Woman gets $10K travel voucher for getting bumped from flight

[madoka]

The real question is whether it's only good for one flight or whether she can keep using the remaining balance on the voucher until it's gone. People seem to disagree on it.

A United Airlines passenger received a travel voucher worth a staggering $10,000 when she walked away from the flight she was bumped from.

Allison Preiss, a D.C. area communications director, tweeted about the lucrative deboarding experience on Thursday from the Dulles International Airport.

'United is offering $1K in travel credit for an oversold flight. If nobody bites, they will kick off the lowest fare passenger by pulling them out of the boarding line. For a flight that THEY oversold. Unreal,' she said before later tweeting that she was the lowest.

Allison continues explaining that 'a broken seat' has prevented her from being allowed to board, adding that '.@united IS THE WORST.'

'.@united tried to get me to sign a document that says I volunteered my seat on this plane when I was involuntarily denied boarding. Sketchy af,' she said.

'They really do not want to give me cash. They just offered me $10,000 in travel credit. TEN THOUSAND.'

 

[Red Storm]

That $10k is more than likely drowned in fine print. $1000 cash is worth a lot more than a $10k travel voucher IMHO.

 

[purbeast0]

I fly United out of Dulles in 2 weeks. I'm gonna cross my fingers that I am bumped and can get $10k out of it!

 

[ElFenix]

united vouchers can be used until exhausted, usually good for spending up to 1 year from the date of issuance, in my experience.

 

[BoomerD]

Have they changed the rules about "transferring" them?

I used to hope I'd get bumped to a later flight. The flight vouchers could be resold for several hundred $$ each...or more, depending on the bumped flight.

 

[Darwin333]

Have they changed the rules about "transferring" them?

I used to hope I'd get bumped to a later flight. The flight vouchers could be resold for several hundred $$ each...or more, depending on the bumped flight.

Even if you can't transfer the vouchers couldn't you just buy tickets for other people? Put an add on Craigslist for 50% of airline tickets and make $5,000.

Otherwise I'd damn sure try to use as much as I possibly could before they expired. Weekend trips just for the hell of it, hell maybe take a long weekend to Europe.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Wonder if that works for a partner airline booking. I would use it on a good partner instead like Singapore or Lufthansa First Class.

 

[Nashemon]

I'm not sure why she expected cash. No one refunds cash. Most retailers (who care at all about being scammed) will send you a check in the mail 4-6 weeks later if you return something for cash more than a certain amount.

 

[Rumpltzer]

She's lucky not to be an elderly Chinese man... or a black French bulldog.

#racism

 

[Brainonska511]

I'm not sure why she expected cash. No one refunds cash. Most retailers (who care at all about being scammed) will send you a check in the mail 4-6 weeks later if you return something for cash more than a certain amount.

IIRC, you can get cash if you are involuntarily bumped and the next flight you get put on will get you into your destination at least several hours later.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I can't think of a time where I flew and wasn't on a strict time schedule that bumping would be worth the 'money'.

 

[Anubis]

I can't think of a time where I flew and wasn't on a strict time schedule that bumping would be worth the 'money'.

ive done it when returning from someplace when it didn't matter if i got back on sat or sun

 

[Kwatt]

I'm not sure why she expected cash. No one refunds cash. Most retailers (who care at all about being scammed) will send you a check in the mail 4-6 weeks later if you return something for cash more than a certain amount.

IIRC, you can get cash if you are involuntarily bumped and the next flight you get put on will get you into your destination at least several hours later.

The last time I read the terms. If you are involuntarily bumped they have to give you cash. You have paid for that flight you did not pay for a voucher for a flight. You have to agree to a voucher and when you do you are being voluntarily bumped. They will keep upping the offer till someone takes it. I don't think much cash is kept on hand. If no one accepts a voucher. United past history is to send a couple of security guards dressed as police officers to beat the shit out of you and drag you off the plane.

.

 

[sdifox]

They'll crack her head open with a billy club when she tries to redeem

 

[JSt0rm]

the key words are "up to" 10k. So 1 flight or 1 round trip.

 

[Exterous]

Wonder if that works for a partner airline booking. I would use it on a good partner instead like Singapore or Lufthansa First Class.

Last time i had a United it was good for any flight you could book through their website

 

[madoka]

I just checked for an international flight from CA to Asia. United first class starts at $18,518! I'd have to get bumped twice.

 

[sdifox]

I just checked for an international flight from CA to Asia. United first class starts at $18,518! I'd have to get bumped twice.

They mined you abd saw you can afforded so they tagged a zero to the price