Is this PR compensation a good deal?

[Melburnian1]

I was at MNL T2 recently.

PR placed a notice at the check in counter stating that 'flight 102 to LAX (due out at 2200 that night) is overbooked. We are looking for volunteers. Compensation is free overnight hotel accommodation and all meals (or PHP5000 - approx A$130), a guaranteed seat on the next flight at 1145 the next day, plus a 'free' return trip MNL - LAX on a date of your choice excluding taxes and charges' (which from my calculation is about US$499 return, with typical PR fares being US$3200 return so that's a saving of US$700.

Is this a good deal?

I have not been on any recent flights where compensation was on offer. I have however been on overbooked flights where passengers were upgraded from Y to J. This latter situation is well covered in the 'Op up' thread.

All airlines overbook by 10 per cent if the demand exists for seats on a flight. They know that businessmen in particular change flights st short notice.

That said, sometimes the airlines can overestimate the number of no shows.

Have any of you had compensation offered recently to be (to use the horrible USA term) 'bumped?' How did the compo on offer compare with the example I quoted above?

 

[JohnK]

The second offer sounds quite OK. A date of your choosing could mean at peak times as well.

From memory Qantas sometimes offers ~$400 + accommodation and meals.

And from what I recall I have never come across a situation where I have witnessed an airline offering compensation for overselling.

 

[Ansett]

QF Rang me last year to see if I would change my QF2/10 booking to a purely QF10 flight on the same day. For me it was no issue as long as they could get me 80A all the way through as this is what I had with the current flight arrangements. To cut a long story short they upgraded me to J 12F as a thank you and then when I arrived at the lounge my boarding pass was taken away and replaced with seat 3K so guess that was good compensation for a small change. Would prefer the upgrade any day

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I was at MNL T2 recently.

PR placed a notice at the check in counter stating that 'flight 102 to LAX (due out at 2200 that night) is overbooked. We are looking for volunteers. Compensation is free overnight hotel accommodation and all meals (or PHP5000 - approx A$130), a guaranteed seat on the next flight at 1145 the next day, plus a 'free' return trip MNL - LAX on a date of your choice excluding taxes and charges' (which from my calculation is about US$499 return, with typical PR fares being US$3200 return so that's a saving of US$700.

Is this a good deal?

I have not been on any recent flights where compensation was on offer. I have however been on overbooked flights where passengers were upgraded from Y to J. This latter situation is well covered in the 'Op up' thread.

All airlines overbook by 10 per cent if the demand exists for seats on a flight. They know that businessmen in particular change flights st short notice.

That said, sometimes the airlines can overestimate the number of no shows.

Have any of you had compensation offered recently to be (to use the horrible USA term) 'bumped?' How did the compo on offer compare with the example I quoted above?

the value of a deal is up to the individual. for some, no amount of compensation could make up for missing an important event. for others, they have the time and any deal might be a good deal. that's why airlines often call for volunteers... most people have their price eventually.

all airlines do not overbook by 10 percent. that would be illegal. I think overbooking is a dodgy concept and legally unsound... but until that is challenged, I would say it is fair argue they can only overbook, legally, by the number of no shows they have solid evidence of expecting (and they have years of data and modelling to support that).