Foo - Thank you American Airlines!

The family & I took a trip to Puerto Vallarta.

Left last weekend Seattle to DFW to PV. In DFW they asked for volunteers to bounce to the next
morning flight. We would have gotten into PV at 10PM+, so we did Got into PV noon the next day.
Hotel, meal vouchers, and $1200 travel vouchers ($300*4pp).

Coming back this weekend. All the flights are booked. Mom and one of the kids go home, my
oldest & I start bouncing. Bounced last night. Hotel (Gaylord Texas Hotel -- VERRRY Nice!),
meals, $600 in vouchers ($300 *2pp). Bounce again for the 7:45AM flight. Another $600 in
vouchers. Bounce AGAIN off the 10:00AM flight. ANOTHER $600 in vouchers. We will leave
on the 4PM. (Maybe -- maybe not -- we may bounce to the 5:45PM -- who knows!).

So far this trip we have accumulated $3000 in free travel with American Airlines -- enough to
fly to Mexico again as a family of four for free -- woo hoo!

cool.

That's the way to the silver lining!

nah, it's the way back to Mexico for free! :D

That's cool. I'm always under a timeline and can never take advantage of these.

and it all finally ended at $1800 for the day cause some people didn't show for a flight so we
had to leave. darn. I was ready to try and bounce another 2-3 times and spend the night.
it was almost becoming a game to see how many we could collect!

(but yeah, usually, nothing like this happens...)

The lady and i were about to be stuck in Atlanta over night on our way back from N.C.

I was fine sleeping over night for a free ticket. She didn't like it. She changed her mind on the Tarmac. Too late.

3 months later on our way to O'Hare for a trip to Portland, we made a pact never to pass up the chance again.

Last time I volunteered to get bounced, I got called up in line, and some guy went into a screaming fit thinking I was cutting ahead of him, and he ended up being knocked to the ground, handcuffed, and dragged off by airport security. After all that mess with that nutcase, they had enough people who volunteered to be bumped, so I ended up going on that flight anyway.

Good for you. I never seem to be in a position to take advantage of these things, but I've got a friend who can seemingly roll them forward forever. I don't think they've paid for a flight in years.

Meanwhile, my last experience with AA (last Friday) was a lot less satisfactory than yours and will probably result in them getting hate mail from me if I can calm down enough to at least make it civil. :notamused:

I sometimes hope to get put on an overbooked flight, so I can do the same :)

I sometimes hope to get put on an overbooked flight, so I can do the same :)

Miami Int'l....every time. Been through there 6 times, and gotten free flights from AA 6 times. :innocent:
Its almost a guarantee if its on a Sunday, especially during peak cruise season.

Good for you. I never seem to be in a position to take advantage of these things, but I've got a friend who can seemingly roll them forward forever. I don't think they've paid for a flight in years.

Meanwhile, my last experience with AA (last Friday) was a lot less satisfactory than yours and will probably result in them getting hate mail from me if I can calm down enough to at least make it civil. :notamused:

I have found a typed, mailed letter to the company's VP inc harge of Customer Service or similar
will usually get you a call and a few free tix if you can verify that you were genuinely ecrewed
by the airline. One time after a particularly horrendous trip on Continental, the airline listened in
on a reservations superviser who was the biggest bytch on the planet -- and demoted her as a
result of my complaint calling attention to her. :thumb:

I'd take the vouchers but the days off from work usually mean more money lost than what the vouchers are worth.

...need more vacation days...

This all happened on a Sunday, though it would have made no difference...

Glad someone has luck with the airlines. We likely are paying for your free trips... Many of us fly due to family emergencies.. Family emergencies are unplanned.. And you need have a flexible ticket.. Try to find one.. Should you need to change your agenda, don't be surprised should that cost you far more than 3 thousand dollars you gloat over.. so far this trip, I've had to buy 6 return tickets , when all I need is two...
.. Should you need travel tomorrow, expect to pay out at least three digits.. one way.. No. I will not do any whoo hooing.. Once when my Dad had a bad stroke, it cost us 1600 dollars round trip , Tampa to Detroit..each person. Two persons..... NO, I much rather have regulation when you know a known fare and under all conditions, that is what you pay..

How do they ask for volunteers? Do they just do an announcement to everyone hanging around by the gate? I've only flown 4 times, all prop planes, not sure how the big commercial stuff works.
usually they make an announcement at the gate that the flight is overbooked and they are offering XYZ, and are looking for volunteers to give up their seat. As time passes, they sweeten the deal if they don't find volunteers.