Getting bumped from a flight is what happens when an airline denies you a seat on a plane you have a reservation for. Airlines often book more than 100% of a flight because they know that there is a certain percentage of passengers who don't show. When the numbers game doesn't work quite right, the airline has to ask for volunteers to be bumped or bump people who don't want to be.
For most air travelers, getting bumped from a flight would be disastrous. Arriving at a destination late or missing a connecting flight is a huge problem for most, but for people whose travel plans are flexible, getting bumped from a flight can be financially rewarding. Why? Because passengers who get bumped are often rewarded with a cash reward or a free round trip ticket to be used at another time.
Some passengers who know that their travel itinerary is flexible and understand the benefits of getting bumped even volunteer for it. Typically, here is what you can do if you would like to get bumped.
When you get to the gate agent/ ask if the flight is overbooked. They must tell you if it is or not. If you are told that it is overbooked, ask what the airline's compensation is for passengers who get bumped to another flight. If the compensation is worth it to you, there are a few more things to find out before volunteering.
Ask what other arrangements will be made if you are bumped. Ask if they can guarantee you a seat on the next flight to your destination. If they say they can't, ask if they can get you a seat on another airline. If you are planning on asking to be bumped, before you leave for the airport, print out a flight schedule for other airlines so you can ask for a specific flight.
If the alternate flight is acceptable to you and if the compensation for being bumped is acceptable to you, request to be put on the list to be bumped.
When you request to be bumped, be very courteous and respectful. Other people may be requesting the same thing, and you want the gate agent to think of you favorably. The gate agent gets to choose who gets bumped and who doesn't. Stay close to the gate desk so the agent knows you're serious, but don't be a nuisance.
If you get bumped, and your new flight is more than two hours from your original departure time, ask about getting vouchers for free meals or admittance into their airport club which is usually reserved for preferred flyers. Again, be courteous and respectful when you make your request.
One warning - Some free tickets are subject to the same restrictions as frequent flyer tickets. That may mean black out dates and limited flights.
All airlines have different rules and compensation for bumped passengers. You may want to look at your airline's webpage for their specific rules and compensation before the day of your flight.
If your schedule is flexible, planning to get bumped may be a good idea. It may even make your next flight a free flight.
I have heard it more and more lately. The person on the other end of the phone line, says "Thanks for keeping up with me." Or "Thanks for continually staying in touch." Or, "Thanks for bugging me, in a good way." At first, I was concerned, but now I just take it in stride. You see, to be successful in sales, in business, in building relationships, it takes downright, unadulterated persistence.
It may be the one thing that holds back too many people from being a success in their careers and in their business. Often, some one might hear those words and say that they are not going to be over bearing, or if the prospect does not return their call then they will not follow up, at least right away. To me, that is a call to die in my sales career and begin the art of killing my company. Actually, I believe not pursuing the goal, not being persistent is just an excuse for not wanting to get the job done or for not taking care of your business.
For years, I have used the motto, "just one more!" Just one more phone call, just one more contact, just one more visit, just one more minute or two to get a new task completed has literally made me thousands of dollars I would not have had.
When your gut says "do not make that call", just do it anyway. Yes, you will get rejections. And someone may get irritated, however more and more, busy people want to be reminded, want to be encouraged, want to be "not let off the hook." And they will respect you for it (if you are not over demanding or rude) and your income will grow.
Some people may consider sales people and business people like myself as aggressive. In fact, we probably are and that is not a bad thing. If you consider someone aggressive, it may bother you because you are not aggressive. Frankly, I would prefer the word assertive.
I believe in my product so much and I believe my company is so far ahead of most of the competition that I really want potential prospects to become clients so that they can benefit from our service and integrity. Call it aggressive. Call it assertive. No matter what, I aim to be persistent UNTIL THE PROSPECT CONVINCES ME THAT THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN WHAT I HAVE TO OFFER.
I am like a hunting dog. Show me an interested prospect, a hot or warm prospect, and I will hone in on the target not allowing issues or problems to get in the way.
However, a word of caution. Do not throw caution to the wind. Be alert and sensitive to what your prospective client is saying or acting. There is a time to back off, slow down, give it time, and then continue to be persistent. That is why you and I need a great contact manager or CRM program. Keep in touch. Do not let those contacts slide and get away. Do not forget about them.
While writing this article, I just had a potential client tell me that he is not ready but wants to use our service in the future and to contact him early at the beginning of the year (January.) That information got recorded, and filed in the proper place and you can bet that at the first of the year, he will become a client or at least take another step toward becoming one. Why, because persistence is absolutely vital if you are going to be a success in your business.
One final comment. Persistence is needed in growing your business as well. When you are tempted to watch tv, persistence gets you to learn more about how to market your product. When you are tired and want to turn in, persistence keeps you up to work on that new web site. When you want to get away and watch a sport, persistence takes along a prospect. You see persistence sees the end result and motivates you toward that end.
So do not give up. Do not give in. Keep on keeping on. You will be glad you did.
Both Jawahn Thompson & Paul Donihue are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jawahn Thompson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Credit Cards, Travel and Leisure and Mobile Phone Reviews. The daily Travel air is a website that updates twice a week with the comprehensive and helpful travel tips and information specifically on air travel. To read more, visit