IADCAflyer

Question: as stated in a previous thread, my Xmas flight PIT-SAN is almost full already. We're booked in F via a DMUPSYS coupon. If they ask for volunteers for bumping, is it wise for a F class passenger to volunteer? That is, are you guaranteed to be rebooked in F on your reaccomodation flight? Will you get a voucher for F class travel or Y class travel? Does US put you up overnight if the flight you bump off of is the last flight of the evening to that particular destination? Would US reroute you PIT-LAX and then UA LAX-SAN?

CLTFlyer

Hmmm ... interesting questions.

I'd say it all depends on what the reaccomodation flight looks like in terms of G, A, or F seats (I'd check ITN if you could right before heading out to the airport) and (most importantly) whether or not you could get your DMUPSYS (or as I like to call it SWU)back when you take the bump.

As I seem to remember post-turkey, you've got more flights PIT-SAN than from any other US hub. I have no idea why (US needs to get ready to counter Midway's RDU-SAN nonstop).

And then there's the simple question of do you really need to be somewhere - is a bump to the next day going to mess with your real world schedule.

The SWU does say that in the "event of a flight irregularity, alternate travel on another airline will only be provided in the class of service purchased." It carefully does not state what happens for being bumped. If there were no F,G, or A seats on the reaccomodation, I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to put you in Y.

Now if you were indeed to volunteer to be bumped, do insist (nicely of course - sorry just saw that MSNBC special on air rage and related things) on them rebooking you in F, and don't let 'em make you surrender your SWU. After all you have done them a favor. And make sure the record documents that you won't need to surrender any form of upgrades if you're checking in for the flight much later on (to prevent an unhappy agent (rare, I know, well we've got 'em even here) from demanding some type of upgrade later from you).

Since you're not in paid F, I'd venture that the flight credit would be only for coach(which you're not allowed to upgrade ), since that is what you paid for. Again, if they're being done a favor by you - they ought to put you up for the night (assuming, as in this case) you're not at your home airport. The last time I took a bump out of LAX was when we'd have a 9-10 hour wait before the redeye home. They provided us with vouchers for a dayroom at the Four Points LAX (never did use 'em, just wandered around the airport, and caught some Z's at the US Airways Club). Also, you should get a meal voucher or two.

How they get you back otherwise, is anyone's guess. Using a UA flight is a possibility (as it would have been before all the merger stuff started), just as using any other carrier serving those markets could happen (so long as they have an interline agreement with the airline). But if you're on one of those US fares that state "Travel valid only on US" or an award ticket - you're stuck with them, unless they just want you gone (or more likely, they want to take care of an elite) since it is $ out of their pocket (and I doubt the Wolfman wants anything to impact his options).

But, enjoy your trip - and have a happy holiday season.

deelmakur

Be careful giving up a seat that time of year. For openers, with no shows, they often get everybody on in the end, in which case you have lost your overhead space. Also, if you are already upgraded to First, these aren't the vacant seats they are looking for. In addition, you can frequently negotiate travel in First on the substitute flight as a condition. That's cheaper for them than increasing the amount of money they have to offer on top if there are no takers. I would go ahead and board, then respond if they ask for volunteers from the seated passengers. These gate agents are under tremendous pressure to get flights out on time, and they aren't always as precise about what they will do with you later as you might wish.

IADCAflyer

I've seen the good and bad sides of bumping in the past few years. The top side was volunteering three times on one trip. The down side was volunteering on a flight out of MSY, being the last passenger to board, and finding all the overheads full. However, most of the bumping experience was before being Preferred, and subsequently, I had usually just avoided bumping and just boarded to get the preflight goodies.

Moreover, US has gotten yield management down to a science - case in point the MSY flight mentioned above. They were overbooked by 11 and filled the plane 100% Three or four years ago, they seemed much quicker to just give out the RTFCs rather than have you wait until the very last second...

jetsetter

What will happen to you depends perhaps most on the particular gate agent working your flight, and what he or she wants to do with you.

I often volunteer in first. If there are F seats (of any kind) on the re accommodation flight, they will usually keep you in F. If there are none, they will put you on stand by for F.

The last time I volunteered PHL-BOS, the agent told me right up front that the reac flight had no F seats, and did I want to still take the bump. I did, and they gladly put me on standby for F for the next flight, and I got the last F class seat. Also the flight I was reaccommodated on got to BOS ten minutes before the flight I was bumped off.