Summary
- Delta Air Lines offered passengers up to $4,000 and a hotel room to exit the overcrowded flight.
- Airlines worldwide overbook flights to maximize revenue, sometimes resulting in rewards for voluntary passenger exits.
- Involuntarily bumped passengers are entitled to compensation based on specific criteria, ranging from 200% to 400% of the original one-way fare, with restrictions.
A recent video posted to TikTok revealed an enticing offer for an overbooked flight. The TikTok, originally posted by @michaela_romanosmith, showed a flight attendant announcing new offers to encourage passengers to exit the aircraft and take the next flight. The flight attendant reached the offer of $4,000 with the addition of a hotel room for the night before a passenger finally jumped at the offer.
Overcrowded flight from Boston to Rome
Initially, the aircraft was set to fly from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) in Massachusetts to Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO) in Italy. The Delta Air Lines flight, however, was seemingly overbooked. Because of this, a flight attendant aboard the plane began offering passengers various rewards to whoever would clear off the flight and free up a seat.
The flight attendant took the role of an auctioneer and began offering various amounts of money to the crowded plane. In the footage, the flight attendant is seen offering the passengers on the plane $3,500. A man stands, but only goes to the restroom and does not accept the gift.
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Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
Finally, the flight attendant offers the crowd $4,000 and a free stay at a hotel. The TikTok shows two passengers simultaneously jumping up and beginning to make their way to the front of the plane. The flight attendant says, “Whoever comes first!”
The video’s original poster also stated that approximately 13 different passengers left the plane during the process. The rewards ranged from $2,000 to $4,000. This incident also comes just months after Delta Air Lines was expected to start overbooking more flights. In an earnings call earlier this year, the airline’s president announced it would take the risk by increasing its overbooking rate.
If nobody exited the plane
Luckily, the flight from Boston to Rome was able to clear any extra passengers and takeoff at its expected capacity. However, airlines worldwide constantly overbook flights, aiming to maximize revenue by ensuring every flight is full. Sometimes this results in airlines offering rewards for passengers to exit the aircraft voluntarily. There is no limit to the vouchers or money that is offered, and it is negotiable by the exiting passenger.
The overbooking process, which is perfectly legal, sometimes results in passengers being involuntarily bumped from their intended flights. However, involuntarily bumped travelers from their flights are entitled to compensation. Per the United States Department of Transportation, there are criteria for bumped passengers.
Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock
Specifically, the passenger must have a confirmed reservation, check in on time, arrive at the gate on time, and the airline is unable to guarantee the passenger’s arrival at their destination within one hour of the flight’s original arrival time. The airline must compensate the passenger if the delay is over an hour. If the delay is between one and four hours, the compensation must be 200% of the original one-way fare, with a limit of $775. If the delay is over four hours, the passenger is entitled to compensation that is 400% of the original one-way fare, with a limit of $1,550.