Any one been bumped off a flight?

[WDWFanatic]

We are flying from Manchester to Orlando next week , and our flights are sold out. We might be willing to give up our seat for the right prices, more so on the way home.

My question has anyone been bumped from a Southwest flight? I'm pretty sure they give you $200 per person. We have a late night flight and would just spend the night in the airport hotel.

Does the airline pull you luggage off or should we keep a small bag with a change of clothes?

Thanks!

[mrp4352]

Hi Kelly-

I'm afraid I can't give specific examples about being bumped on SWA. But I would warn you to keep a change of clothes, just in case.

Actually, I learned the hard way on another airline to always stash at least a pair of undies, my toothbrush and hairbrush in my carry-on if I'm checking bags...

[raevnzno]

I'd keep a change of clothes in your carryon. Thats always a good idea...anticipating a bump or nite.
Besides, by doing that you won't have to wait for your luggage to be delivered at your resort.

Most airlines wont pull the luggage if you're not going to be on the flight. It would cause a delay that they feel is unnecessary.

Hope your trip is magical.

[lovenmickey]

We had this happen when we where returning from Orlando to Manchester - we didnt take them up on the offer at the time due to the fact that we where taking an 8:45PM flight home and really just wanted to get home. Next time I think we will take them up on the offer though!
We where a party of 3, myself, DH and DS who was 5 at the time. SW offered to put us up in the hotel at the airport in Orlando and give us 2 RT tickets.
I am not sure what the policy is...hope this helps!

[emerzmom]

Yes, I have been "bumped" on SWA more than once. They usually start at $200 with no hotel offer but the price they are willing to pay goes up the closer it gets to flight time. A fews years ago we were headed to Orlando from Houston on our way to WDW. The flight was around 6pm and they had seriously over sold (it was Spring Break). No one was taking them up on their offer and finally the price went up to $450 per person plus hotel and they would get you to New Orleans that night with a 7am flight the next morning to Orlando. I convinced my daughter and her friend to do it. We got $1,350 in flight credit, went to New Orleans and had beingets and coffee at Cafe du Monde and shopped in the French Quarter that evening. We caught the 7 am flight into Orlando and were in the Magic Kingdom by noon. I upgraded our tickets to Season Passholders because I knew we would be back...soon! We made several trips off of that flight credit. We thought it was definitely worth it.
We did not have our bags with us but did have enough in our carry on's to get us through. If you are willingly giving up your seat they will not retrieve your luggage. It will go on to your destination and be stored in the baggage area. That has always been a concern for me because I am worried about my bags sitting on the carrosel at the airport for a while before they pick it up. Not a pleasant thought of someone else just "helping themselves" to my bag or picking it up by mistake.
All that beings said, it really depends on the flexibility of your plans and what you are willing to give up.
I have done this several times but not much in the past few years. I fly Continental a lot for work and they don't seem to have the "over booked" problem quite as often as SWA did. I use my "One Pass" miles now for our vacation trips. It is a great reward for all the times I have to be away from home.

[WDWFanatic]

Thank you all so much for the great advice. I will back enough in our bag to get through the night. I'm really hoping we will get bumped, so me may offer to give up our seat when we get there. I assume that they only give the sweet deals to the people who hold out. But hey any deal is a good one!

I'll let you know what happens.

P.S. Thank you also for the luggage answer I was wondering if it would just wonder around all by it's lonesome!