 2:48 pm - Wikipost
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Voluntary Denied Boarding - VDB/Bump Experiences on UA [2019]
Voluntary Denied Boarding - VDB/Bump Experiences on UA [2018] Voluntary Denied Boarding - VDB/Bump on UA [2017] Voluntary Denied Boarding - VDB/Bump on UA [2016] Voluntary Denied Boarding - VDB/Bump on UA [2015] Voluntary Denied Boarding - VDB/Bump on UA 2014 Voluntary Denied Boarding - VDB/Bump on UA 2013 Related thread - Is this IDB? Am I entitled to IDB compensation? [Consolidated] VDB -- Voluntary Denied Boarding -- is when the flight is overbooked and the airline is looking for volunteers to change their travel plans. It is voluntary and you do not need to participate. The compensation is 100% negotiable. It could be $100's or even $1,000s in future travel vouchers ($10,000 has been reported), it might be food vouchers, a different routing (perhaps more direct or for MR's more indirect  ), perhaps lodging if overnight and sometimes a bump in cabin. It all depends on how desperate the airline is and how flexible you are.The standard UA policy is after you have agreed to a voucher amount and additional VDBs are still needed, if those passengers get a higher amount, you will also get the higher amount. There are no DoT requirements for VDB compensation, it is whatever you and the airline agree to. The DoT does require the airline to try VDB before moving to IDB.
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
The changing story of IDB on UA since the merge and post-Dao
source: BTS Data Code:
IDB/VDB data for UA (w/o UX) 1st Qtr Year VDB IDB 2019 8,856 17 2018 8,214 27 2017 15,917 900 2016 14,380 929 2015 17,373 1,817 2014 21,469 4,395 2013 14,095 2,592 IDB/VDB data for UA (w/ UX) 1st Qtr Year VDB IDB 2019 20,564 24 2018 16,973 51 
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Dec 31, 19, 8:22 pm
#1
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
Voluntary Denied Boarding - VDB/Bump Experiences on UA [2020-2021]
Happy New Year and New Decade!! Please post about any VDB experiences on United Airlines happening in the new year into this thread please!
Jan 6, 20, 12:11 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 19,504
Saturday, January 4
UA2370 MCO-DEN
At T-24, I volunteer myself, wife, and kids on the app. The Sunday 6am flight was looking especially tempting since it was a 752 with four F seats still available.
At T-75 (minutes), I approach the gate, the GA said they are currently over by one. Doesn't take my BP or anything.
About 20 minutes later, another GA gets on the PA and asks for a volunteer. $500 and take the very next flight (7:35pm flight which was already 2-hours delayed). I ran up to the podium even before she finished the announcement.
She takes my BP and tells me to wait until boarding is almost complete. I also tell her that if she needs more people, my family is willing to wait.
My family boards, I keep the roll-aboard carry-on just in case I'm stuck overnight.
Some jerk misses the cutoff, and I board.
I was shocked at how empty most of the overhead bins are. FA just tells me to stick my carry-on in any available F bin.
Oh what could've been....
I'm just annoyed that it appears the GAs ignored the app, as well as my initial request, and simply just went with whomever got to the podium first.
UA2370 MCO-DEN
At T-24, I volunteer myself, wife, and kids on the app. The Sunday 6am flight was looking especially tempting since it was a 752 with four F seats still available.
At T-75 (minutes), I approach the gate, the GA said they are currently over by one. Doesn't take my BP or anything.
About 20 minutes later, another GA gets on the PA and asks for a volunteer. $500 and take the very next flight (7:35pm flight which was already 2-hours delayed). I ran up to the podium even before she finished the announcement.
She takes my BP and tells me to wait until boarding is almost complete. I also tell her that if she needs more people, my family is willing to wait.
My family boards, I keep the roll-aboard carry-on just in case I'm stuck overnight.
Some jerk misses the cutoff, and I board.
I was shocked at how empty most of the overhead bins are. FA just tells me to stick my carry-on in any available F bin.
Oh what could've been....
I'm just annoyed that it appears the GAs ignored the app, as well as my initial request, and simply just went with whomever got to the podium first.
Jan 6, 20, 1:06 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 15,988
Originally Posted by pseudoswede
I'm just annoyed that it appears the GAs ignored the app, as well as my initial request, and simply just went with whomever got to the podium first.
Jan 6, 20, 1:16 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 19,504
Originally Posted by jsloan
Ignoring the app is pretty much par for the course. Ignoring your initial request is not -- I'm surprised that the initial agent didn't take your BP.
When my wife and kids boarded, he was questioning why they were boarding.
To add to the irony, after final boarding was called, he called out my name (and the jerk who missed the flight). I thought it was to start the VDB process; then the other GA yells, "No! He's my volunteer!"
Jan 6, 20, 1:16 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,093
Interesting VBD (or OP-UP) experience tonight
TL;DR:
Jan 2 UA 2006 EWR-SFO. Accepted $600 (or 30k miles) to take a 2 hour later flight. All done via the app and manually checking my reservation prior to boarding, no gate announcements were made.
TL;DR:
Jan 2 UA 2006 EWR-SFO. Accepted $600 (or 30k miles) to take a 2 hour later flight. All done via the app and manually checking my reservation prior to boarding, no gate announcements were made.
Jan 6, 20, 3:56 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 466
Originally Posted by jsloan
Ignoring the app is pretty much par for the course. Ignoring your initial request is not -- I'm surprised that the initial agent didn't take your BP.
Jan 7, 20, 5:58 am
#7
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
Originally Posted by prometa
the typical FT experience is that the app is used prior to the gate (UA will make proactive phone calls), but ignored at the gate. So bidding on the app can still be useful.
Proactive phone calls - I have received the phone call without being on the VDB list...... not in my GS days, but back in 2018 when I was 1K, had the phone call on a few occasions.
Jan 13, 20, 9:09 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Floating around
Programs: UA 1K (1MM), DL Silver (1MM), Marriott Amb (LT Titanium)
Posts: 9,198
Had my first experience with UA proactively calling me to take a bump. I was already driving to MCO and scheduled on MCO-ORD. UA cancelled the two late flights from the day before due to weather in ORD. I volunteered via the app when I saw my flight slowly go from wide open to sold out.
As I was nearing MCO I got a call from an Orlando number. I almost never answer unknown caller IDs but I decided to give it a try since Verizon didn't tell me "potential spam". It was someone in Passenger Planning and she said my flight was overbooked and I could take a non-stop to my destination. She was holding a first class seat on the next two non-stops. I told her that's all well and good but the voucher is what I'm interested in. She offered me $600 on the spot to take the non-stop and arrive five hours earlier to my destination. Done and done.
Of course she never documented the PNR after I asked her to. The agents at MCO had no clue what was going on other than seeing a ton of flights in my record. The lady who called me from Passenger Planning never cleaned it up which means she didn't even release my seat being held on MCO-ORD until I got to the airport. That seemed a bit odd to me.
Agent at MCO asked for my email address and the $600 voucher was in my Inbox before she even printed my new BP.
-RM
As I was nearing MCO I got a call from an Orlando number. I almost never answer unknown caller IDs but I decided to give it a try since Verizon didn't tell me "potential spam". It was someone in Passenger Planning and she said my flight was overbooked and I could take a non-stop to my destination. She was holding a first class seat on the next two non-stops. I told her that's all well and good but the voucher is what I'm interested in. She offered me $600 on the spot to take the non-stop and arrive five hours earlier to my destination. Done and done.
Of course she never documented the PNR after I asked her to. The agents at MCO had no clue what was going on other than seeing a ton of flights in my record. The lady who called me from Passenger Planning never cleaned it up which means she didn't even release my seat being held on MCO-ORD until I got to the airport. That seemed a bit odd to me.
Agent at MCO asked for my email address and the $600 voucher was in my Inbox before she even printed my new BP.
-RM
Jan 13, 20, 9:24 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 15,988
Friday night, two passengers suddenly showed up on the F seatmap just prior to departure (all upgrades had already been cleared, and we went out with two empty F seats). A couple boarded; it turns out that they had been VDB'd from BE on IAH-STL to F on IAH-MSP and Y on MSP-STL the next morning on DL, plus hotel and meal vouchers and $700 ETCs each. Now that's a pretty nice deal. 
I hope that UA pushed the ticket over to DL properly...
I hope that UA pushed the ticket over to DL properly...
Jan 20, 20, 12:22 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Westchester NY
Programs: UA GS 4+ MM
Posts: 346
Bingo
Me and the Mrs and my two adults kids on our way from EWR to RDU this past Saturday morning, prior to noon weather moving into EWR. Apparently, a last minute aircraft swap created an oversell situation (overbooked by 6 in first, and maybe more in Y). We were in economy. I’m getting food, but my kids call and say gate agent offering $1000 to VDB. By the time I get to the gate, offer is up to $5000 and not much crowd interest due to pending weather and possible overnight stay. Agent quickly jumps to $7,000 and I walk over. By the time I talk to the agent they go to the $10k max. Long line forms after me! Wife and I snare 2 VDBs and we meet my kids in Durham 4 hours later after clearing the standby list on next RDU flight. Weather not much of a factor when we left early afternoon.
Another father and son take $10k each and decide to drive. Solo female grabs an afternoon flight to GSO which is where she wanted to go. $50k in comp to the 5 of us, plus more to some downgraded first passengers. I’m surprised and happy UA didn’t just cancel the flight.
i could fly UA every day for the next 100 years and never see so much $$ for so little effort.
Another father and son take $10k each and decide to drive. Solo female grabs an afternoon flight to GSO which is where she wanted to go. $50k in comp to the 5 of us, plus more to some downgraded first passengers. I’m surprised and happy UA didn’t just cancel the flight.
i could fly UA every day for the next 100 years and never see so much $$ for so little effort.
Last edited by dkc715; Jan 20, 20 at 12:36 pm
Jan 20, 20, 1:42 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,376
Originally Posted by dkc715
Me and the Mrs and my two adults kids on our way from EWR to RDU this past Saturday morning, prior to noon weather moving into EWR. Apparently, a last minute aircraft swap created an oversell situation (overbooked by 6 in first, and maybe more in Y). We were in economy. I’m getting food, but my kids call and say gate agent offering $1000 to VDB. By the time I get to the gate, offer is up to $5000 and not much crowd interest due to pending weather and possible overnight stay. Agent quickly jumps to $7,000 and I walk over. By the time I talk to the agent they go to the $10k max. Long line forms after me! Wife and I snare 2 VDBs and we meet my kids in Durham 4 hours later after clearing the standby list on next RDU flight. Weather not much of a factor when we left early afternoon.
Another father and son take $10k each and decide to drive. Solo female grabs an afternoon flight to GSO which is where she wanted to go. $50k in comp to the 5 of us, plus more to some downgraded first passengers. I’m surprised and happy UA didn’t just cancel the flight.
i could fly UA every day for the next 100 years and never see so much $$ for so little effort.
Another father and son take $10k each and decide to drive. Solo female grabs an afternoon flight to GSO which is where she wanted to go. $50k in comp to the 5 of us, plus more to some downgraded first passengers. I’m surprised and happy UA didn’t just cancel the flight.
i could fly UA every day for the next 100 years and never see so much $$ for so little effort.
Jan 20, 20, 2:51 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 8,285
Originally Posted by dkc715
Me and the Mrs and my two adults kids on our way from EWR to RDU this past Saturday morning, prior to noon weather moving into EWR. Apparently, a last minute aircraft swap created an oversell situation (overbooked by 6 in first, and maybe more in Y). We were in economy. I’m getting food, but my kids call and say gate agent offering $1000 to VDB. By the time I get to the gate, offer is up to $5000 and not much crowd interest due to pending weather and possible overnight stay. Agent quickly jumps to $7,000 and I walk over. By the time I talk to the agent they go to the $10k max. Long line forms after me! Wife and I snare 2 VDBs and we meet my kids in Durham 4 hours later after clearing the standby list on next RDU flight. Weather not much of a factor when we left early afternoon.
Another father and son take $10k each and decide to drive. Solo female grabs an afternoon flight to GSO which is where she wanted to go. $50k in comp to the 5 of us, plus more to some downgraded first passengers. I’m surprised and happy UA didn’t just cancel the flight.
i could fly UA every day for the next 100 years and never see so much $$ for so little effort.
Another father and son take $10k each and decide to drive. Solo female grabs an afternoon flight to GSO which is where she wanted to go. $50k in comp to the 5 of us, plus more to some downgraded first passengers. I’m surprised and happy UA didn’t just cancel the flight.
i could fly UA every day for the next 100 years and never see so much $$ for so little effort.
Jan 20, 20, 4:53 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: San Francisco
Programs: UA 1K, UA 1MM, Hilton Lifetime Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Gold, CLEAR, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 3,018
They offered $1000 for IAH to EWR last Saturday as well. I couldn't jump on it but I was surprised that not many did. However the flight was connecting with a bunch of skiers heading to GVA so they really couldn't get off either.
Jan 27, 20, 8:56 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: DFW
Programs: UA 1K, AA peon
Posts: 1,112
Plus hotels; meals?
If I accept a VDB and forced to stay a day or more, will United give me a voucher for my hotel and meals?
Jan 27, 20, 9:08 pm
#15
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,681
Originally Posted by Michael D
If I accept a VDB and forced to stay a day or more, will United give me a voucher for my hotel and meals?
still possible, see last year's thread:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30696499-post16.html
