# Factual question about airline bumping **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 11, 2017, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231 "2017-04-11T13:22:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/1 "2017-04-11T13:22:49Z")
I’m sure that the details will vary among the different airlines, but are the higher classes of ticket immune from bumping? For example, there is First Class, Business Class, etc. And also there might be a “Flex” class that gives you a free checked bag and may allow for less penalties on re-booking. And of course, the lowly Economy class. Are these all treated equally when the bumping decisions are made? ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/2 "2017-04-11T13:36:33Z")
I’m sure the exact algorithm for each arline is a guarded secret, but I understand it to be weighted heavily (if not perfectly) towards “whoever paid the least for their ticket”. That is unlikely to be someone in First Class. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/3 "2017-04-11T13:38:14Z")
When you buy a ticket you agree to a lengthy contract with terms that allow the airlines to deny you a seat for many reasons. You can be ‘bumped’ from a flight in the sense that it’s oversold and you never get on the plane, you can be ‘bumped’ from one class to another, and as seen on TV you can be ‘bumped’ off the plane after you are seated if the airline needs the seat for their own employees and other reasons. There’s no way to guarantee a seat on flight, there’s no way to guarantee there will be a flight either. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/4 "2017-04-11T13:42:21Z")
Airlines can set their own policy regarding which passenger(s) will be selected for denied boarding. Generally they ask first for volunteers to wait for a later flight in exchange for agreed compensation. Absent enough volunteers they will choose. Generally first class, business class, and full coach fare would be among the last to be denied boarding. Really hard to imagine that a flight would be so oversold as to get to the point that someone in one of those fare classes would be involuntarily denied boarding. A few other factors may be considered as well. Minors traveling alone, particularly those so young as to be flying under the airline’s paid supervision as an unaccompanied minor almost certainly will not be denied boarding. Those with particular medical disabilities are unlikely to be selected for denied boarding as well. Finally, in addition to those with the cheapest fare class tickets one group more likely to be selected for denied boarding is those who checked in last. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/5 "2017-04-11T13:44:17Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > I’m sure the exact algorithm for each arline is a guarded secret, but I understand it to be weighted heavily (if not perfectly) towards “whoever paid the least for their ticket”. That is unlikely to be someone in First Class. Sometimes that’s who gets bumped first. Sometimes it’s the ones who are the latest to check in. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/6 "2017-04-11T14:37:07Z")
CNN had a former government official on who was in charge of overseeing airlines and passenger rights. She mentioned that among other things (must offer $1350 - cash or cheque plus re-booked flight) The procedures require the airline to present the passenger with a paper explaining their rights and how they were selected to be bumped. None of which apparently happened… I was on a flight years ago where they were looing for volunteers, and offered a voucher for something like $200 and a passenger in the back pipes up “They’re being cheap. They have to offer $800 minimum …” ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/7 "2017-04-11T15:12:28Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > CNN had a former government official on who was in charge of overseeing airlines and passenger rights. She mentioned that among other things (must offer $1350 - cash or cheque plus re-booked flight) The procedures require the airline to present the passenger with a paper explaining their rights and how they were selected to be bumped. None of which apparently happened… > > I was on a flight years ago where they were looing for volunteers, and offered a voucher for something like $200 and a passenger in the back pipes up “They’re being cheap. They have to offer $800 minimum …” Surely the minimum figures that you quote would be applicable only to an _enforced_ bumping? That does not preclude the airline from offering an auction for _volunteers_ at lower numbers. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/8 "2017-04-11T15:19:44Z")
As I understand it, they do not overbook business or first class. Those customers are actually the ones that make them money (economy just breaks even), and also they may have decision making capability for which airline an entire company uses. So pretty much no, if you buys business class or first class they will have a seat for you unless the entire flight is delayed or cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/9 "2017-04-11T15:20:32Z")
There’s nothing in the law that prevents airlines from offering more than $800 - $1,350 … ask for $5,000 loud enough so other passengers get out their video cameras … ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/10 "2017-04-11T15:24:49Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > There’s nothing in the law that prevents airlines from offering more than $800 - $1,350 … ask for $5,000 loud enough so other passengers get out their video cameras … A [family of three got bumped twice by Delta recently](https://consumerist.com/2017/04/10/one-family-earned-11000-by-not-flying-delta-during-delay-filled-weekend/) and took home **more than $11,000 in cash compensation**. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/11 "2017-04-11T15:27:49Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > A [family of three got bumped twice by Delta recently](https://consumerist.com/2017/04/10/one-family-earned-11000-by-not-flying-delta-during-delay-filled-weekend/) and took home **more than $11,000 in cash compensation**. Small world … I saw an interview with Laura Bloom last night on TV … NBR I think … ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/12 "2017-04-11T15:32:03Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > There’s nothing in the law that prevents airlines from offering more than $800 - $1,350 … ask for $5,000 loud enough so other passengers get out their video cameras … That is incorrect. Federal law caps the amount they are allowed to pay for being involuntarily denied boarding, and it depends on how many hours removed from your original arrival time. The max amount is $1350 for a delay of over 4 hours. Now, they may be allowed to offer you more than that amount in vouchers, I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/13 "2017-04-11T15:38:03Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > That is incorrect. Federal law caps the amount they are allowed to pay for being involuntarily denied boarding, and it depends on how many hours removed from your original arrival time. The max amount is $1350 for a delay of over 4 hours. > > Now, they may be allowed to offer you more than that amount in vouchers, I’m not sure. It seems bizarre that there would be a Federally mandated _maximum_. Why would that be so? Indeed, on what legal basis could federal law prevent a private company from compensating its customers as much as they see fit? Do you have a cite for the regs? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/14 "2017-04-11T15:39:08Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > A [family of three got bumped twice by Delta recently](https://consumerist.com/2017/04/10/one-family-earned-11000-by-not-flying-delta-during-delay-filled-weekend/) and took home **more than $11,000 in cash compensation**. As the article indicates, that included compensation at or close to the maximum for two overbooked flights in succession, plus for when they cancelled due to problems with rebooking a third flight. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/15 "2017-04-11T15:50:17Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > > [@md2000](#): > > > > CNN had a former government official on who was in charge of overseeing airlines and passenger rights. She mentioned that among other things (must offer $1350 - cash or cheque plus re-booked flight) The procedures require the airline to present the passenger with a paper explaining their rights and how they were selected to be bumped. None of which apparently happened… > > > > I was on a flight years ago where they were looing for volunteers, and offered a voucher for something like $200 and a passenger in the back pipes up “They’re being cheap. They have to offer $800 minimum …” > > Surely the minimum figures that you quote would be applicable only to an _enforced_ bumping? > > That does not preclude the airline from offering an auction for _volunteers_ at lower numbers. Which is why they start by asking for volunteers; because it will cost them less money and someone who voluntarily gives up his/her seat isn’t going to be pissed off. On some of my flights, they offer “travel vouchers” as compensation, which might be OK for you if you travel on that airline frequently. I was on one flight once where they started to get _really_ generous with the offer, but I didn’t take it as this was the day before Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/16 "2017-04-11T16:06:46Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > It seems bizarre that there would be a Federally mandated _maximum_. Why would that be so? Indeed, on what legal basis could federal law prevent a private company from compensating its customers as much as they see fit? Do you have a cite for the regs? [I suspect this is the law referred to.](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/250.5) Maximum is $650 or $1350. I agree it’s a bizarre law. Why does the government give a shit if companies want to compensate their passengers more? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/17 "2017-04-11T16:11:11Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > [I suspect this is the law referred to.](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/250.5) > > Maximum is $650 or $1350. I agree it’s a bizarre law. Why does the government give a shit if companies want to compensate their passengers more? The maximum only applies to how much they have to pay for _involuntarily_ bumping. There is no maximum when looking for volunteers. According to DOT regulations, there is no “mandated form or amount of compensation that airlines offer to volunteers.” From CNN > [@](#): > > “Carriers can negotiate with their passengers for mutually acceptable compensation,” the regulations read. > Now, where it gets really interesting is when passengers are bumped involuntarily, like the four people on Sunday night’s flight. Depending on the length of the delay, the airline may have to pay $1,350 for the inconvenience. > “If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally)… the compensation [is] 400% of your one-way fare, $1350 maximum.” > That maximum would fit United’s predicament, since the next scheduled flight to Louisville was a full day later. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/18 "2017-04-11T16:33:47Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > [I suspect this is the law referred to.](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/250.5) > > Maximum is $650 or $1350. I agree it’s a bizarre law. Why does the government give a shit if companies want to compensate their passengers more? I think people are misreading the regulation. It says: “Compensation shall be 400% of the fare to the passenger’s destination or first stopover, with a maximum of $1,350…” Surely here the “maximum” wording is just capping the 400% calculation. In other words, the statutory compensation is the lesser of 400% or $1,350. But the number that comes out of that formula is still a statutory minimum, there is no implication that the airline may not choose to pay more. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/19 "2017-04-11T16:39:17Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > [I suspect this is the law referred to.](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/250.5) > > Maximum is $650 or $1350. I agree it’s a bizarre law. Why does the government give a shit if companies want to compensate their passengers more? I suspect it may have something to do with airline industry lobbyists. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231/20 "2017-04-11T16:55:47Z")
If the airline gave me $5,000 … why on Earth would I sue for being paid too much? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/factual-question-about-airline-bumping/784231.md?page=2)