Are you ready to pocket up to $800 after an airline abuses you with a bump? Well listen up. Last week the headlines screamed that Southwest Airlines was screwing passengers with bumping passengers and then not compensating them. The Department of Transportation fined Southwest a whopping $200,0000 for bumping.
Before you start piling up on Southwest, take a look at the facts. Yes, Southwest bumped more people than other airlines, but their schedules are such that most bumped passengers got on another flight within hours. As for the claim that Southwest failed to inform people of their rights regarding being bumped, Southwest is guilty as charged.
But hold on – every airline is guilty. (Southwest we still love you.) THEY ALL HAVE LIED TO THE PUBLIC about the rights of those bumped. You have all heard the cranky gate personnel asking passengers for a voluntary bump. They always start off offering at best a warmed-over danish with the next flight and then the bidding goes up. Their final offer is a round trip ticket on the airline…whoopee, it sounds so great! But you know it’s full of blackout dates and that the ticket expires in a year, basically it’s a joke.
Now here is the good part. You know when you’re sitting waiting to board, after no one has volunteered to be bumped, and they call your name – well, you know that they’re about to offer a sweet upgrade.
What not a single airline has ever told consumers is that they are entitled to up to $800 in cash if the bump gets you to your destination more than 2 hours after your original arrival time. On top of that, you can ask for cash, yes, have them count out the Ben Franklins on the spot. Remember, it is the law.
Below is actual DOT language

Involuntary bumping
DOT requires each airline to give all passengers who are bumped involuntarily a written statement describing their rights gets on an Those travelers who don’t get to fly are frequently entitled to denied boarding compensation in the form of a check or cash. The amount depends on the price of their ticket and the length of the delay:
* If you are bumped involuntarily and the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to get you to your final destination within one hour of your original scheduled arrival time, there is no compensation.
* If the airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to arrive at your destination between one and two hours after your original arrival time the airline must pay you an amount equal to your one-way fare to your final destination that day, with a $400 maximum.
* If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours arrangements for you, the compensation doubles (200% of your one-way fare, $800 maximum).
*You always get to keep your original ticket and use it on another flight. If you choose to make your own arrangements, you can request an “involuntary refund” for the ticket for the flight you were bumped from. The denied boarding compensation is essentially a payment for your inconvenience.

• If you do get bumped, it’s your right to insist on
cash or check compensation; you do not have to
accept tickets or vouchers.

• If you’re delayed for several hours or even
overnight, invoke the airline’s Contract of Carriage
provisions for providing phone cards, meals,
accommodations, etc.

If you have a gripe about an airline, file a complaint
with the DOT:

• Call 202-366-2220 (TTY 202-366-0511)

• Send an email to airconsumer@dot.gov

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