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Home  >  United Airlines • vdb  >  $2,000 for a United Bump…
United Airlinesvdb

$2,000 for a United Bump…

Matthew Klint Posted onDecember 16, 2017December 16, 2017 18 Comments

My flight from Los Angeles to Newark on Thursday night was so full I was unable to get a seat on it.

That, in and of itself, is not all that unusual during the busy holiday travel season. The flight was not only full, but oversold. What shocked me was how much trouble United agents had soliciting volunteers.

I’ve been buying more same-day tickets lately and found out Thursday afternoon I had to be in New York on Friday. I’m so close to 1K that I’m sticking to United only for domestic travel. Unfortunately, though, both United redeyes to Newark were not only sold out, but badly oversold.

I did the next best thing: I booked a ticket on the 6am Friday morning flight and then went standby for the nonstop the night prior. I thought with my status I would clear. Surely, I reasoned, there would be no-shows on a 777-200 high-density plane, with 364 seats.

There were not. The first flight went out full with no standbys cleared.

The next redeye looked more promising, according to the agent. It was was “only” oversold by five passengers. But when it came time to board, everyone had checked in except for one passenger. Four volunteers would be needed.

The agent began soliciting at $600 (voucher for future travel) and got one taker, a college-aged traveler who agreed to relinquish his seat when the agent promised hotel and meal vouchers as well.

But she could not get anyone else.

A Rapid Increase in $

Within five minutes, the bump amount offered had risen to $2,000. Within 30 seconds it had risen from $1,00o to $1,500 to $2,000.

At $2,000, she was able to secure two additional volunteers. The flight boarded and two passengers did not show up before the 15-minute boarding cutoff, so only one additional volunteer was finally needed.

Both volunteers received the $2,000 even though the first volunteer had agreed to accept $600.

Meanwhile, look at #1 on the standby list–

Yep, I wasn’t getting on this one.

CONCLUSION

This was the first time I’ve seen United’s new progressively rising VDB payout in play. It’s a far better system than in the pre-Dao era.

Later, though, I want to discuss why there were not more takers for the $2K bump.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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18 Comments

  1. Nick Reply
    December 16, 2017 at 12:47 pm

    Redeye payouts are going to be higher. In my opinion thats about right given that they are paying you in United money that expires in a year and you likely take a day delay and extra hassle.

  2. Alan Brint Reply
    December 16, 2017 at 12:53 pm

    I wish I was there. PAYDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  3. Mike Reply
    December 16, 2017 at 1:42 pm

    Logically speaking, is it financially best to delay accepting the offer until it’s down to 1 slot? In other words, if there are 2, 3, or 4 slots open, should you allow others to accept the lower compensation until it reaches the level that you want?

    My only worry would be a small group of people (e.g. husband and wife, or a family) all accepting a bump at whatever compensation level is offered.

    Did they stop at $2000 and go no higher?

    • Sexy_Kitten7 Reply
      December 17, 2017 at 10:19 pm

      Everyone gets the highest offer so it is a race to be #1. No waitlist, agent’s discretion. Extensive thread(s) here if you’re interested in learning more: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-airlines-mileageplus/1812217-voluntary-denied-boarding-vdb-bump-ua-2017-a.html

      UA is also piloting semi-automated reverse-auction VDB 🙁 http://www.volantio.com/files/Volantio-Yana-VDB.pdf

      GA (wisely) stopped at $2000 bc the flight was overbooked but not yet oversold. Although it would’ve been tough to get the last sucker off the plane!

  4. Gene Reply
    December 16, 2017 at 2:10 pm

    @ Matthew — This is an example of why you should drop things like pursuing legal action against Aeroplan/Swiss. In this game, you win sometimes, you lose sometimes. This time you won. You do not always win in life.

    • Matthew Reply
      December 16, 2017 at 2:22 pm

      Gene, only this time I was a standby passenger and didn’t get the bump. 🙁

      • IANAL Reply
        December 16, 2017 at 8:00 pm

        Or perhaps he should go be a real lawyer. Since lawyers always win. Even when they lose.

        • Matthew Reply
          December 17, 2017 at 11:10 am

          Santastico, you can use your real/usual name next time.

  5. Brian Reply
    December 17, 2017 at 12:27 am

    I did a voluntary bump two weeks ago at SFO. I was given a $400.00 voucher and they also agreed to my first class upgrade on the next flight. With the number of people willing to bump that day, there would have been no way I could have held out for a higher payout. I almost double voluntary bumped but due to a last minute cancellation it did not happen.

    I had an extra 4+ hours to kill in SFO but I was also given $20.00 in meal voucher and as a United Club member, I visited every domestic United Club that United had open. If I didn’t have Club membership, I probably would not have volunteered.

  6. Joelfreak Reply
    December 17, 2017 at 1:45 am

    This is exactly why progressive VDB won’t solve problems. People said you just need to offer more, and you prove that’s not true.

    • Brian Reply
      December 17, 2017 at 2:15 am

      It worked as it was supposed to work. As Matthew said no one was involuntarily bumped. Not getting on as a standby is not the same as involuntary bumping and United will not payout for standbys.

      • Joelfreak Reply
        December 17, 2017 at 9:07 pm

        My point was they said with Dao that people would have accepted 1k. This is proof that people will hold on to their seats… At SOME point we need to have a line drawn when we IDB.

    • Sexy_Kitten7 Reply
      December 17, 2017 at 10:26 pm

      I disagree. Everyone has a breaking point. I was once on a B6 red-eye that had to bump someone on Dec 23 after we had boarded. They had to go up to $1000 IIRC but they got their guy.

      UA can go up to $10,000. I have no doubt 1 out of 150 people would jump at or before that figure.

  7. Chris McMahon Reply
    December 17, 2017 at 11:14 pm

    Is that $2000 really worth $2000? Or is it only for use with “full fare” travel in the future? Then, is it on top of them flying you to your destination on the next flight? I know it is a game for some, but I’ve never been bumped.

    • Matthew Reply
      December 17, 2017 at 11:40 pm

      These vouchers are valid on all fares and dates.

  8. alan Reply
    December 18, 2017 at 11:04 am

    UA is showing that people don’t value them at $2000…

  9. Michael Reply
    December 18, 2017 at 12:56 pm

    Don’t feel bad. I let go a total of $4600 Delta credits on a recent trip to Disney World, Just to be on time to a vacation from hell. Oh for a time machine to go backwards.

  10. Pingback: Turning Down $2000 United Travel Voucher and TSA's Ask Me Anything - View from the Wing

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