Airlines to pay more cash to bumped air travelers!

Bumping is defined as denying passengers a seat on the flight they originally booked on due to a flight being oversold. They will then be `bumped' to another flight. Travelers that are forced to take another flight that arrives at their domestic destination more than two hours after their originally scheduled arrival time will be compensated for the cost of their ticket up to a maximum amount of $800.00. This sum doubles the previous amount of $400.00.

Another important change to oversold situation now extends to smaller aircraft. In the past airplanes with less than 60 seats were exempt from this legislation. This is great news for those of us that fly out of Huntington Tri-State and/or Charleston’s Yeager Field.

This action also called involuntary bumping which differs from passengers volunteering to be reaccomodated on other flights. The airlines ask for volunteers by offering alternative transportation to their destination plus they sweeten the offer with free future travel. If you find yourself in this situation be sure to check the restrictions on your free travel. I suggest that you barter for a dollar amount voucher that can be applied to the purchase cost of a new ticket. Often the “we will fly you free in the 48 mainland states” ticket comes with too many restrictions.

After the volunteer process is exhausted then the airlines will start the involuntary bumping process based on their boarding priorities. If asked the airline employees should provide you the passenger a printed copy of their denied boarding process.

As I understand it more carriers prefer the volunteer bumping process over the involuntary one. They feel that volunteer passengers are more satisfied with later transportation plus the additional compensation than involuntary bumped ones are. Also airline data on denied boarding compensation coupons should that many of these vouchers are never redeemed thereby saving the carriers.

NOTE: These new rules go into effect in the end of May 2008.

In my next post I’ll discuss some strategies to employ if you want to get bumped.

Got travel questions or needs? Contact me at thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.