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+--- Thread: Overbooked Flights (/showthread.php?tid=101766)
Overbooked Flights - Firemon - 04-11-2017
It's a travesty they let airlines get away with this. Imagine going to a concert and getting uprooted from your front-row seat because the promotor was allowed to oversell the show.
I just sent United Airlines a nastygram/feedback under the heading "Future Travel."
"I'd love to see United's CEO dragged kicking and screaming down the aisle of an airplane so all the passengers can spit on him. United....patooie!"
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/Contact/customer/default.aspx
No doubt I'll be added to their mailing list.
Time to reminisce with quite possibly the greatest revenge song ever written:
RE: Overbooked Flights - CardBoardBox - 04-11-2017
The poor customer service rep who has to read that email. Doubtful if it will go up the corporate ladder, but I understand your desire to draft the letter FM. I can see myself doing the same, but in this case I saw no advantage / positive outcome.
Overselling is a science and, as shown in a related news story, very very few people are bumped because there are no-shows (stuck on another United flight which was delayed?) United had a .49 while American had twice that, near Southwest I believe. Overall, there are 40K bumped each year, but that is with millions of passengers. Still, no one wants to be in that minority, especially when going home.
Compensation does vary, also detailed in a related story. One family of 4 got $11k by being bumped on 2, or was it 3 flights, for their one vacation just recently. It was at their home airport so they weren't stranded. That story menioned that some people aim to get bumped as an income source, but one has to select the right time such as Spring Break. A friend worked for an airline at the gate and knew the pattern.
On whatever airpline one flyies, I guess it is a good idea to read their policy. Cash is good. Vouchers, perhaps less so.
When a recent JetBlue flight was delayed a little, but enough for me to miss the connection, and only a 3 hour later arrival, I inquired if I could get at least a meal voucher. The agents response was No. I think I read their policy when I got home and indeed, their policy is "sit on it" or SOL. (Too lazy to confirm this paragraph. Sorry.)
The kicker with yesterdays (?) action was the guy was ON the plane. I'm really surprised no one was willing to give up their seat. United *** , when they decided to call the airport police, should have anticiplated the results and upped the cash offer.
***for the record, according to some sources, other news stories got some details wrong. It was a United flight but run by a regional airline. Also, the 'United' employees were actually the regional airlines employees.
Trivia; The CEO recently got an award, or reconized for superior communication. He sure blew it on this press release. And I think he was wrong to send the staff a memo saying they did the right thing, which got out into the public view.
PostScript on flight delays; weather problems are not their fault, and won't get your more than a 'sorry.' (I think I am telling the truth here.)
My one time event, of only 2,was when I missed my connection because I did not understand Spanish or the broken English on a bad sound system. (When does my flight leave?, and the gate person pointed to the airplane rolling away from the gate.) I went to whatever the counter is called in Puerto Rico and was behind a couple who had a legit case and they got a hotel room and meal voucher. My turn. "Me too." And that is how I got to view the city lights of PR high up in a nice hotel.
RE: Overbooked Flights - Firemon - 04-11-2017
I started to read your post but quit mid-first paragraph. It looked like a good place to stop.
RE: Overbooked Flights - CardBoardBox - 04-11-2017
But you couldn't resist the opportunity to say something mean.
Survey question: the United letter or the rude reply? I meant the 2nd ONLY
RE: Overbooked Flights - JonTom - 04-12-2017
That seemed uncalled for.
CCB, I usually read your, at times, lengthy posts, but (as noted in the survey awhile back) lurk more often than responding.
If I find it too lengthy or not of interest, I skip a thread. Seems easy enough.