Author Topic: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?  (Read 21236 times)

khangaroo

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What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« on: April 10, 2017, 06:44:36 PM »
If you haven't heard, United Airlines had a PR debacle when security guards harshely dragged a passenger off the airplane after nobody volunteered to get bumped so that the overbooked flight can incorporate United employees who needed to fly to the destination for work. Here's a link to an article but you can easily Google the situation: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-united-drags-passenger-0411-biz-20170410-story.html

The article says that United offered up to a $1,000 voucher for would-be volunteers but no takers. With the frugality of this forum, just wondering what your price would be to get bumped on a flight and I understand that it all comes down to the situation of your flight. For example, someone flying to get home in time for their first child's birth is going to have a different timeline from someone flying back on a vacation and doesn't have to be at work for another week. In this case, the passenger apparently was a doctor and had patients that he needed to see.

In my case, I've only done it once after coming back from vacation to the Dominican Republic. The airlines offered a $400 voucher for each of our family members (3), a $25 dinner voucher/person, and a free hotel night. In our case, we really had no urgency so we gladly accepted the offer and it sounds like that is usually the case with the article stating that 91.5% of the time there are volunteers.

But dang, $1,000 and nobody accepted?!? Either that is a very small flight or everybody had dead-set schedules. Maybe it's my spontaneous spirit but barring a birth or near-death of a family member, I would take any voucher $400 and up.

Thoughts?

slowsynapse

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2017, 06:50:52 PM »
My wife and I had the exact conversation this morning after seeing the United story.  If I had any schedule flexibility, a $400 voucher plus hotel and dinner would certainly get me off the plane without the help of air marshals.  I did it for $150 when I was traveling once in college but that was only for a few hours.  This potential is an unseen benefit of early retirement :)

APowers

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2017, 07:20:21 PM »
How do I purposely buy tickets on overbooked flights so I can get these bonuses? I mean, for $150, I'll drive 30 minutes and spend a half-day at the airport and then go home....

Frankies Girl

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2017, 07:31:13 PM »
I'd do it for a few hundred, but would be thrilled to get paid over a thousand even if it meant upsetting vacation plans (we rarely hard schedule our vacations tho).

If it was for something like flying for a funeral or relative's medical emergency, then no, but everything else would have been up for grabs.

Never had this happen but I'm not a super frequent flyer. Used to fly for business several times a year, but in FIRE, pretty much a once every other year thing now.

geekette

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2017, 07:54:41 PM »
I've been voluntarily bumped a few times - love the benefits!  I have also stayed back a few times due to circumstances, but I have never known anyone to be involuntarily bumped since they usually up the ante until someone bites. 

This forcible removal of a passenger should haunt United for years, but people's memories are short.

startingsmall

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2017, 08:38:58 PM »
I always try to take full advantage of my vacation time, meaning that I fly home the day before returning to work. Unfortunately, that means that getting bumped would jeopardize my job and therefore no amount would be enough. (For this reason, though, I usually drive instead of flying for vacations!!)

Step37

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2017, 08:56:41 PM »
What United did to this passenger was atrocious and inexcusable (and I hope it costs them dearly).

If I was not under a time constraint, I would volunteer for 2-400 plus accommodation and meal(s). I only fly three or four times per year, though, and the "opportunity" has never arisen (probably also because I don't generally fly United).

Bateaux

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2017, 08:58:03 PM »
How do I get bumped and dragged off an airliner so I can sue the bastards and retire?

Goldielocks

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2017, 09:06:23 PM »
I saw the clip.

I think it was a regional connector flight on a Sunday.   (Small plane is the hint).

98% of the people on that flight were likely trying to make connections, were not returning home with a flexible schedule, so losing out a day means things like not getting to work until Tuesday (e.g., these flight mean leaving the next day, and your connection may not work work well), missing an important Monday meeting (maybe your whole trip was only going to be 36 hours...), missing the start of a cruise or other resort vacation and losing out on what you paid, for a much shorter vacation.

Yes, I have seen people pass up over $800 in voucher to keep their sunday regional connecting flight.

But at the end of the day, if UA had offered $5k, or if they had not given out all the seat assignments until just before takeoff (usual practice), they would have saved themselves.  People get bumped all the time, but they DON'T have their rears in seats when it happened.  That is supposed to be the golden rule -- "The seat in the seat wins, all the time".

ETA -- some of those regional seat prices on sunday afternoon are well over $650 for a 45 min to 1 hr connection.  $800 voucher is pretty lame when you already committed to paying too much because it was that important to get there on your tight schedule.
« Last Edit: April 10, 2017, 09:07:59 PM by Goldielocks »

BGordon

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2017, 10:04:13 PM »
Assuming a one day delay, it would take a lot more for the departing flight, as it would shorten my vacation, than it would for the return flight.  But I probably still wouldn't do it for less than $600 domestic and $1200 international.  I would be more inclined if the delay was less than a day. 

I've only volunteered once.  It was a direct flight from St. Louis to Paris.  I volunteered to take a flight that left and hour later with a 3 hour layover in London, before flying to Paris.  So I lost 4 hours of vacation time.  In return my wife and I both received round trip tickets anywhere the airline serviced including international flights. 

I thought the sacrifice was worth it, my wife was less convinced, and she kept blaming me when we didn't get our luggage for a day and a half.  However, we were able to use the vouchers later that year for round trip tickets from Nashville to Rome.

BlueHouse

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #10 on: April 10, 2017, 10:25:35 PM »
But at the end of the day, if UA had offered $5k, or if they had not given out all the seat assignments until just before takeoff (usual practice), they would have saved themselves.  People get bumped all the time, but they DON'T have their rears in seats when it happened.  That is supposed to be the golden rule -- "The seat in the seat wins, all the time"..
+10,000! 
It would take at least $1500 and nothing to do the next day for me to take the offer. I hate sitting around in airports and the whole security thing sucks.

Systems101

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #11 on: April 10, 2017, 10:51:27 PM »
I've probably had half a dozen flights where they have offered.  A few times I've been unable to do it (headed to a customer visit, for example).  Most I've seen go for small numbers ($150), and some have been horrible alternatives (full day delays... same flight next day)... and in many cases, people rushed the desk for those offers.

If I had the flexible schedule, I'd consider each one based on the impact, but there has only been one where it really had a decent value (actually I struck gold with it).  I had booked a flight on very short notice and was routed through both Washington DC and Denver to get to San Jose.  The alternative routing was that I had to wait 3 hours in Dulles and then had a window seat in an exit row on a direct to San Jose.  So I dropped the entire connection in Denver, only lost maybe an hour on my arrival in San Jose, and got a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the lower 48.

Debonair

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2017, 12:01:39 AM »
Even worse it looks like the guy had a concussion, was covered in blood and they threw him back on the plane with no medical attention.

https://twitter.com/kaylyn_davis/status/851480498186485760

albijaji

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2017, 12:33:45 AM »
Flying back from germany with lufthansa years back we were offered 600 euro each, a night at a really good hotel including dinner and an upgrade to business, and nobody was biting!! i talked to two younger guys (backpacking) telling them they would be ridiculous not to take the offer (they were discussing it). the 12 hours flying in business class alone is worth it to me (including the business lounge before the flight ), i got the money in cash right away since i insisted on cash for all 3 family members.. best deal ever, i never got offered anything similar again...the only drawback is the going back through customs/passport checks again.

Taran Wanderer

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #14 on: April 11, 2017, 01:13:11 AM »
My take on this:

Overgrown man-child buys a ticket with contract language stating he may be bumped. Man-child is informed that airline will be exercising its contractual rights, and in return, man-child will receive compensation of $1,000.  Man-child could take the compensation and a later flight, or alternatively, rent a car and drive the five hours from Chicago to Louisville.  Instead, man-child throws a temper tantrum and refuses to live up to his contractual obligations.  He is removed from the flight, crying like the man-child-toddler that he is.  And now we are inflicted with this story about how he was wronged.

What is with people who refuse to be grown-ups and follow the rules of our society?  Why do we allow them air time when they are acting like entitled babies?  I'll acknowledge that it is a sucky situation, but he agreed to the terms of the ticket.  This man-child should have complied with his contractual obligations. 

former player

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #15 on: April 11, 2017, 04:12:44 AM »
My take on this:

Overgrown man-child buys a ticket with contract language stating he may be bumped. Man-child is informed that airline will be exercising its contractual rights, and in return, man-child will receive compensation of $1,000.  Man-child could take the compensation and a later flight, or alternatively, rent a car and drive the five hours from Chicago to Louisville.  Instead, man-child throws a temper tantrum and refuses to live up to his contractual obligations.  He is removed from the flight, crying like the man-child-toddler that he is.  And now we are inflicted with this story about how he was wronged.

What is with people who refuse to be grown-ups and follow the rules of our society?  Why do we allow them air time when they are acting like entitled babies?  I'll acknowledge that it is a sucky situation, but he agreed to the terms of the ticket.  This man-child should have complied with his contractual obligations.
Wow.

The United Airlines Contract of Carriage is here -

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/contract-of-carriage.aspx#sec21

Rule 21 sets out the terms on which a person can be removed from the aircraft.  Nothing I've seen about this incident falls within any of them.

I'd very much like to know how this man - by all accounts, a doctor travelling back to work at hospital the next day - was selected to be bumped.  Hint: videos seem to show most of the other passengers were white.

Here's a previous United fiasco -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

accolay

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #16 on: April 11, 2017, 04:16:52 AM »
Max payment per law if you're delayed to your final destination by +1 hour is 200% x your ticket price to a maximum of $650. +2 hours delay is 400% x your ticket price to a maximum of $1300. I suspect the guy who got dragged off will probably get much much more than that.

Overgrown man-child buys a ticket with contract language stating he may be bumped. Man-child is informed that airline will be exercising its contractual rights, and in return, man-child will receive compensation of $1,000.  Man-child could take the compensation and a later flight, or alternatively, rent a car and drive the five hours from Chicago to Louisville.  Instead, man-child throws a temper tantrum and refuses to live up to his contractual obligations.  He is removed from the flight, crying like the man-child-toddler that he is.  And now we are inflicted with this story about how he was wronged.

What is with people who refuse to be grown-ups and follow the rules of our society?  Why do we allow them air time when they are acting like entitled babies?  I'll acknowledge that it is a sucky situation, but he agreed to the terms of the ticket.  This man-child should have complied with his contractual obligations. 

I get what you're saying, but when is it ok to bash people in to make them comply with these "rules?" If they airline had offered more, I'm sure someone would have volunteered to get off.

former player

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #17 on: April 11, 2017, 04:26:59 AM »
Max payment per law if you're delayed to your final destination by +1 hour is 200% x your ticket price to a maximum of $650. +2 hours delay is 400% x your ticket price to a maximum of $1300. I suspect the guy who got dragged off will probably get much much more than that.

Overgrown man-child buys a ticket with contract language stating he may be bumped. Man-child is informed that airline will be exercising its contractual rights, and in return, man-child will receive compensation of $1,000.  Man-child could take the compensation and a later flight, or alternatively, rent a car and drive the five hours from Chicago to Louisville.  Instead, man-child throws a temper tantrum and refuses to live up to his contractual obligations.  He is removed from the flight, crying like the man-child-toddler that he is.  And now we are inflicted with this story about how he was wronged.

What is with people who refuse to be grown-ups and follow the rules of our society?  Why do we allow them air time when they are acting like entitled babies?  I'll acknowledge that it is a sucky situation, but he agreed to the terms of the ticket.  This man-child should have complied with his contractual obligations. 

I get what you're saying, but when is it ok to bash people in to make them comply with these "rules?" If they airline had offered more, I'm sure someone would have volunteered to get off.

Those payments are all about "denied boarding" - Rule 25 of the Contact of Carriage.  This man was not "denied boarding", he was already on board, so Rule 25 does not apply and Rule 21 does. 

Rule 21 has limited cases of where a person can be removed, which this man does not fall into.  The airline seem to be saying "he refused to go voluntarily, and because he resisted being made to go it became a safety issue".  But he had every right to refuse to go voluntarily, so the initial breach was by the airline in assaulting him in order to make him leave.

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #18 on: April 11, 2017, 04:56:51 AM »
It varies how much being bumped would inconvenience me.  Sometimes (going someplace for work) it's no price, otherwise at least $600 but I will sit and wait to see if they offer more.

ETA:  I picked $600 as it can easily be more than $500 to go visit my sister if I miss a cheap flight window.  The airport I fly into to visit her is almost 100% monopolized by Delta and has a lot of business travel out of it so gets pricey really quick.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2017, 05:02:22 AM by neverrun »

Chris22

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #19 on: April 11, 2017, 05:24:26 AM »
Important to note, they're not offering dollars, they're offering vouchers. And I have zero faith it would be easy or convenient to reuse said vouchers at a later date, more likely it's "you can use these the seventh Thursday of any month that starts with 'I' to offset the cost of a full fare ticket plus a $3M usage fee and..."

Cranky

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #20 on: April 11, 2017, 05:24:42 AM »
The only time this ever came up for us was 30 years ago, and then it was pretty standard for the airline to offer a free ticket to anywhere in the US (besides getting you on the next flight to where you were going.)

We were on our way home from Thanksgiving, going from Denver to Miami, and my dh refused the offer. He was freezing and could hardly wait to get back to Florida. I must say, I was surprised, because I was prepared to take the tickets.

2Birds1Stone

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #21 on: April 11, 2017, 05:32:32 AM »
I would bump to flight within the next 12 hours for $500, as long as it's not for business travel where I have a specific meeting to attend.

For $1000 I would let myself get bumped 24 hours.

Fomerly known as something

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #22 on: April 11, 2017, 05:46:04 AM »
I only take credit amounts, so dollars, I don't take any "domestic" flight, etc.  The dollars are a credit I've never seen those be denied outright.

use2betrix

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #23 on: April 11, 2017, 06:23:28 AM »
It really just depends on the circumstance. I've had times where I was flying in on Friday for a Saturday wedding, in which case really no amount of $$ could persuade me to miss being best man at my brothers wedding, or the likes.

Other times, like on a recent work hiatus where we toured Asia for several months, we had no schedule or plans and would have gladly taken a much smaller amount in return for a minor inconvenience.

I've flown a decent amount and I hate it. It's not the flying, it's the security, the lines, the major rushes, the parking, getting there early, hoping nothing goes wrong BEYOND your control past all that, hoping you don't get a smelly/crappy person next to you, etc. Maybe if I made minimum wage would I jump at the chance to go through a major hassle for $400, but I'm fortunate enough to be in a position not to do that.

dividendsplease

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #24 on: April 11, 2017, 07:03:15 AM »
I was in one of these situations probably eight years ago going across the country for a funeral. The airline was offering $800 and a hotel because the next flight wasn't until 6am the next morning. No takers. I remember thinking how upset my mother would be if I missed the service. Luckily my name wasn't called. If it was a for pleasure trip I'm sure I would have jumped at $800.

MayDay

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #25 on: April 11, 2017, 07:10:49 AM »
We were offered 500$x4 people over Christmas but it was a full 24 hour delay.

The trip was five days. Giving up 20% of my vacation is A LOT. Plus the hell of sitting in Cleveland for 24 hours with two little kids.

If they had offered 2000$ cash, I'd have been a lot more willing. I don't know when the voucher expires, do I have to use it on just me or is a general airline credit? Is it even enough for a trip? What if I have a 500$ united voucher, but the next Trip's united ticket is 800$ and Delta is 400$?

I have never been offered a bump that didn't result in a 24 hour delay because of small airports with once a day flights. Coming home I never have 24 hours to spare. Leaving for a trip, it would have to be a long trip to be worth losing 24 hours of it.

Basically, airlines are assholes. Especially since in this case the drive was 4-6 hours. They could have put the crew in a limo and driven them to Louisville on time. Or put four passengers in a limo, driven them home, and given them 1000$. Or, you know, not overbook every fucking flight.

MayDay

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #26 on: April 11, 2017, 07:12:01 AM »
Important to note, they're not offering dollars, they're offering vouchers. And I have zero faith it would be easy or convenient to reuse said vouchers at a later date, more likely it's "you can use these the seventh Thursday of any month that starts with 'I' to offset the cost of a full fare ticket plus a $3M usage fee and..."

Winner winner, chicken dinner!

I'd probably trust Southwest vouchers, but no others.

Cromacster

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #27 on: April 11, 2017, 07:13:14 AM »
I have taken a bump (well my parents did and I was with them).  I don't remember the details, but we got first class on a flight the next morning.  As a kid I thought it was awesome.

Nowadays my standards would be pretty tough to meet.  I would ask for cash, not a voucher, plus a bump to first or business...for nostalgia's sake.


Cwadda

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #28 on: April 11, 2017, 07:14:03 AM »
I was offered $800 CAD last year for giving up my seat in an 18-seater. Also got free hotel and food vouchers. Since the flight was the next morning, it didn't really bother me. Also, the guy I gave my seat to said it was really urgent he get back to see his family. I was just on a business trip so figured it was a win-win.

Dicey

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #29 on: April 11, 2017, 07:25:18 AM »
It used to be a thing to book flights that were likely to be oversold, in hopes of being bumped. Don't know of it still is.

I've always been open to the idea. I used to fly a LOT, but I've  never been offered a bump for cash or vouchers in circumstances that would allow.

I know memories are short and people think it won't happen to them, but I hope this incident costs United dearly. Unfortunately, that means it will cost everyone in the end.


Oh, and Cromactser's comment reminded me that I did get sorta bumped once, back in the eighties. I was coming home, Chicago to LAX.  I was offered a seat in First Class in exchange for taking a two hour later flight. Turned out the person I sat next to in First was the Pilot's wife. The Pilot? My roommate's Dad. Fun story.

rantk81

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #30 on: April 11, 2017, 07:26:01 AM »
Of course it depends on the circumstances and my schedule, but I think I would generally not be willing to accept "price vouchers" at nearly any "price" in this case.  Every part of flying is a fairly awful experience -- from getting to the airport, the long lines, checking bags, invasive security, waiting, delays, being packed next to other people, more delays, waiting over an hour for baggage claim sometimes, potential for lost baggage, getting out of the arrival airport, etc.  If I've already endured half of this rigmarole and have already boarded, there's no way a "voucher" for any price is going to make me want to take a later flight and have to go through all of this again from the start -- and my compensation being a voucher to get to go through this whole process again at a later date for "free".
No thanks.

For all medium range trips, I much prefer driving or Amtrak. I will put up with the airlines for very long trips -- but even then, I hate the whole experience, and I only do this when necessary.

EricL

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #31 on: April 11, 2017, 07:29:44 AM »
Now that I'm retired I can afford to be voluntarily bumped and not give a damn. But when I was active duty I couldn't, military rules being what they are. Though an involuntary bump would be excused if the airline provided proof. A lot of people can't afford to lose a job for a $1,000 payout.

As other posters pointed out, this guy's contract only required to him giving up his seat on demand BEFORE boarding.  He was a customer already seated on the plane. They paid no attention to him claiming to be a doctor needing to return to work.  He started a fit when officers forcibly dragged him from his seat. All so United could seat 4 EMPLOYEES on an overbooked flight (the other 3 passengers took the bribe). This was a clear overreach by United employees and the police. Then they let him back on the plane bloodied, bruised, and semi incoherent from concussion. The rest of the passengers were so outraged some left the plane. And the remainder heckled the 4 United employees as they boarded so much the flight was cancelled. 

The CEO offered an "apology" that was pure corporate bullshit that amounted to sorry United was inconvenienced and sorry, not sorry. 

Definitely not flying United again.

ooeei

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #32 on: April 11, 2017, 07:32:06 AM »
My girlfriend and I considered one that was $800 each on a trip to a family reunion.  It would've delayed us around 6 hours, which would have thrown off everyone else's plans as far as picking us up and everything.  It was a 4 day trip, so we basically would've lost 25% of the vacation.  They were driving around an hour and a half to pick us up.  A change wouldn't bother me if I was on the other side of it, but I know my family would've been irritated because they don't like plans changing.  It just would have been a sour way to start a vacation.

If it had been just our vacation, we would have done it, but we didn't want to frustrate everyone else for some vouchers.  You can't put a price on family harmony!  If it was cash I would've been more willing to do it, but I've heard some bad stories about those vouchers and how usable they actually are.

I'd say in general $800 is probably about where my limit is, depending on the trip.  I get about 2 weeks worth of vacations per year, and usually "trips" are scheduled for 3 days to a week.  $400 is not nearly enough to get me to give up a big chunk of my limited vacation.  A delay of a few hours for $400 when I'm not in a hurry, that I might do.  For overnight $800 would make me consider it.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2017, 07:34:58 AM by ooeei »

Khan

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #33 on: April 11, 2017, 07:42:19 AM »
It depends. Usually when I fly, dates are important, so any change is unwelcome. That, and I only fly when I absolutely have to(usually to Canada). Otherwise I drive, Phoenix to Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, San Jose. The TSA can go mustache themselves.

So if its to a family event, id turn down probably anything the airline is willing to give, unless the impact was hours. Sounds like this was a regional connection and meant at least 24 hours.

jjandjab

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #34 on: April 11, 2017, 07:50:38 AM »
As an MD, and others who may be in a small partnership or business, I can say the man in the video (what a shame) probably really did need to get back home if he is a physician. I share an in-hospital job with one other doc, and if I'm on the schedule I better be there and even $1000 wouldn't be nearly  enough to cover the salary and hassle of a day missed...

But if I was on vacation or business travel and didn't need to be there, I would have taken the deal - $1000 each seat is pretty generous. My wife and I have volunteered to be bumped for free tickets anywhere in US (it was on United, ironically). And also funny is that the initial flight was to Chicago. When we booked our vouchers, the flight again went through Chigcao and the same thing happened again... We got three flights for the price of one. Alas, it was never happened again...

Only time we didn't and wish we had was in Dominican republic - they offered $600 per person and free all-inclusive hotel for a night (were are a family of 5 and didn't have to be back), but we were also travelling with other family who had to leave and felt we should stay with them... Nah, definitely should've taken the $3000 and extra day of vacay...
« Last Edit: April 11, 2017, 07:52:54 AM by jjandjab »

Raenia

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #35 on: April 11, 2017, 07:59:05 AM »
For a voucher, pretty much no amount is going to be worth disrupting my plans, especially if it was more than 3-4 hours - I don't fly more than once a year or so, and we usually frontload family trips (meaning I would miss the main activity if I was bumped on the outbound flight) and I maximize use of vacation days by flying back as close as possible to my return to work.  If they were offering cash, then I might take anything over $300 + hotel on my return flight, since that would compensate for my extra lost vacation day plus a bit.  Outbound, it would have to be at least $800, and maybe not even then depending on what our plans were on the other end.

Even if United was technically within their legal rights, it's incredible that they didn't realize what a PR mess this was going to be.  They could have saved themselves a lot of trouble by just going to the next person on the list.  I know I'm definitely going to avoid United in the future after this, and advise my family to do the same.  Imagine your parent or sibling in that position...

spokey doke

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #36 on: April 11, 2017, 08:00:10 AM »
Let's just be clear...the UA passenger was simply "re-accommodated" (according to UA CEO)

ketchup

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #37 on: April 11, 2017, 09:02:53 AM »
Important to note, they're not offering dollars, they're offering vouchers. And I have zero faith it would be easy or convenient to reuse said vouchers at a later date, more likely it's "you can use these the seventh Thursday of any month that starts with 'I' to offset the cost of a full fare ticket plus a $3M usage fee and..."

Winner winner, chicken dinner!

I'd probably trust Southwest vouchers, but no others.
Ah yeah, that would change the equation a lot.

I'd probably do it for a few hundred bucks (barring crazy circumstances of my own) if it were them cutting me a check.  A voucher would probably have to be more to even get my attention.  My GF travels more for work, so maybe for her a voucher would be "worth it" (easy to use), but at the same time, that would only work if she got bumped on the way home from a work trip (no voucher is worth pissing off paying clients).

If I were a doctor seeing patients the next morning, I probably wouldn't even consider it.  United could have avoided the fiasco if they upped the bounty more, or offered a no-BS check vs a voucher.  Someone with more flexible plans than that guy would eventually take them up on it.  Even if they paid something nutty like two grand I'm sure that comes out cheaper than the fallout from this mess...

Chris22

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #38 on: April 11, 2017, 09:05:33 AM »
Important to note, they're not offering dollars, they're offering vouchers. And I have zero faith it would be easy or convenient to reuse said vouchers at a later date, more likely it's "you can use these the seventh Thursday of any month that starts with 'I' to offset the cost of a full fare ticket plus a $3M usage fee and..."

Winner winner, chicken dinner!

I'd probably trust Southwest vouchers, but no others.
Ah yeah, that would change the equation a lot.

I'd probably do it for a few hundred bucks (barring crazy circumstances of my own) if it were them cutting me a check.  A voucher would probably have to be more to even get my attention.  My GF travels more for work, so maybe for her a voucher would be "worth it" (easy to use), but at the same time, that would only work if she got bumped on the way home from a work trip (no voucher is worth pissing off paying clients).

If I were a doctor seeing patients the next morning, I probably wouldn't even consider it.  United could have avoided the fiasco if they upped the bounty more, or offered a no-BS check vs a voucher.  Someone with more flexible plans than that guy would eventually take them up on it.  Even if they paid something nutty like two grand I'm sure that comes out cheaper than the fallout from this mess...

You mean like losing ~$900M in market cap this morning?  Hehe.

golden1

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #39 on: April 11, 2017, 09:17:55 AM »
I am curious how they choose who is going to be involuntarily bumped from a plane?  Is it just random?


Nothlit

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #40 on: April 11, 2017, 09:19:27 AM »
The other thing that's been missed in this thread and most of the news coverage is that this wasn't actually a United Airlines flight. It was a regional connector airline (Republic Airline) operating under the "United Express" brand. Interesting to me that it's United's CEO and PR who have been responding to this, and not Republic's.

I thought this post by author and pilot Patrick Smith offered a reasonable airline industry insider's take.

Gin1984

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #41 on: April 11, 2017, 09:37:44 AM »
I'd like to point out that someone else did offer to take his place for a $1600 credit and the employee laughed at the offer.  Guess they'd rather have a PR mess.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk


Livingthedream55

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #42 on: April 11, 2017, 09:49:33 AM »
Even if United was technically within their legal rights, it's incredible that they didn't realize what a PR mess this was going to be.  They could have saved themselves a lot of trouble by just going to the next person on the list.  I know I'm definitely going to avoid United in the future after this, and advise my family to do the same.  Imagine your parent or sibling in that position...
+1

Yes, once the passenger refused to comply with an "order" they were within their legal rights but if everyone just stopped an took a breath and got on the PA system and said: Hello passengers, we need your help. We need 4 passengers to volunteer to deplane (and explained why - we have to board 4 employees so that they can staff the next flight and serve another 200 passengers in Chicago, etc.) and held an online "Auction" for lack of a better term. They may have had to get up to $2,000 plus a free ticket but they would eventually have had willing and maybe even happy volunteers (and no PR nightmare - as of now they are down $800 million in stock price).

But it's when they get into a power struggle - "comply or we're calling the police" - that everyone loses.

golden1

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #43 on: April 11, 2017, 09:52:33 AM »
I am enjoying a lot of the humor floating around on this topic.

http://i.imgur.com/99dgkTs.gifv

intellectsucks

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #44 on: April 11, 2017, 10:16:21 AM »
The other thing that's been missed in this thread and most of the news coverage is that this wasn't actually a United Airlines flight. It was a regional connector airline (Republic Airline) operating under the "United Express" brand. Interesting to me that it's United's CEO and PR who have been responding to this, and not Republic's.

I thought this post by author and pilot Patrick Smith offered a reasonable airline industry insider's take.
From the linked article: “What I sense is that the airline’s staff reached a point, after perhaps offering whatever dollar amounts their procedures called for, where they simply didn’t know what to do, and nobody was brave enough, or resourceful enough, to come up with something. Summoning the police simply became the easiest way to pass the buck. I hate saying it, but airline culture is often such that thinking creatively, and devising a proverbial outside-the-box solution, is almost actively discouraged. Everything is scripted and rote and procedural, and employees are often so afraid of being reprimanded for making a bad decision (not to mention being pressed for time) that they don’t make a decision at all, or will gladly hand the matter to somebody else who can take responsibility. By and large, workers are deterred from thinking creatively exactly when they need to.”
This is SOOO critical in this situation, and really in almost any customer service situation that gets too out of hand.  Pretty much every marge corporation is disempowering its frontline people, to the point where if they don’t do things 100% by the book, then their jobs and careers on the line. 
Looking at the situation from this perspective, it is so clear why the staff made the decision they did to assault this man and forcibly drag him from the plane.  Had one of the employees decided to increase the amount beyond the “approved” guidelines, or hired a car service, or done any of the other common sense, out-of-the-box solutions that are being bandied about, then that $400-$1000 decision might have cost them their jobs and careers.  United is facing a gigantic PR nightmare that is costing them untold millions-BUT NONE OF THE EMPLOYEES INVOLVED ARE LIKELY TO SEE ANY MAJOR CONSEQUENCES.  They all “followed procedure”, so they’re protected.  The huge, multi-million dollar problem facing the company will not affect their paychecks one red cent.
The lesson that corporations (and all businesses) need to learn is that if you do not trust your front line workers and managers to make the right decision, THEY SHOULD NOT BE YOUR FRONTLINE WORKERS AND MANAGERS.

dude

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #45 on: April 11, 2017, 10:16:36 AM »
United is the fucking WORST.  Had to use some vouchers from them recently and the experience sucked. I'm flying them to Mexico in June, on said vouchers.  But with only a 1h5m connection, it's a near certainly something is going to fuck up the first leg of that trip. Once that vacation is over, I'll never fly United again.  I'd sooner pay an extra $200 up front for a better airline.

Cooper62

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #46 on: April 11, 2017, 10:35:48 AM »
Once when traveling alone I did it for an $800 voucher.  This was about enough to get three tickets to Florida for myself and children was my thought.  Turns out the vouchers were a headache to redeem as if you wanted to use them on anyone else but yourself  you couldn't do it on-line and had to call in and find the right person to talk to that knew how to handle the transaction.  After a lot of time on hold and on the phone I was finally able to use the tickets.  If I am traveling for business company policy does not allow us to keep any vouchers so I wouldn't volunteer if on business.  If I was not on company business I'd go through the hassle of the vouchers for $400 and up if the delay wasn't more than a few hours.

EricL

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #47 on: April 11, 2017, 10:38:43 AM »
The ever increasing dehumanization of the flying public in the name of airline profits and the illusion of security has reached its ultimate conclusion. 

magickelly

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #48 on: April 11, 2017, 10:40:08 AM »
I am curious how they choose who is going to be involuntarily bumped from a plane?  Is it just random?

AFAIK, it's based on the fare you pay. Those who paid the lowest fare are usually bumped first; non-revs (non-revenue passengers) --- those flying on vouchers, buddy passes, points --- are dropped first, of course.

moof

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Re: What's your price to get bumped on a flight?
« Reply #49 on: April 11, 2017, 10:45:24 AM »
Depends greatly on circumstances.  Missing a technical conference, customer visit, or totally borking up a highly scheduled visit to our corporate mother ship would be a no go, I've have to be told it was mandatory or I could get fired.  If his statement that he had patients to see on Monday was true (sounds like there is no reason to doubt him on that front) I can see why $800 is nothing compared to lost business, frustrated patients, and the re-scheduling hell storm he would face for giving up his seat.

Coming home from the same trip, arriving on a Saturday would be a different deal.  A grand plus accommodations is probably my minimum to lose a weekend with my kid.  It would take a lot less were I single and kid-free.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!