Curious question, when airlines bump you...

[Jillpie]

When they bump you to a flight that is the next morning because they overbooked the flight, do they give you cash for meals and hotel? I can see if they hand you some sort of voucher for the hotel inside, say, MCO....but how do they handle meals? I've never done this, but wondering if its worth it with 3 kids if it happens.

 

[TiggerInNY]

I can only tell you what happened to me. We didn't have any children at the time and it was quite a long time ago (10 years). They, I think it was USAirways, put us up at a hotel near the airport and also gave us vouchers for food at the hotel. They also gave us a free RT ticket for future use within the continental US. It was well worth it for us. I'm pretty sure I would do it again if they still give out free RT tickets.

Good luck.

TTFN,
Maria

 

[Jillpie]

Thanks. These meal vouchers, do they have a price limit on them and can you only use them at certain places? Also, when you go to use your RT tickets, can you get on most flights if they are available or are there restrictions?

 

[seashoreCM]

Based on my limited experience:

Meal vouchers have a price limit and can only be used at certain places including most airport restaurants.

Free trip vouchers either have blackout dates or cannot be used to make reservations MORE than a few days in advance. They are almost never good for a trip to Hawaii.

Often the compensation voucher is for a dollar amount rather than a free trip in which case it can be used towards any published fare. Usually it cannot be used for an on line purchase.

Volunteers getting off the last flight of the day are almost always given hotel vouchers along with dollar amount vouchers or trip vouchers. Involuntary bumped passengers who insist on cash back usually do not get hotel or meal vouchers, but will get the same thing volunteers get if they prefer that.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

Example 1: United Airlines, Dulles (DC) to San. Fran. Got round trip voucher with max. 24 hour in advance of first flight reservation, dollar limited meal voucher, hotel voucher.

Example 2: Delta Express, Orlando to Boston. Got dollar amount trip voucher, hotel voucher, no meal voucher.

Example 3: Delta Express (I wasn't chosen) Dollar amount trip voucher larger than mine in #2 above, no hotel voucher.

New rule for some airlines, if approved hotels are sold out, you get a dollar limited hotel voucher. Many other hotels have a "distressed traveler" rate, you should ask for that when making reservations at the phone bank at the carousel.

 

[safetymom]

The best thing to do is ask when they are requesting volunteers. It sometimes depends on how overbooked they are what you receive if you agree to be bumped.

The voucher I received was for a free round trip flight within the next year. It had restrictions but it didn't require a Saturday night stay. I was put up in a hotel for free, given free transportation back to the airport but was not given a voucher for food. I thought that was fair.

 

[Jillpie]

SeashoreCM, thanks for all that info. Do I have this right, are you saying if you get vouchers for a RT, you cannot make the reservations more than a few days in advance...so I can only make reservations with these vouchers for example on a Wed. for a Saturday flight? You mean I can't make plans months in advance, it has to be last minute?

 

[safetymom]

On USAirways the voucher is treated like an award ticket. It comes out of the same inventory. So there are a limited number of seats so the sooner you know your plans the better the chance of getting those seats.

 

[seashoreCM]

The free round trip voucher with the 24 hour maximum reservation time was from United and was often referred to asbeing good for a standby trip. You could make the return reservation at the same time as the outgoing. Alternatively you could use the voucher for any trip at 50% off of the full coach fare including trips to Hawaii. I am not sure whether United still issues this kind of voucher.

The voucher whose seat came out of award inventory is for all intents and purposes the same as a voucher with blackout dates.

 

[BuzzMe]

We had one year to use our Delta vouchers for travel that could take place up to a year later. There were no restrictions on when or where they could be used.

 

[snwwhite]

We got bumped (voluntarily) by Delta this April. We received $400 in Delta dollars ($1200 total!!!!) good towards airfare within 1 year. They put us up in a Hilton for the night. Gave us each a $10 voucher for dinner and a $4 voucher for breakfast. The vouchers were good anywhere in the airport or at the hotel restaurant.

I was able to book airfare for feb. 2004 as soon as I got home (april 2003). Delta is flying my family to our 3rd Disney cruise for free. Not a bad deal. We got to Tampa at 8:30 AM instead of 11:30 PM the night before.

My husband and I are also flying to Kansas City for July 4th and after the vouchers we only had to pay $36 out of pocket.

I would definitely volunteer to be bumped if it works into your travel plans.

 

[Jillpie]

Wow snwwhite, such a deal!!! My DH is the type that he just wants to get the family home, me on the other hand would take anything free. Thanks for that info!

 

[Tink42]

We recently flew SW and I wish we could have taken advantage of their bump offer for voluteers. It was the price of your ticket (one way) reimbursed plus $300 ea., hotel accomodations and transportation. I can't remember if meals were included or not. Unfortunately my DH had to get home for an important meeting the next day. DS and I would have stayed behind except we had no transportation home from the airport (we live 2 hours away) if we didn't fly home with DH.

The way this would have been treated I believe is a credit for future SW travel. So that you could use it for what ever flights you wanted until you used up the credit.

 

[Kimberlyfamilyfv]

When we got bumped the last time this is what we got.

a free nights stay at holiday inn near airport
40 dollars in meal comps
they said we could use them at the airport or holiday inn
holiday inn has free transport to and from

but the lady at the desk told us our best bet was to get food and take it with us from the airport
I think it was ruby tuesdays or tgi fridays

then we got first class flights earlier next day(we had to ask for this)

Then we got 300 dollar vouchers for a future flight. And if you dont use the whole amount on yourself it can be rolled over on a companion ticket or get another voucher for the unused amount


Inconclusion
free stay at hotel
40 dollars for meals
first class seat on next available flight
300 dollar voucher per person

 

[mcnuss]

then we got first class flights earlier next day(we had to ask for this)

This is an excellent point. If you ever take a bump, ask for this. The worst they can say is "no".

 

[prncess674]

continental almost always offers a dollar value bump voucher. The amount of the voucher is dependent on how long you will be delayed. Once flying New Orleans to Houston at 7AM I was offered $300 if I would take the 1:30PM flight plus they gave me a voucher for lunch in the airport.

One point I should clarify is some airlines will not give you any residual value on a bump voucher. Let's say they offer a $400 voucher. If you buy a ticket that only cost $250 then you "Lose" $150 in value on your voucher. Sometimes if I am offered a large voucher (especially international routes) I will ask that they split it into 2 smaller vouchers so I can use it for two smaller trips.

 

[ducklite]

Keep in mind two things about bumping. If you are at the start of your trip, they will not generally give you a hotel for the night. So even if you live two hours away, you'll have to drive home and then back, on your dime.

They also will "put you on the next flight with available seats". Be VERY careful If they can't print you a ticket with a seat number for a specific flight taht is acceptable to you, don't take the bump--it could be DAYS before they can get you to your destination.

Anne

 

[CarolA]

My personal bumping rules, I don't volunteer for anything under about $100 per delayed hour. I don't volunteer if they are not telling me WHICH flight I am guranteed on and I like it. For example, I was flying to Orlando not too long ago via Atlanta and Delta was offering a good voucher. However, they were not planning to put me on a plane until the next morning. Now I know they had two more flights that day and I told them I would bump for the vouchers and the NEXT flight (they can get volunteer off that one!) They said no. I got on. About 2 minutes before the door closed the agent came to me and said will you take the 2nd flight today. THe payoff was within my 100 per hour rate and I would still arrive the same day, so I took the deal and got off. And yes, they had to bump someone off the flight they guranteed me for to get me on the plane.

Now I have seen people actually volunteer for $50, NOT ME!