Working hard for my bumps!

I had the same experience once.

Wow, by contrast I had the easiest bump today! originally booked on the BUF-IAD-LAX-SAN, showed up at the airport and just as i was opening my laptop to find out if the flight was full, they call my name (it wasn't even on the volunteer list) and asked if i wanted to arrive an hour early. Asked about the compensation, and bang, $400 in my hand 🙂 that's the way it should be.

Just curious are you returning on the 777 tomorrow from LAX-IAD, if so , we're on the same flight

Awesome work- I try so hard to get bumped on AA as explat but never get the opportunity

'grats, Lucky. Are you still on target for tomorrow's IAD-TPA, so that I can advise hobo13?

-hobo13's wife

Lucky, when do you get into LAX? I've got a two-hour layover there tonight before red-eyeing to IAD.

@Lucky --- just so I understand, if one is Star Alliance Gold with United, and flying domestic First Class on United, you can use the LH Senator Lounge instead of the RCC (for which membership is required)?

Must be your unlucky day - I've been having no problem getting bumped while in NF a few times recently now. If anything, my second to last time even got the GA to call someone in inventory to check if they can give me F on the re-booked flight (although to be fair, that same GA also zeroed out my return segments, but that took 30 seconds to fix at the RCC, so overall positive).

Lucky, this really is your job, isn't it?!

Don't take it the wrong way, but why should an airline bump a passenger from economy to first, when they can just rebook that passenger in economy on another flight. Especially if it is likely you are going to get bumped and clog up first on another flight (which was the case).

I can understand if they can't find passengers, but I don't see the logic in the airline letting people "game" the system and bumping up people into first that aren't their best customers (hence they are in Y). Then again, they could stop harshly overbooking.

How much later was your new flight? One thing to consider during the bump process is the cost of your time. Everyone has their own value, and it can vary upon the situation, what else you have going on, etc. Someone would usually have to pay me $100+ an hour to sit around in an airport, as I could be making money by working, spending time with my family, or doing other more productive things. Therefore, a $400 voucher that required me to get to the gate an hour early and then take a flight three hours later would be around a break-even proposition for me - not one I'd view as ending up ahead. Do you value your time in airports more or less than I do?

@Not as lucky as you

You can use the LH lounge at IAD if you are a * gold.. Do not need to be in domestic F. I've used it as a 1K in Y.

@sheepskin

Keep in mind, these can be used on international flights, so the value increases. I'd gladly bump if I had to wait an extra hour or two.

@ Sam -- Congrats on the bump. I'm actually returning on the redeye tonight.

@ intrepid720 -- Indeed, I'll see him aboard. Actually, he'll have to climb over me to get to his seat (since I'll likely be sound asleep). 😀

@ Rob -- Am here now. Where ya at?

@ Not as lucky as you -- That's correct.

@ Jack Ryan -- Because I got a complimentary upgrade. There were 20 other people on the upgrade list, so they just processed the next person on the upgrade. The later flight still had plenty of first class seats (and there's no way they'll sell them an hour before departure), so United didn't lose out on anything by bumping me over anyone else. And I was willing to fly coach on the next flight too.

@ Sheepskin -- Certainly a good point, though in this case I was on a mileage run and was flying back on a redeye. I was either going to sit at LAX for several hours or IAD for several hours. Either way, it wasn't wasted time, since I got work done, with the exception of the fact that I go to the gate 20 minutes earlier than I otherwise would have. I don't quite make $1,200/hour (and doubt I ever will), so I'd consider it a good deal for the time being.

I love reading bump stories such as this one. I don't do them and don't do mileage runs because my travel and work commitment. However, I do admire those who are traveling on a low budget and have succeeded in taking advantage of the opportunities/rules.

Do you have a strategy for finding all these bumps? Is Sunday the best day for it? I usually fly Monday mornings and Thursday evenings and I get nowhere near as many chances as you seem to get.

did u hear about the new dl economy comfort class. It sounds like a better economy plus version

Lucky - thanks for telling the story, I got a lot of good information from it, looks like you had quite the bump battle.

Does this sound a little stalkerish/scary to anyone else? It seems Lucky bugs the hell out of the GA and forces what he wants. "I'm watching you" indeed. Yikes.

@ Yikes -- I don't know, I happen to find it a bit creepier to anonymously post on the same blog under different names using the same IP, but that's just me. 😉

@Jack Ryan - keep in mind there were no volunteers with a coach seat assignment, the only volunteers were Lucky and the other 1K, both of whom were status-upgraded to First - Lucky's paid class of service was coach. It would make no sense to involuntarily deny boarding to someone with a coach seat assignment just to avoid not taking Lucky, since that passenger would be entitled to cash compensation, where Lucky is being given a voucher.

In this particular instance, even if Lucky had been paid first class it still would have made sense to take him if he was willing to take the $400 voucher, since there were ample seats in First on the next flight.

I would have loved to read your complaining if you didn't get the bump.

@mark - glad you like the blog!

@emyotop - not sure if you are being sarcastic, but I do like the blog.

what happens if there ends up being a spot on the flight and they rescind their offer. do you not have rights after accepting it, to be able to keep the offer?

@ agar -- Until you sign the piece of paper agreeing to be bumped, you have no rights.