There’s an old saying: “Everyone has a price.” And we see that play out firsthand in this viral video, which was shared with the caption: “When your flight asks for 14 volunteers to get off the flight.”
A passenger traveling to Las Vegas on a United Airlines flight filmed her companions and the rest of the passenger cabin while the gate agent made an announcement asking for 14 volunteers to give up their seats. I suspect the reason was due to weight and balance issues since it’s extremely hot outside; they probably had a lot of cargo so the airline needed to deplane some passengers.
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As you can see in the video, at first, the passengers didn’t budge until the agent announced how much they were offering in travel credit. The reaction of the person filming, her friend and the surrounding passengers was classic, as they couldn’t get up quick enough.
Here’s a transcript of part of the United Airlines PA announcement: “ … to Las Vegas. For your safety at this time, after calculating the numbers, we called our dispatch. We do need 14 passengers off the aircraft and for the rest of you passengers onboard that don’t want to volunteer, I just want to make you aware we’re kind of racing the clock here with your crew. If we don’t meet that time frame, unfortunately, we will have to deplane the entire aircraft. I want to apologize in advance. If I have 14 volunteers, $2,500 in travel credit apiece.”
I’m not sure where the plane was originating but it was obviously going to Las Vegas per the PA announcement and I could tell it was United Airlines thanks to the Hemispheres Magazine in the seatback pocket.
Usually, the gate agent makes an announcement at the gate area before boarding to try and get volunteers. Typically, the offer is very low to start and if no one bites, it gradually increases. In this case, it seems $2,500 was the magic number to get enough volunteers.
If I’d been on the plane, I would have jumped up too since $2,500 could get you plenty of trips across the country or a business class ticket to Europe in the off-season. I’ve taken the bait before and almost did last week on an American Airlines flight from Chicago to L.A. but the agents ended up not needing volunteers.
However, before you ever volunteer, always ask what the next flight they can get you out on is. Sometimes it’s just a few hours later but other times, it could be days. The most I’ve ever received was $500 but my sister (and each member of her family) received $1,300 in cash because they were involuntarily bumped, meaning they didn’t want to give up their seat but the airline took the last people with no status to check-in off the plane.
Here are some reactions to the video from social media:
@nonsky: I once got a $4000 credit from Delta for giving up my seat. Best day ever 😂
@bullseye_trader: We deplaned at SNA for $2000, were placed in First on the next flight … then the Original flight was Cancelled and everyone was placed upon our flight. The Vitriol was real.
@cassyathena: They just put you on a later flight. It’s not like you can’t go at all. Why not take the travel credit
@officialunofficialamber: I would’ve sprinted off that plane, taken my $2500 travel credit, and hung out in the Delta lounge until my rebooked flight 😂
@candicrenee: 1d Southwest did this with me, I ran to the desk 😂 I saw everything that year
Have you ever volunteered your seat? What was your route and how much did the airline compensate you? Was it worth it? Would you do it again?
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I was once waiting at the gate in Reagan for a United flight and the gate asked for volunteers to give up their seats. The next gate had a United flight currently boarding and going to my destination so I told the gate agent I could just go early if it would help them out. They talked to the other gate agent and put me on the flight and gave me a $300 credit!! I wasn’t expecting that and didn’t ask for that but that was a nice thing to do.
When a similar situation arose on a Delta flight out of Tampa, I tried to do the same thing. They were okay with it but wanted to charge me a change fee. I asked the gate agent if they were serious. They said yes. I told them, I’m doing you a favor and you want to charge me? No thanks. I’ll risk an involuntary bump since I’m already checked in for the later flight.
Watch the movie “Planes, Trains&Automobiles.It’ll give you alternative ideas for traveling.
LOL. I’ve seen that movie many times
Leaving Florida and an announcement was made for people to check in to check on offer to give up seats for a later flight, no extra compensation was mentioned
I checked into the request and they were doubling what your seats were worth
We took offer 3 times for 4 seats
I would do it again
Business travelers wanting to get back to DFW