Overbooking of flights is becoming increasingly common as airlines seek to maximize capacity and profits. Smart passengers who take their time can take advantage of these crowds, sometimes to a great extent.
Passengers on a Delta flight from Boston to Rome certainly have that opportunity this week, with the airline offering bonuses of up to $4,000 to passengers who give up their seats and agree to take a later flight. Carriers also put them up in hotel rooms overnight.
“Come on guys, $3,500, can someone get one for the team?” one employee was caught saying in a TikTok video that went viral. “If you come to us, we will find you a hotel.”
@onlyinbos 13 passengers overbooked #delta Flights from #Boston arrive #Rome ♬ Original Sound – Only in Boston
In the end, 10 passengers accepted compensation worth $2,000 to $4,000, according to the video’s publisher. Although it’s not explicitly stated in the video, the flyers did not receive cash when they got off the plane. The Delta Select Gift Card program lets them choose from a variety of options, in some cases, from flight coupons to retailer gift cards to Visa gift cards.
When airlines realize that a flight is oversold, they often ask volunteers to give up their seats to target passengers who are not on a tight schedule. The request is usually accompanied by a nominal reward of a few hundred dollars in vouchers or gift cards. However, if people don’t take up the offer, the amounts will start to climb — and it’s clear that not many people in Boston are willing to put their vacations on hold, regardless of the incentives.
Most of the time, these offers are enough to convince enough people to give up their seats. If that doesn’t happen, airlines will “involuntarily bump into” passengers, forcing them to give up their seats. According to regulations from the Department of Transportation, carriers need to compensate passengers for 200% of the one-way cost of the flight if the delay is less than two hours, and 400% of the one-way cost of the flight if the delay is longer.
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