Advice on getting bumped from a flight? (Delta)

[Southtown]

I am flying up to MA for the holidays on Monday morning. Usually when I fly its urgent to get to where I'm going due to a holiday, football game or hotel reservation. In this case I'm visiting my parents and going a day or so later won't matter much.

With all the snow up north I am assuming many flights will be delayed or canceled this weekend and many will fly Monday morning...causing my flight to be overbooked.

I checked Google and the articles just said to volunteer to get bumped early and if you are chosen you receive a flight voucher. (or in this case Delta Dollars) It said to make sure you are booked on the next flight etc.

Any tips out there from anyone who has done this before?

[TMK9973]

Yes - When you check in, go to the ticket agent in line, ask how crowded the flight is.

If they say "It's booked" your in good shape.

2nd - AT the gate agent, as soon as it opens (60 to 45 mins before the flight) ask the agent if they think the flight will be over booked. Tell them you are willing to volunter. You can even say something like "Would really like to be bumped if you can get me 1st class on the next flight... Hahahah").

If it's overbooked, they will take your name and call you up when needed. Many times they will even bump you to 1st class.

However -WARNING! Find out when the next flight is. Years ago, when the avg flight was 80% booked, getting bumped USALLY ment getting on the NEXT flight. Not the case anymore. Flights are now between 85% and 90% booked on AVERAGE. This means that even if you are bumped, they might not get you on a flight until MUCH later, or even the next day (I once was on a united flight, SUnday morning, and they asked for Volunters. I went up and asked him when I would get a confirmed seat if I voluntered. He said "Tuesday morning". I laughed and walked away....

[Fergasun]

Why would you want to stay any longer at an airport than you already have to do? I think that's one of the worst places to be stuck... I loathe airports... and I say this as a frequent traveler who loves the time savings of taking a plane.

I agree with what TMK said about making sure you're confirmed on the next flight...

[Southtown]

Yes - When you check in, go to the ticket agent in line, ask how crowded the flight is.

If they say "It's booked" your in good shape.

2nd - AT the gate agent, as soon as it opens (60 to 45 mins before the flight) ask the agent if they think the flight will be over booked. Tell them you are willing to volunter. You can even say something like "Would really like to be bumped if you can get me 1st class on the next flight... Hahahah").

If it's overbooked, they will take your name and call you up when needed. Many times they will even bump you to 1st class.

However -WARNING! Find out when the next flight is. Years ago, when the avg flight was 80% booked, getting bumped USALLY ment getting on the NEXT flight. Not the case anymore. Flights are now between 85% and 90% booked on AVERAGE. This means that even if you are bumped, they might not get you on a flight until MUCH later, or even the next day (I once was on a united flight, SUnday morning, and they asked for Volunters. I went up and asked him when I would get a confirmed seat if I voluntered. He said "Tuesday morning". I laughed and walked away....

Thanks. That's the type of advice I was looking for. :point2sky

[Southtown]

Why would you want to stay any longer at an airport than you already have to do? I think that's one of the worst places to be stuck... I loathe airports... and I say this as a frequent traveler who loves the time savings of taking a plane.

Agreed. I loathe the airport too...but from what I read you are offered $200 - $400 vouchers for being bumped.

I live about 20 minutes from the airport so I could get picked up if my next flight was much later or the next day. I also just got Slingbox hooked up on my cell phone so if the wait is a few hours I can stay somewhat entertained.

[Skinsfan1311]

While you're at the ticket counter, get as much as you can, while you can.

[mjah]

My boss used to literally travel all over the place when he was a poor grad student, picking up tickets by getting bumped repeatedly. He'd pick travel times knowing that the odds of his flights being oversold were virtually 100%. He'd even occasionally buy a ticket knowing that he had no intention of traveling -- he'd just roll it into an additional free ticket, then quickly call the airline and pay a small fee to rebook the flight he originally bought. Then he'd go home.

With the additional tickets, he'd once again set up a near-guaranteed oversold itinerary and get yet another free flight a few weeks later. Rinse, repeat.

Bumping rules were in many cases different and easier to daisy-chain 15 years ago, so he made out like a bandit. I don't know if you can do that these days.

[techboy]

The best place to look for issues like this is Flyer Talk. Those guys know all the tricks. It's also a great place to learn about maximization of frequent flyer miles.

They do have a Delta forum.

[PeterMP]

Just talk to the person at the gate, when they open the gate up. Normally, they will ask for volunteers, but if you get to them quickly before they ask for volunteers they will take you if they need it.

My advice to you is two fold:

1. Make sure you have a CONFIRMED seat on the next plane.

2. Bargain w/ them to get as much as possible. This will of course depend on how over booked the flight is so try to find out before volunteering to give up your seat. If they are only over booked by a person or two, then you'll get less vs. if they had to cancel a flight or two before you, and they have a lot of people they need to put on planes. The best position to be in is on the 2nd plane to a destination if the 1st got cancelled. They'll put some people on other planes to other places, but for a decent number that flight will have been a final destination, and there isn't much they can do for those people. Normally, you can get AT LEAST a free ticket in the continental US.

3. If you really want to, you can sometimes stay there and play the game through several flights. If they are over booked for one flight and giving away confirmed seats for the next flight, there is a good chance that flight will also be over booked, which means you can give your confirmed seat away on that flight and get more from them. Before my daughter came, I'd happily take my computer and sit and do work at the airport and slide down a couple of flights and collect tickets.

[Corcaigh]

Just a comment ... if the other flights are canceled because of weather the airlines are not as eager to get the delayed passengers moving as they have less right to compensation.