Calling for volunteers to take a later flight (and pocket $2,700)

[albatross710]

It seems that AC have oversold their YVR - Au destination capacity. On my flight they were calling for 7 volunteers to take a later re-routed flight. I was up for the challenge so I took up the offer expecting to have an extra day in Vancouver. Not so as they cannot push the pax to the next day as it is oversold already.

So, I came back YVR-HKG with AC then HKG-BNE on CX getting home 15 hours after my original flight. I was able to switch the miles earning on the final sector from VA to QF plus Pier lounge access. Bags were removed and rerouted of course.

AC have already emailed and advised they will do a bank transfer to my Au account today or tomorrow.

Anyone that is travelling back from YVR during October should be on the look out for volunteering opportunities. The gate agents indicated it's a nightly event and expected to be so during October. Anyone travelling alone would be best suited for it.

Considering I paid $2k for my BNE-USA-BNE itinerary and received more back than I paid it was a great deal.

 

[AIRwin]

Considering I paid $2k for my BNE-USA-BNE itinerary and received more back than I paid it was a great deal.

Even if it's a redemption booking? (My cousin is booked on AC later this month and had used his miles)

 

[albatross710]

Even if it's a redemption booking? (My cousin is booked on AC later this month and had used his miles)

i don't know. I imagine the inconvenience would be the same. The gate agents were a little over it. It would be a good data point to let the forum know.

I also don't understand how they can have that many extra people checked in with boarding passes. like how is everyone allocated to a unique seat?

 

[NoName]

Have a friend who was returning from LAX on DL last week. Flight oversold and calling for volunteers to go the next day. Him and his wife accepted US$3k each. Was given to them in a prepaid Visa card. Same story the next night but the offer only got to US$1.5k so they declined. Another couple who also took the offer mentioned that this was their 3rd day in a row being paid to not go. I guess if you’re in no rush then why not accept a heap of cash to sit by the pool for another day.

 

[albatross710]

Have a friend who was returning from LAX on DL last week. Flight oversold and calling for volunteers to go the next day. Him and his wife accepted US$3k each. Was given to them in a prepaid Visa card. Same story the next night but the offer only got to US$1.5k so they declined. Another couple who also took the offer mentioned that this was their 3rd day in a row being paid to not go. I guess if you’re in no rush then why not accept a heap of cash to sit by the pool for another day.

The AC gate staff did mention consecutive days for denied boarding. They implied they discourage it.

Australia needs better consumer protections!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Have a friend who was returning from LAX on DL last week. Flight oversold and calling for volunteers to go the next day. Him and his wife accepted US$3k each. Was given to them in a prepaid Visa card. Same story the next night but the offer only got to US$1.5k so they declined. Another couple who also took the offer mentioned that this was their 3rd day in a row being paid to not go. I guess if you’re in no rush then why not accept a heap of cash to sit by the pool for another day.

Oh my! I would have been all over the second offer like a kid on a cupcake!

USD4.5k for a two day delay sounds great!

 

[MikeG]

After the Fiasco in Frankfurt, where Lufthansa denied us onto our flight departing for the UK, and causing us no end of heartache due to arguing that we were late when in fact we were more than 45 mins early for checkin, I lodged a claim for reimbursement 3-months ago per EU law, but noted that this is supremely difficult to get a result on for non EU citizens. We may need to engage a third-party company to claim this for us, as I didn't even receive an acknowledgement from Lufthansa.

I'll be steering clear of Lufthansa in future, if this is how they treat their paying customers.

 

[Dr Ralph]

I'm currently in the US. I have a QF J flight to SYD in about 30 hrs from now. I'll be all over a cash offer to stay for another 24 hours!

 

[MikeG]

What do people reckon - if an airline instituted this in Australia, who would favour that airline?

 

[Blacksheep]

What do people reckon - if an airline instituted this in Australia, who would favour that airline?

Yes please!

 

[ksthommo]

Had this offer on the AA app last month for my wifevand sister in laws flights
Phoenix/Denver booked using QFF points.
Didn’t try the offer.

 

[cambriamarsh]

QF in LHR were offering GBP300 per passenger to delay a day back 2006. We couldn't accept because we needed to be back in NZ for other commitments.

Has anyone seen anything similar recently?

 

[Mattg]

QF in LHR were offering GBP300 per passenger to delay a day back 2006. We couldn't accept because we needed to be back in NZ for other commitments.

Has anyone seen anything similar recently?

Yes, as noted here Qantas offered GBP532 to passengers at LHR to take a flight the following day as recently as last week.

 

[blaz]

Changing the subject a tad, I recently booked business class flight for two to Budapest next year using points arriving on the 21st July, so I quickly booked 3 nights in a reasonable hotel for a good rate of $150 including breakfast. I then saw a better hotel, so I booked that for a similar rate, while keeping the original booking so that I could mull over it. I was then tempted to book an even better hotel because of a cash back deal with my credit card. A few weeks later, the grand Prix dates for Budapest were announced, and I now have bookings for three hotels that are now charging $400 a night for the same rooms. I have to cancel 2 of the bookings of course, but can't help feel that I am just handing the hotels money on a plate... these are the sorts of cancellations that they would hope for.

 

[Myrna]

Similar story - my sister was flying AC from YVR to SYD (in J with points) last week, flight overbooked by 6 so they called for volunteers C$2,600 each in any class. She said not many came forward so they kept making the announcement. As a result, flight was delayed around 45 mins.

 

[Rnwillia]

What do people reckon - if an airline instituted this in Australia, who would favour that airline?

 

[Rnwillia]

Yes please!

Absolutely, that airline would get my attention.

 

[tricky4000]

Back in 2012, checking in to a United San Francisco to Melbourne flight, we were asked to change to the next day in exchange for a hotel room and USD$1000 United credit. I asked them to swap the $1000 to a business class upgrade the following day and they were not interested in that suggestion. We refused the offer. The check in lady was very rude to us after that.

 

[Budbrian]

Beginning Sept we were at SEA waiting To board a short flight to Canada, on Alaskan Air, they were offering USD 750 for 6 pax to go on another flight of choice etc. a few days beforehand we got email offering us USD 25 to change same flight. So what a huge difference in offer. Flight cost originally was USD129.

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

Many years at LA an announcement came over th PA requesting any passengers that would like to not go tonight please come to the service desk. We had 4 seats in Economy. An American sitting near us suggested that if we were not in a hurry check it out but do not take the first offer. Acting on his advice and
after a great deal of haggling we ended up with a flight the next night. Our compensation was 4 upgrades to business class,
hotel accom, meal allowances, a cash payment of $US 1000 per
head and to sweeten the deal a limo for the day.
Not too bad for flights that cost less than a $1000 Aus per head.
I looked for my American, savy, advisor to thank him but he had
boarded his flight and I often think kindly of United Airlines.