Airline Bumping Guide (Make the most out of getting bumped.)

The odds increase during peak travel periods and when weather conditions force cancellations, thus creating the need to accommodate more passengers on fewer flights. The denied boarding problem is particularly acute during holiday periods.

People often ask which flights are best to book if you want to be bumped. It's not an exact science. Even if the flight is overbooked, a high no-show factor can mean that the plane takes off with plenty of available seats. High-demand business flights offer no guarantee since many passengers are flying on unrestricted tickets without penalty for no-shows. Bumping can be unpredictable. Bad weather can force flight cancellations that load up later flights. Mechanical problems can send a planeload of people to already heavily booked flights.

Business travelers are highly inconvenienced by bumping, but the people who are hardest hit are often infrequent flyers who are in the dark about how the bumping process unfolds and what rights passengers have.

Other travelers consider overbooked flights a golden opportunity. If you have time to spare and play your cards right, you could walk away with a free roundtrip ticket--not a bad return for an investment of a few hours time. Best of all, many free roundtrip certificates allow you to fly with no advance notice--the perfect insurance to tuck away for times when you might otherwise be forced into paying exorbitant last-minute fares.

Here are ten basic strategies for people who don't mind being bumped and want to get the best possible payoff.

Call your travel professional within 24 hours of departure. Agents can review the seat charts and allocation of remaining seats. If there are no seats left to be assigned or the seats are under "airport control," you have a clear indication that the flight is overbooked.

Arrive at the airport approximately 90 minutes before departure flight time. Get to the gate even before it opens for your flight and make sure you are the first person in line.

Ask if the flight is overbooked and if they are seeking volunteers. If they are, ask what compensation you will get if you voluntarily give up your seat. If you like what's being offered, volunteer to be the first on the list.

Take a close look at the terms of the compensation offered. Look for compensations that come without blackout dates or other weighty restrictions.

Be a savvy negotiator, but don't assume that the ante will be upped if you play a waiting game. If you hold off, you could be out of luck.

Ask the agent what flight you will be protected on. If they can't guarantee you a seat on their next flight out, ask them to protect you under Rule 240 (a term the airlines understand) with a guaranteed seat on another carrier's flight.

Carry a flight schedule so you can tell the gate agent which new flight you want (once Tom was bumped from a connecting flight, pocketed a free roundtrip certificate, was confirmed on a nonstop and arrived 16 minutes earlier than originally scheduled).

Be nice and kind. Politeness can pay off. The gate agent may not know until the last minute how many seats are needed. After volunteering, remain in sight but don't crowd the counter. Remember, bumping is at the agent's discretion. Don't be a nag, as rude behavior cam bump you right off the list. Even if you're not bumped, the gate agent may give you a courtesy upgrade anyway. If they don't mention anything, don't be afraid to ask.

If you are bumped and have more than a two-hour wait, ask for all the extras: a free long distance call (or five-minute calling card), a meal ticket, free admission to the airport club with a free drink, and headset coupons to use during your flight. It's important to be courteous and imperative to be presentable. A gruff manner and torn jeans won't do the trick.

If you have been rebooked with the guarantee of a seat, and your next flight appears to be overbooked, go back to step one and observe the same strategies for your new flight. You could end up with another free ticket or airline voucher.

Keep in mind that most airlines require that you check in at the gate at least 10 minutes before your domestic flight. If you don't meet this requirement, the airline is not obligated to give you a dime in compensation. Most airlines require a 30-minute check-in minimum for passengers with advance seat assignments. You can still slide in (in terms of bumping compensation) under the 10-minute rule, but you could lose your seat assignment. Airlines can change these policies with little notice, so always confirm the current policy for your specific flight.

If you don't want to be bumped, regardless of the compensation offered, there are a couple more things to know.

By law, the airline must seek volunteers before they deny boarding. If you get to the gate within the check-in limit and you're told the flight is full, remind the gate agent that they are obligated to board the aircraft and ask for volunteers before they deny you your seat. If they try to convince you they can't because they want to keep the flight on time, remind them that your on-time arrival matters too, and most importantly, they have to follow the rules.

If there are not enough volunteers, the airline must compensate bumped passengers with up to $400 in cash. Don't take airline vouchers unless you are getting far more value than the cash offer.

All of the above information applies to U.S. travel. International flights departing from the U.S. require the same compensation as domestic flights, but the airlines get a little more latitude. If they get you to your destination more than one hour and less than four hours later than your originally scheduled arrival, they must compensate you for the value of that segment of your ticket, up to $200. If you're delayed more than four hours, the compensation is two times the value of the segment, or $400.

If you're bumped on a flight departing from abroad, you're subject to a web of rules that vary by country. Compensation in European Union countries, for example, ranges from approximately $50-200 USD, depending on the length of the delay and the length of your flight. Airlines flying from many other countries offer far less. Some offer nothing at all.

The Department of Transportation does not set standards on airline compensation to passengers who accept voluntary bumping. Their basic rules on involuntary bumping close this article.

Gate agents will typically use their discretion when compensating passengers. Generally, the compensation holds its value for one year.

The DOT's Basic Rules On Involuntary Bumping/Domestic Flights

1. All passengers must be given a written statement describing their rights and how the carrier determines who is denied boarding.
2. Passengers involuntarily denied boarding must receive immediate compensation with the amount depending on ticket price and length of delay.
3. If the airline arranges alternate transportation that gets you to your destination between one and two hours after your original arrival schedule, the airline must pay an amount equal to your one-way fare, with a $200 maximum.
4. If the airline arranges alternate transportation that gets you to your destination more than two hours later or does not make any arrangements for you, the compensation doubles to 200 percent of your fare, $400 maximum.
5. In all cases, you also get to keep your original ticket and use it for later travel or request an "involuntary refund."
6. Some conditions and exceptions apply. For example, you must meet the airline's deadline for purchasing your ticket (in the case of tickets purchased at the airport). This timeframe can vary but is usually 30 minutes prior to flight. Another exception: If a carrier replaces your scheduled aircraft with a smaller plane, no compensation need be paid.

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