craz

I have a 2 segment flight tommorrow to LA out of EWR. If I can get bumped what can I expect to receive? What is the max US will give? Last year DL gave me $600 not to go(voucher).Prob is Im not a frequent flyer on US so vouchers arent worth much to me unless I can some how transfer them to someone else ,but that two is a hassle.

geo1004

US usually does not offer $$ vouchers. Normally they will offer a "roundtrip flight credit" good for one free rountrip anywhere in the US that US Airways flies. Until about a year ago, these were non-transferable. Now the RFC's can be transfered to someone else.

IADCAflyer

You get a round trip flight credit - RTFC good for anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.

davohuang

I was able to snag a bump voucher for volunteering my seat on RDU-CLT last May (the afternoon after both UNC and Duke had their graduations) and used it to travel DEN-CLT-ATL last month for a 10K race. Anyway, geo1004 is right about the conditions, except they can also be used for US Airways's Canadian destinations, as ITRADE mentioned. The fact that these vouchers can be transferred to anyone you choose makes them pretty valuable. Some other notes/caveats to make about these vouchers:

-They are valid for travel for one year from the date the voucher is issued.
-Inventory (i.e., the number of seats alloted per flight) for these tickets is the same as that of award tickets, so plan your travel accordingly.
-I think (can anyone confirm this?) that a Saturday night stay is not required, unlike a standard US Airways award ticket.

BillMorrow

Last year on a return from FCO, they offered my wife and myself $600 each, overnight accomodations and money for food if we delayed by one day our trip home.

We turned them down.

IADCAflyer

I believe that you can indeed return any day without the need for a saturday night stay.

One thing that should be emphasised is the fact that these tickets must be FULLY used within one year that they are issued. They are not like award tickets where you cash in the miles, get the award, and then have a year to convert that award into an actual ticket.

craz

THANKS everyone for the imfo. The free tkt is not what I was hoping for,,got too many as is. The flight to CLT has 1 seat in 1st left and way oversold in the back.The flight to LAX has 6 1st left and again way oversold in the back. Since Im already up front at least it will be bearable. If they offer something good(usually happens when not enough people willing to vol then Id jump.)

Since its the last flight to CLT with connections most people will need to go. Could be if they house me in CLT for the night Id take the last flight out and the 1st in the morning.Not in the mood to catch a 6am flight to CLT tomorrow. But then again for the right price(offer)Im pretty much flex to almost anything. Heck cab me over to Philly to catch something.

Once again THANKS and wishing everyone they get their bumps this holiday weekend.

IADCAflyer

Before I became preferred, I was a bump voucher shark. Collected them all the time and used them often. In fact, during one Christmas trip, bumped off of three flights.

The plusses are the free bump voucher which is transferrable; you usually get an upgrade to F class on your reaccomodation flight; and you often get a free meal or phone call if the delay is going to be a couple hours long.

The minuses are: even if you volunteer, you may not get bumped, yet you may wind up losing 1) your original seat assignment and 2) any chance of being able to stow your bags as carry on. This happened to me last year going on a free ticket from MSY to DCA. The wife and I were #1 and #2 on the list. The flight went out 100% full. We could not bring our bags on board (they had to be checked) as all the overheads were jammed by the time we departed.

zrs70

Biggest problem with free ticket is that you get no mileage credit. With vouchers, you do get the credit.

davohuang

Clarification:

You don't get mileage credit for free bump vouchers. Your DM number isn't even listed on your boarding pass, although your status is listed in the system and on your boarding pass so you can take advantage of seating and boarding privileges.

However, tickets purchased in whole or in part with money (e.g., $600) vouchers -- only given on international flights (?) -- do earn mileage.

[This message has been edited by davohuang (edited 02-15-2001).]

jetsetter

If they are officially offering something you do not need, you can always try to negotiate an alternative form of compensation with the agent or superviser such as a dollars off voucher. Also when you are bumped you should ask for a comp upgrade on the reaccommodation flight, as well as meal/hotel vouchers or ground transportation vouchers which ever is applicable. I have been bumped by dif carriers out of my home airport, and have snagged cab vouchers home, plus a cab voucher to get back to the airport (thats if you get a "good agent.")

IADCAflyer

No you don't.

CLTFlyer

I just used a voucher for CLT-FRA-CLT and received full mileage credit. US treats the vouchers as an equivalent to cash - so can't see why they'd deny mileage for their voucher.

davohuang

ITRADE and CLTFlyer,

I think the confusion is over whether "voucher" means a RT coupon or has a dollar amount on it. See my post a couple posts above this one.

IADCAflyer

[This message has been edited by ITRADE (edited 02-15-2001).]