Warning: this doesn’t always work, but when it does…it is so so worth it 🙂
Returning on Air France from a whirlwind trip around the Czech Republic, Hungary and the Balkans, Dave and I had a layover in Paris on our way back to New York. The layover was short, certainly not enough time to leave the airport, but that didn’t stop us from dreaming. Wouldn’t it be great if, instead of switching planes here and eating airport food, we jumped on a train and headed into Paris? I’d already taken the next day off from work, intending to rest up after our vacation, but who needs rest when Paris is mere miles away?
So we volunteered to get bumped. And bumped we did get!Now, volunteering to get bumped can only occur when a perfect storm of events comes together to create such an opportunity. First off, you have to consider your job. This trip happened when I was working in academia, meaning I had FOUR glorious weeks off per year, plus all national and Jewish holidays AND the week between Christmas and New Years. In my current job, I have two weeks. Yes, less than half of what I used to have. Volunteering to get bumped now may not be possible.
Second, you have to be prepared for the consequences. Depending on airline, you may or may not get help with your hotel accommodations, meaning you’ll probably have to book a hostel or hotel on the fly and pay for it. You’ll also have to make your way into a city you may not have researched. These can be advantages or disadvantages, depending on your attitude 🙂 Lastly, volunteering to get bumped doesn’t mean you get to pick whatever flight you want the next day. You’re somewhat at the mercy of the airline.
In the end, we ended up only getting bumped to a flight two hours later. They handed us a voucher for free lunch, which was disappointing to say the least after we had our hearts set on strolling around Paris and eating lunch at a random cafe. BUT, after the food vouchers came the airline vouchers. Wait, what’s that? Yes, Air France handed each of us € 300 vouchers (approximately $420 at that time) to use on a future flight! And all we had to do was wait for a flight two hours later! I’ve waited WAY longer than two hours for a delayed flight with no compensation whatsoever, so this was beyond acceptable. Airlines vary wildly in their compensation for volunteering to get bumped, but hey, its worth a try. You’ll get the most compensation from a good, international carrier, while you’ll probably get next to nothing from a small airline. We ended up using the vouchers for a trip to London and Sicily. So was it worth it to us? Absolutely! Would you volunteer to get bumped for a chance to extend your vacation if possible? Anyone else know of an airline as generous as Air France with their compensation?
Your view from the plane back home...hopefully a day later than planned 🙂
