Have you ever...

[Isafari]

been on a a flight that was overbooked? Maybe you were asked to take a later flight? If this has happened with you, tell us all about it and the outcome.

[BUTTERHEAD1]

About 10 years ago I won a trip to the superbowl in a raffle. When we arrived at the airport they were looking for volunteers to give up their seats so my wife and I gave up our seats and in return we received 2 free round-trip tickets to use in the next year anywhere in the continental US. On our return trip we did the same thing and received another 2 tickets. Not bad for a $10 raffle ticket.

[uscwest]

I've been on several that have been overbooked, but I never had to give up my seat in spite of their pleas. However several years ago both Donna and I were booked on a flight to Europe. As we walked up to the gate (pre 9/11) our ex-spouses were with both of us. They were asking for volunteers to give up their seats and take a Lufthansa flight later. I was willing but her ex told her she couldn't fly a non-US Flag Carrier. We were on government business. I eventually convinced him that the actual rule was that you couldn't BOOK another carrier, but you could certainly fly one if it got you where you were going. By the time he relented they had already gotten enough volunteers. We went into the gate area, where we had to show our passports and had no sooner sat down when I was called to the counter and upgraded to First Class. I told them I would keep my original seat because I had a traveling companion. They had one more seat and they gave it to Donna. This was her first ever International flight.

[catrancher]

Years ago, I was in Jacksonville and booked to go home to Atlanta. Got to the airport in Jax, loaded onto the plane (Delta L1011), when they came on the cabin intercom and announced that the flight was overbooked and did they have any volunteers to get off and take the next flight. They offered us a free ticket if we'd do it. So, I stuck my hand up and dutifully marched off the aircraft into the waiting arms of a Delta redcoat who marched us all off to the Crown lounge where they plied us with food and drink until the next flight time (about 3 hours later). We all marched out and boarded the new aircraft (another Delta L1011). This time though, everything went according to plan and we pushed back from the gate just a little more than 3 hours after the original flight left. We began taxiing out to the runway and as we did, noticed another Delta L1011 taxiing into the airport on another taxiway. That's when the pilot came on the intercom and informed all of us who were originally on the earlier Delta flight that the one taxiing in was our original aircraft. They had gotten all the way to the runway when they discovered some equipment problems and had spent the last 3 hours sitting on a taxiway, trying to fix the aircraft. They had finally given up and were coming back to the gate to swap out the aircraft. Meanwhile, we had been fed, plied with enough liquor to float a battleship and been given a free ticket for anywhere we wanted to go on Delta. And we got home earlier than if we'd taken the original flight!

I felt so superior!

Tom (... come fly away, come fly away with me!)

[ukwdwnut]

not to me it hasnt but it has to my uncle tho, and hes even asked if anyone needs to be bumped. he always flies virgin. the out come was he got tickets to anywhere in the world for the whole party that was travelling with him. so he went back to wdw for free the next year

[mumof2]

i haven't but my friends were recently due to fly to atlanta to stay with family. they were asked whether they could fly the following day, in return they received $1000 each (x4), a night in a hotel and upgrade to first class, and free flights next time they travel there!

they were so impressed they offered to be put back again the next day if necessary!

[wdwgrandma]

Back in the late '90's I was booked on a flight home from Omaha along with 2 co-workers. The Air Force captain rushed ahead of me and Joanie to get in line to check in. I was polite and let Joanie check in before me. Little did we know but the flight was overbooked and the captain got the last seat. And I wanted to get home as soon as possible because John was flying out to Korea that day...

Money and a seat on the next flight was offered and quickly grabbed by someone with a seat on my flight. However, the newly freed seat was offered to Joanie because she had checked in before me. Good friend that she was, she offered the seat up to me so I could get home.

The captain had already boarded - along with a whole group of teenagers headed to Orlando for a band contest. And he'd been talking about how he planned on sleeping all the way to Chicago since it as such an early flight.

And as fate would have it, the person whose seat I would be getting had been sitting in first class!!! I was treated like a queen, sipping mimosas and nibbling on fresh strawberries and cream, while the captain sat in back with the over excited teens who were all pumped at going to Florida!!! I doubt he got much sleep on THAT leg of the flight.

We arrived in Chicago to catch our connecting flight to Dulles and I ran into the captain at the gate. He seemed surprised to see me and asked where I'd been sitting. When I told him first class he seemed a bit upset! LOL And they say chivalry is dead!!!

[Keith]

We were offered 1000euroes each this May from manchester to Orlando, if instead we'd take the shuttle down to London and fly from there because the manchester flight was so overbooked.

In the end, we had things planned and wanted to be on time more than we wanted the money. They ended up upgrading us to first class on the manchester flight so we were happy with that.

The people behind us though were a party of six and they took the offer and were very excited about what they'd be spending all the extra money on!