Airline bumping happens when an airline sells more tickets to a flight than there are seats. Overselling is deliberately done in anticipation of passengers cancelling their flights and leaving the planes to fly with empty seats. By selling more tickets, the airline ensures that every plane flies with full or near-full capacity. However, on days when all ticketed passengers decide not to cancel or reschedule, the airline is faced with more passengers than there are seats, and that obviously is a problem.
When this happens, the carrier can request its passengers to volunteer to be given another flight, or be bumped to another flight schedule. “Bumped” ticket-holders usually get compensated for their inconvenience. A bump can be voluntary or involuntary. Here are points to consider when being bumped or when volunteering to take a bump:
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- Airlines usually consider for bumping those ticket-holders without checked luggage, deadlines, or companions.
- Aside from the compensation, refund, upgraded class, or rescheduled flights, a passenger who has been bumped several times might be given an additional free flight to a future trip.
- Once you suspect that a flight is full, confirm from a ticket agent and ask to be listed as a possible bump volunteer. Asking to be included in the list does not mean that you have committed to it. Naturally, you need to hear what privileges the airlines will offer in exchange for volunteering to take a bump.
- Know ahead of time what privileges the airline gives to situations like this. This makes your bargaining position stronger. Will they upgrade your ticket class, or allow you access to the lounge? You might want a credit toward a flight in the future. How much is the usual compensation? Negotiate for a better offer and compensation.
- Knowing alternate routes to your destination will be advantageous to you. In cases when the ensuing flights are also full, being familiar with alternate itineraries to your destination will be a great help to the negotiation.
- Compensation is higher for involuntarily-bumped passengers. Aside from the rescheduled flight, compensations can go from $650 to as high as $1,300 cold cash.