Frequent Flyer award tickets - first for involuntary bumping?

[peg2001]

I am hoping someone can clarify for me if we are at greater risk of being involuntarily bumped since we will be flying on Delta frequent flyer awards. Are we considered "non-rev"? I usually hear that term in reference to airline employees who are traveling.

Thank you,
Peggy

 

[shelleyrb]

You should be at no greater risk of being bumped than any other paying passenger. You are correct, "non-rev" refers to non-revenue flyers, i.e. airline employees and their familes. Having flown as a non-rev for many years, I can promise you they will get bumped LONG before you are asked to. And, if you are asked to be bumped, you should still be entitled to some form of compensation.

Shelley

 

[Lewisc]

There should be enough volunteers. It sounds like you're on the first flight of the day, plenty of people willing to arrive later in exchange for some vouchers.

Go to the airlines website, they all have their contract of carriage which will detail the procedures. Delta takes care of 1st class passengers first (if 1st class is overbooked they put them in coach), people with boarding passes are next. This assumes you're at the gate when required (15 minutes).

If you don't have a boarding pass get to the airport early.

 

[safetymom]

You should check with your airline and see if they offer web check in. That way you can get your boarding pass before you get to the airport.

Those without seats are bumped before award tickets. You shouldn't have a problem.

 

[mcnuss]

Lots of worries on this board about involuntary bumps. They are so rare that you should honestly not be concerned. For the heck of it, I added up all my flights in the last 3 years and it came to about 425 - and I have never, ever been bumped. Please don't be concerned about this, especially since you have zero control over it. Get to the airport, check in on time, and you should be fine.

 

[safetymom]

McNuss I agree with you. I travel for business and only 1 time did I have problems. There was a mechanical problem and I had to stay till the next day. Got free hotel and round trip voucher. Involuntary bumps are rare. Overbooking doesn't bother lots of people, they will volunteer in a heartbeat.

 

[ducklite]

Yes you are pretty close to first in line. First in line will be those who show up late. Then true "non-revs", that is airline employees taking a leisure trip (but not those flying to where they need to pick up their next working flight) and their freinds/families who are eligible for free flights.

After that comes you, the non-rev, unless you have a high FF status with that carrier.

Using your miles to book first or business class tix generally keeps yous afe from bumping.

Anne

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> Those without seats are bumped before award tickets.

Huh?

Where does it say that the airline can first bump someone who booked later and was told to get his seat assignment at the airport but who checked in sooner than somebody else in the same fare class who qwas able to make his seat selection earlier?

I would agree that involuntary bumps are extremely rare, having volunteered unsuccessfully on numerious occasions.

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

 

[safetymom]

If you get to the airport and get a seat assignment and boarding pass then no problem. If you book late and get to the airport and there are no seats to assign then you do have a problem. If you still want to be on that flight that is when they ask for volunteers.

This is especially important around peak travel days. If you have no seat assignment you should get to the airport early!!!

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by ducklite
Yes you are pretty close to first in line. First in line will be those who show up late. Then true "non-revs", that is airline employees taking a leisure trip (but not those flying to where they need to pick up their next working flight) and their freinds/families who are eligible for free flights.

After that comes you, the non-rev, unless you have a high FF status with that carrier.

Using your miles to book first or business class tix generally keeps yous afe from bumping.

Anne

The rules vary with airline. OP was asking about Delta
http://www.delta.com/pdfs/contract_of_carriage_dom.pdf
Go to page 51. As I posted first class is taken care of first. Then all people with boarding passengers who checked in at least 15 minutes before flight.

If OP has a boarding pass and checks in on time they should be OK.

I generally see long lines of people trying to get bumped. Even if don't have a boarding pass I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[peg2001]

Thank you for all the information. I know the odds of being bumped are small and I appreciate the reassurances. The only reason I'm a bit worried is because my DH and other DD are traveling a different airline and things could get really confusing if we or they are bumped from their original flights.

Thanks again,
Peggy

 

[CarolA]

If you are on different airlines make a plan to communciate if something does happen. Lots of things can delay one of you. My boyfriend and I just call each other's ansewering machine and leave messages (we travel from differnet cities!) and that way we have a source to check if one of us is running late and we can tell the other what we are doing.

 

[peg2001]

Carol, thank you for the wonderful idea. Now to find the instructions on how to retrieve messages off our machine.

My back-up plan is to use a co-worker who will be at the office all day anyway as our call-in center. If one of us doesn't show up at the other end, we can call and find out what the delay is.

Peggy