Question regarding bumping a passenger

[serene56]

How does the airline determine who gets bumped.

My flight has been sold out for many weeks now-- only one seat was left.

Today- I was checking on if any changes were made - no, thank God
so out of curiosity I tried to book 3 more seats and it allowed me to do that.

Red Flag with that-- so if I was able to book 3 more seats---wonder how many other people were booking seats.

which brings me to my question-- how does the airline determine who gets booted off that flight first?


PS I do see another flight leaving the same day at 8:20am but with a layover in Charlotte-arriving 3 hours later then the non stop I am on and there is PLENTY of seats on that flight (I do NOT want to be bumped)

[cupidgirl21483]

Good question, I'd like to know that answer, too. I think we're actually headed there at the same time Serene - where are you coming from?

[Arubalisa]

Because a flight is not showing seats available does not necessarily mean that it is indeed sold out. Seats are sometimes assigned based upon frequent flier status and level. In other words, on Delta, I am unable to obtain preferred seats available only to medallion members.

Frequent fliers are often moved from coach to first class to make room for other passengers. This would free up seats in coach.

1. Reserve a Seat
You are less likely to be bumped involuntarily if you have an assigned seat. Reserve your seat when booking your ticket. If you are unable to pick a seat assignment at the time of booking, in all likelihood, that means the flight is overbooked.

2. Check In Early- The earlier you check in for your flight the better.
Arrive at the airport within the airlines required time frame,
You can check in from home by Internet at the earliest possible time prior to your scheduled departure. Even though you still need to be at the airport "X" amount of time prior to your flight, as determined by your airline, you want to make sure you are at the gate before your flight begins boarding. Avoid getting stuck at the TSA checkpoint while the airline is giving up your seat.

US Air Carriage Contract
CHECK-IN
"For US Airways flights departing international airports, customers must be present at the boarding gate or on the aircraft at least 30 minutes (60 minutes in Europe and the Middle East) before the scheduled departure time. Failure to meet this requirement may result in cancellation of the customer’s reservations and make the customer ineligible for denied boarding compensation."

COMPENSATION FOR NONSTOP INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS EXCEPT FLIGHTS FROM AN EU MEMBER STATE
"Involuntary
US Airways will offer a choice of one of the following types of compensation to customers denied boarding involuntarily on nonstop international flights except flights from an EU member state: A transferable voucher for a dollar discount that can be applied toward purchase of one ticket to anywhere US Airways flies, or, at the passenger’s choice,

Cash compensation with the amount depending on the price of each passenger’s ticket and the length of his or her delay. If US Airways can arrange alternate transportation that is scheduled to arrive at the passenger’s destination within one hour of the planned arrival time of the oversold flight, no compensation is required. If the alternate transportation is scheduled to arrive between one and four hours after the planned arrival time of the oversold flight, the compensation equals 200% of the passenger’s one−way fare to his or her next stopover or final destination with a $650 maximum. If US Airways cannot meet the four−hour deadline, the compensation rate doubles to 400% of the passenger’s one−way fare with a $1300 maximum. This compensation is in addition to the value of the passenger’s ticket which he or she can use for alternate transportation or have refunded if not used."

http://www.aruba.com/forum/f33/u-s-dot-expands-airline-passenger-protections-50942/

http://airconsumer.dot.gov/publications/flyrights.htm

[serene56]

Originally Posted by cupidgirl21483

Good question, I'd like to know that answer, too. I think we're actually headed there at the same time Serene - where are you coming from?

we are coming to Aruba from Phila-- on Sept 11th.


Lisa-- thanks. You can tell its close because I stress about the minute details.
LOL

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by serene56

Lisa-- thanks. You can tell its close because I stress about the minute details. LOL

I guarantee it will not snow.

As a side note, you are in a pretty good situation in that according to the above, if the original flight has a sufficient amount of time from the flight through Charlotte and you did by some strange reason get bumped, you could pick up some nice compensation, up to $650 per person. Nice chunk of change.

[serene56]

yeah-- if they make it worth my while- i will take that lay over flight.

I mean afterall-- I WILL be back in less then a year

[Chadd]

Paying for a preferred seat is a good way to ensure that you will not be bumped too. Usually, the people that get bumped are the last ones to check in for the flight. Seat reservations at booking time are frequently changed.

[Andrea J.]

then there are the few that "want" to be bumped.

there were a few years that we (family of 3) were bumped repeatedly in the mid 1990s going to/from Fla.
it was our choice we volunteered.
one particular time, we got on a SWA flight in Tampa early morning.
got seated and they asked for volunteers to get off, and go out 4 hrs later, via baltimore to providence. we took the bump and the meal voucher and the r/t vouchers to be used at another time.

then, we were sitting at the gate to depart to baltimore and the gate agent said...there is room for you folks on the flight to jacksonville and then directly on to providence. so we got onboard. once in jacksonville they made the announcement again..........if you'd give up your seat, we will give you free air to be used within a year. so we did it again.
eventually got to baltimore and the flight was again oversold, this time we had to stay over (they paid for hotel, supper and breakfast and transp back to airport). we made it home 28 hrs later.

now, that we are retired and not especially on a tight schedule we always inquire about "giving up our seats"

[Arubalisa]

U.S. Department of Transportation’s Expanded Airline Passenger Protections Take Effect
Under the new rule, bumped passengers subject to short delays will receive compensation equal to double the one-way price of their tickets, up to $650, while those subject to longer delays would receive payments of four times the one-way value of their tickets, up to $1,300.

Our flight in June was overbooked by 10 people. Delta offered $400 Delta dollars and a flight the next day. Not nearly enough to lose an entire day of one's vacation. For $650 we surely would have given it serious consideration. That is about the average airfare. Imo, $400 was an insult.

[cupidgirl21483]

Originally Posted by serene56

we are coming to Aruba from Phila-- on Sept 11th.


Lisa-- thanks. You can tell its close because I stress about the minute details.
LOL

You're heading out from Philly the day before us!