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| Passengers stand at a ticket counter in Pittsburgh. AP |
Airline 'bumps' are rare, but rising
Here's what to do to avoid being bumped – and the deal you could get if you are.
from the September 12, 2007 edition
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"Make sure you have a seat assignment," advises Belobaba, "and get to the airport on time. It's always the laggards and those who don't pay attention to what they're doing who get involuntarily bumped."
Many airlines will allow you to go online and check how full a flight is; that could help you avoid a chronically overbooked flight. And Belobaba suggests that passengers remember the old adage: "You get what you pay for."
"People don't realize there is a pecking order as to whom airlines deny boarding to, based on what they paid [and] whether they're an elite member or bought tickets through some third-party wholesaler" such as Priceline, Belobaba says.
If you have a flexible schedule, you can volunteer to be bumped. Some passengers mention to the airline representative that they're willing to be bumped when they check in and sit close to the counter so they can be first in line if the airline needs volunteers.
Volunteers should read the fine print
Be careful, however, to keep a close eye on the deal you're being offered. Vouchers have restrictions and blackout dates, says AirTran Airways spokeswoman Judy Graham-Weaver.
To use the voucher, you may end up having to book by phone and pay a special fee. And there will be an expiration date.
Another piece of advice: Be careful if you ask to be bumped off a popular flight. "The airlines are flying full airplanes," Mr. Call says. "You try to go on a space-available basis, and it might take you a day or two to get where you want to go."
Even if you have time to spare and walk out of the airport with airline vouchers for lodging and food, bumping can lead to no end of annoyances. Hotels may be full, and the vouchers might limit you to unpalatable airport food.
But if you're the kind of traveler who enjoys the unexpected, getting bumped could lead to adventure, as Rough Guides senior editor AnneLise Sorensen found several years ago in New Delhi.
After a four-month solo backpacking trip, she planned to fly to Paris and find a world of "steaming café crèmes and timely trains."
In the end, it was luxury
Instead, the flight was overbooked and she agreed to give up her seat for a family on their way to see an ailing relative.
"Call it karma, but I had unwittingly walked into a budget traveler's dream: myself and the other bumpees were transported to a luxury hotel – sparkling pool, high-thread-count sheets – and handed meal vouchers for the generous buffet," she recalls. "To sweeten the deal, we were paid a daily stipend of over $100. This went on for several days. Our only duty was to board the shuttle to the airport every morning, with our luggage, to get in line to give up our seat."
Those who were bumped happily accepted the deal "again and again," Ms. Sorensen says, adding three words that must rarely pass the lips of any traveler: "Paris could wait."
Delayed? Airports may offer much more than boredom
If you're stuck in an airport for hours, there's much more to do than stare at the ceiling. Here's how savvy travelers spend their downtime:
Visit a museum. From solo exhibits to stand-alone museums, airports offer plenty of cultural options. Where: Amsterdam; Athens; San Francisco; Las Vegas; Albany, N.Y.; Phoenix.
Perk up your pores. Manicures and massages may be on the menu at an airport spa. Where: New York City (JFK); Detroit; Dallas; Pittsburgh; Vancouver, B.C.; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
Break a sweat. You may find gyms inside terminals or at airport-based hotels. For details, go to: www.airportgyms.com. Where: Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Columbus, Ohio; Chicago (O'Hare); Philadelphia.
Find a comfy place to sit. Many airports offer "surprisingly relaxing" rocking chairs, says www.Frommers.com's David Lytle. Try them out at Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Philadelphia; San Diego; Baltimore; and Charlotte, N.C.
Recharge your laptop. Battery dead? When you look for a power outlet, be sure to look down: Sometimes the outlets are built into the floor. You'll need a screwdriver, coin, or key to unscrew the cover (and be sure to replace it properly). Bring along a mini power strip for when there's a crowd.
Go online. More and more airports offer Wi-Fi at no cost, so travelers can surf the Web. Where: Portland, Ore.; Pittsburgh; Las Vegas; Tampa, Fla.; and some JetBlue terminals.
Head outside. If the airport isn't far from town and you know you have the time, catch a cab or jump onto public transportation for a "change of scenery, fresh air, a little glimpse of the local culture," says Zora O'Neill, a Rough Guides researcher. Just remember that flight delays can vanish in an instant, so make sure your flight won't leave before you get back. Good places to try: San Diego; Las Vegas; San Antonio; Albuquerque, N.M.; Washington, D.C. (Reagan).
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