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Thread: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

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    When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    I once tried this with Puerto Rico and got 3 round trips for two out of it. When all was said and done, the girlfriend and i flew to Puerto Rico for 1 day/night. The rest of the time was spent in a fully paid for Newark hotel with meals included.

    My idea is to book non-stop roundtrip American Airline JFK-STI, leaving friday Dec 21st and returning wed Dec 26th. I want to catch that Christmas rush.

    What i'm hoping for, at the very least, is to get voluntarily bumped from the 6am and 12pm flights friday and saturday morning. Any more than that is gravy!! Ticket is running about $650.

    Any thoughts on the idea? Different airline? Different airport?(newark) Different dates??(new years) Bad idea??

    Etc.......

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    Thats the time of the year to do it.



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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    It's a great idea, I've thought about it too but can it work?

    Do you plan on actually going or take your chances by checking in, and if you're not bumped cancelling your flight?

    Anyone know if cancelling after check in usually results in the same penalty as cancelling before check in (assuming you really don't plan on traveling at all)?

    Continental EWR-POP bumps often with vouchers up to 800 + accomodations or travel home expenses -maybe more especially that week.

    www.flyertalk.com might be good for getting info too.
    Last edited by BCell; 07-21-2007 at 12:00 AM. Reason: typo

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    Quote Originally Posted by BCell View Post
    It's a great idea, I've thought about it too but can it work?

    Do you plan on actually going or take your chances by checking in, and if you're not bumped cancelling your flight?

    Anyone know if cancelling after check in usually results in the same penalty as cancelling before check in (assuming you really don't plan on traveling at all)?

    Continental EWK-POP bumps often with vouchers up to 800 + accomodations or travel home expenses -maybe more especially that week.

    www.flyertalk.com might be good for getting info too.
    I believe in order to take a voluntary bump, you have to physically go to the airport and check in for the flight.

    My last three flights on CO (EWR to POP) have been oversold and I've taken a voluntary bump at the airport each time. Since they only fly there once per day, they put me up in a hotel at the airport, and also given me meal vouchers.

    And the compensatory flight vouchers I've collected have been in the amounts of $500, $600, and $800.

    But read the fine print. They can be used to purchase any ONE ticket for up to the amount of the voucher. You don't get a credit for any unused value on the voucher.
    So for example you could NOT use the $600 voucher to buy TWO of the $295 EWR-POP tickets CO has on sale now.

    So I save the vouchers to use when ticket prices are expensive. The vouchers expire one year from the date of issue. That means that you have to use the voucher to but a ticket before the expiration date on the voucher. But you don't have to travel by the expiration date.

    So lets say you are bumped on 1 Jan 2007 and given a voucher for $500. The expiration date on the voucher would be 31 Dec 2007.
    So on Dec 30th 2007 you could use the voucher to purchase a ticket for travel on say Nov 12 - Nov 26th 2008.

    And if the ticket costs more than the value of the voucher, you can always pay the difference on your credit card.
    And FYI, tickets paid for by vouchers are considered revenue tickets, so you will earn frequent flyer miles when using them.

    At least all of the above is true on Continental.

    Oh, also, if you are bumped, they are suppossed to pull your checked baggage off the plane. You then are supppossed to go to baggage claim and pick it up and re-check it the next day.
    Each time I've taken a bump, the gate agent told me that my bag had been removed. But on two out of three occassions, the bag had actually been sent to POP on the original flight.

    So when I arrived in POP the next day, I had to go to the baggage storage area and find the guy in charge of it to give me my bag.
    It's not a big hassle at all if you know where to go.
    And last trip I used the "VIP services" at POP, so the guy reclaimed my bags for me (plus got my passport stamped and cleared customs for me) all while I relaxed in the "VIP Salon" sipping complimentary drinks.

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    he's a trained professional ladies and gentlemen . . . DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME ! ! !
    Who me ? ? ?
    nahhhh . . . move along, move along . . .

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    this is a very interesting thread...

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    Quote Originally Posted by Hempstead View Post
    this is a very interesting thread...
    Its all about money and free travel.

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    What is this POP VIP service?

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    So BCELL and ERICK think i'd have a better chance on Continental (Newark-POP)because of that 1 flight a week??? But most locals fly into STI and SDQ around Christmas time.

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    I bought a ticket on Delta nonstop for date before Christmas, and coming back on Jan 1 of this year. The best holiday time to get bumped is take flight on Christmas eve (unless Christmas is early on in the week, then take Saturday before it) and return on New Year's Day. This is when Dominicans travel the most and they want to get to DR ASAP, so they will not volunteer to get bumped.

    In the future, if serious about getting bumped around Christmas time, then the time to buy the plane ticket is the very first days it goes on sale. You can buy a plane ticket as far in advance as about 330 days before the flight date. I bought my Chirstmas ticket for this year back in February on Delta nonstop to Santiago for $450. I checked recently and it is now selling for $1036. I plan on trying to get bumped both ways if possible

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    Christmas(25th) is on a tuesday this year. I was thinking about booking the Friday(21st) on American(JFK-STI). This way if successful on Friday, i can try it again on sat, sun, etc.

    Will there be that much difference between booking the 21st versus the 24th? What do you think?

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    What is getting "bumped"?


    Bumping is when an airline overbooks a flight and must "bump" or deny people with confirmed reservations. Overbooking flights is a common practice among airlines to help limit the number of empty seats on full flights. Some people miss their flight, others change their plans at the last minute and seats are left empty when they could have been filled. Overbooking their flights is the answer to that problem for the airlines. According to what I can find out from my sources, the airlines will overbook somewhere around 3% above seat capacity.


    Getting bumped on purpose


    First step is to be on a flight that has a high chance of being overbooked, which are:
    • Those leaving Friday afternoon or Sunday evening
    • Nonstop flights to and from major cities
    • Before and after a major holiday
    The night before your flight, call the airline customer service line and ask them if the flight is overbooked. If it is, then you're in business.
    Get to the gate as early as possible, at least 90 minutes before departure time. Inform the gate agent you would like to be put on the volunteer list. Stay near the gate so you can respond quickly if your name is called.


    What happens if you are bumped voluntarily?


    According to the DOT's Consumer Guide to Air Travel:

    The DOT has not said how much the airline has to give volunteers. This means carriers may negotiate with their passengers for a mutually acceptable amount of money-or maybe a free trip or other benefits.

    Airlines give employees guidelines for bargaining with passengers, and they may select those volunteers willing to sell back their reservations for the lowest price. If the airline offers you a free ticket, ask about restrictions.
    How long is the ticket good for? Is it "blacked out" during holiday periods when you might want to use it? Can it be used for international flights? Most importantly, can you make a reservation, and if so, how far before departure are you permitted to make it?

    When is the next flight on which the airline can confirm your seat? The alternate flight may be just as acceptable to you. On the other hand, if they offer to put you on standby on another flight that's full, you could be stranded.

    Will the airline provide other amenities such as free meals, a hotel room, phone calls, or ground transportation? Of course they will, but you may have to ask for them. It all depends on the agent and how desperate the airline is.

    You can negotiate with the gate agent, what they offer first may not be what they are willing to give. Being curteous and professional the entire time will go a long way towards getting the compensation you want. This is perhaps the most important point. I have seen airline employees "buck up" when a passenger gets testy or demanding.

    Here in the midwest, we have a saying, "You catch more flys with honey than you do vinegar." Be kind and talk soft.


    Negotiating with the Airlines


    The first and most imporatant step is to make sure they have you a confirmed seat on the next available flight to your destination, even if it's on another airline.

    If the airline tries to avoid giving you a confirmed seat on the next available flight, mention to them rule 240. They will know exactly what it means. Rule 240 states you are entitled by law to have a confirmed seat on another flight.

    Once a confirmed flight has been arranged, you will need to negotiate your compensation. Make sure they are going to give you a free flight or a heavily discounted fare. Also ask what restrictions are on the free flight. Is it a round trip ticket? Does it expire? Can it be used internationally? If the deal is not good enough, be prepared to walk away from it.

    If you are delayed for more than two hours, ask the airlines for meal vouchers and access to the airlines V.I.P lounge.

    If the agreed replacement flight does not fly out until the next day, make sure the airlines will compenstate your cost for lodging and meals. If you don't ask, they may not willing offer like USAir did for Mike and Lena.

    If the gate agent can get you on a flight leaving in one hour or less, the chances are pretty good they are not going to give you a free ticket. You can expect the compensation to be much lower.

    You won't get compensated if your flight is cancelled, getting bumped is quite different than your flight being cancelled.

    This special report, "Getting Bumped", was written by David Tinney, author of the bestselling e-Guide Why Not Fly Free. It explains in easy to understand terms how to accumulate massive amounts of frequent flier points for free travel. These points can be redeemed for airline tickets, vacations, hotels, cruises, etc.

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    Always remember this shit is negotiable. My last trip back to the DR, the flight was full, and they were asking for voluteers.

    They started out offering a $400 voucher, I told the agent to make it two round trip tickets. Said yes without batting an eye.
    He stuck me in a taxi to Miami,(I was in Ft. Lauderdale), and I made it to the DR sooner than if I had stuck with the original flight.
    I always go the bumped route if I can, depending on what I can negociate.
    I have even been bumped, gotten a voucher, waited for the next flight,, and gotten volutarily bumped a second time, getting anohter voucher.
    You get good at it after a while.
    The only problem is, it's tough to meet girls at the airport, most don't even want you to talk to them..
    If you think it's love try not paying in the morning..

    "Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many."

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    Quote Originally Posted by MrHappy View Post
    Always remember this shit is negotiable. My last trip back to the DR, the flight was full, and they were asking for voluteers.

    They started out offering a $400 voucher, I told the agent to make it two round trip tickets. Said yes without batting an eye.
    But i'm thinking at the very least, they must offer you the value of the current ticket.

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    Quote Originally Posted by psriches View Post
    But i'm thinking at the very least, they must offer you the value of the current ticket.

    Not true at all.

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    Idea Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    why, they're just paying you to delay your departure, not cancel your trip
    Quote Originally Posted by psriches View Post
    But i'm thinking at the very least, they must offer you the value of the current ticket.
    When you can think of yesterday without regret and tomorrow without fear, you are near contentment.
    Your opinions are not my problem...


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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    Quote Originally Posted by psriches View Post
    I once tried this with Puerto Rico and got 3 round trips for two out of it. When all was said and done, the girlfriend and i flew to Puerto Rico for 1 day/night. The rest of the time was spent in a fully paid for Newark hotel with meals included.

    My idea is to book non-stop roundtrip American Airline JFK-STI, leaving friday Dec 21st and returning wed Dec 26th. I want to catch that Christmas rush.

    What i'm hoping for, at the very least, is to get voluntarily bumped from the 6am and 12pm flights friday and saturday morning. Any more than that is gravy!! Ticket is running about $650.

    Any thoughts on the idea? Different airline? Different airport?(newark) Different dates??(new years) Bad idea??

    Etc.......
    try the Sunday after THANKSGIVING me and jimmy got $400 and a taxi ride to and from the airport to PP and a stay at an all inclusive for one night and went out that next Weds.

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    Okay, here's the final plan!

    Sometime tonight i'm gonna book a non-stop JFK-STI leaving saturday 12/22 and returning 12/25 (christmas). The flights are going for $600 (American Airlines).

    I've been doing alot of research and there's a good chance i could get bumped both ways. There are 2 non-stop flights a day, both ways. I will do my best at negotiating the best offer.

    So with that said, i could end up with 2-4 bumps or i could end up with nothing but a fucking $600 trip to DR. That's the chance i'm willing to take.

    Please continue to add your thoughts. Still another 5 months to go before game time!
    Last edited by psriches; 07-28-2007 at 01:11 PM.

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    my dates are dec 21 to jan 1. i will also be looking at getting bumped...as many times as possible

    i haven't purchased the ticket yet as it's almost $1000...more than double what i pay normally. my last 2 tickets to SDQ were about $450 and i just paid $385 CAD for a flight to SDQ.

    hopefully we'll all have success at this tactic!

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    Re: When is the best time to purposely get bumped??

    Remember, NEGOTIATE!! NEVER take the first offer. The gate agents arn't losing anything when they give up vouchers and tickets.

    Be as friendly as you can be with them, treat them right. They deal with a TON of assholes everyday, so when a courteous dude comes along, they remember him. BELEIVE ME..

    Be upbeat, Smile, treat them cool, NEGOTIATE. If they offer one ticket, tell them to make it two. Ask for $$.

    It's NOT THEIR MONEY! THEY DO IT EVERYDAY WITH TONS OF GUYS....

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