3 ms·
When you are bumped on an overbooked airline, here's what you should know: Airlines start offering compensation and travel that is less than what is required u
by petilon 10y ago
When you are bumped on an overbooked airline, here's what you should know:
Airlines start offering compensation and travel that is less than what is required under the FAA rule hoping that people who haven't been properly informed about their rights will take the cheap offer. When this doesn't work they slowly raise the offers.
The FAA rules provide that a passenger who has a reservation and who is asked to give up their seat because the flight is overbooked is entitled to a lot of money and the airline is required to fill them in on their rights right away. In writing.
Compensation depends on how quickly the airline can get one to the next place one is booked to, and can reach 400% of your paid fare or up to $1,350 if they cannot get you to your next destination within four hours. If they can get you somewhere you are booked to within an hour or two, the compensation is much less.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/11/opinions/i-got-bumped-from-a-flight-then-i-sued-opinion-stone/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/11/opinions/i-got-bumped-from-a-f...
- Mithaldu 10y agoThe plane was not overbooked. The rules and laws that apply in this case are very different. See top comments.
- colmvp 10y agoIt should be noted that this was NOT an overbooked flight. Even the CEO admitted this. For a much clearer explanation with legal input, I'd suggest readers to read http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2017/04/united-passenger-removal-reporting-management-fail.html http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2017/04/united-passenger-remo... .
- aianus 10y ago> Airlines start offering compensation and travel that is less than what is required under the FAA rule hoping that people who haven't been properly informed about their rights will take the cheap offer. When this doesn't work they slowly raise the offers. That's way too cynical of an interpretation. If I'm a poor, flexible traveler (and I have been) I'd rather get $200 for myself by volunteering than have a chance at $1350 by waiting to get kicked off. It's win-win for me and the airline. That's 20h at minimum wage!
- arcticbull 10y agoThis is really the way to look at it. Someone is owed some multiple of their one-way fare as cash in hand when involuntarily denied boarding. The odds of it being you are as low as 1 in 800. On the other hand you could have vouchers in hand, guaranteed. And at 'just' $200 you can fly one way across the country and round trip to many places, and the airline can save some money. I wouldn't take $200, that said I've often taken $400+. Further, if they need multiple volunteers airlines in my experience tend to give all volunteers the highest amount required to convince the last guy.