Holy Cow! United Airlines Gave A Passenger $10,000 To Give Up Their Seat
I honestly never thought I would see this. After the David Dao dragging incident, airlines (including United) made drastic policy changes. They reduced the amount of overbooking they did. The airlines also increased the amount they would pay to someone to voluntarily give up their seat and changed procedures for involuntary denials. At the time, I thought the amounts were a bit silly. Would it ever reach some of these crazy numbers? I was wrong.
It appears United Airlines paid a passenger $10,000 to take a later flight yesterday. They appear to have removed her from the flight (commonly referred to as involuntary denied boarding) and apparently offered her $10,000 in flight credit instead of paying her $1,000 in cash.
Um, Wow
It’s interesting how the airlines some these issues in different ways. Delta, for example, routinely gives out American Express gift cards which can be spent like cash pretty much anywhere, not just on Delta. If the facts are correct, United preferred to give this passenger $10,000 in future travel versus $1,000 cash. It would also seem they preferred this method as opposed to offering a higher voucher amount than $1,000 for someone to voluntarily take a later flight. I have to think they get at least one taker if they upped the amount somewhere between $1,000 and $10,000. Feels like we’re missing some details here.
I guess I’ll think a bit before I criticize this decision too heavily. But, it seems silly.
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You think this was a multiple use voucher or it was use it once and lose whatever wasn’t used. some of the wording that can be read “up to 10000” so that could me use the voucher for anything up to $10,000 and whatever is left over is lost?
Patrick, if that’s the case then I’m guessing United royally misrepresented the voucher to this customer. I’ve never run across a United voucher that works that way, though it wouldn’t surprise me.
I see it says “Up to 10000.” Does that mean only one trip can be booked at a value up to 10000?
Jerry, I’d be surprised if it worked that way.
And, really upset if I was this customer and it worked that way. Though, she could purchase a really expensive business or first class ticket and then just cxl it. Lose a couple hundred bucks, but….
I read that the people on the plane were offered a voucher for $2,000, not $2,000 in cash. Big difference!
Tom, there is a difference. But, I do wonder why a $3K or $4K voucher wasn’t offered and/or accepted.