A traveler is sharing what appears to be a rare offer from an airline that enticed passengers to give up their seats on a flight.
In the “r/delta” Reddit forum, the flyer titled a post, “$2800 to give up your seat.”
“Never saw an offer go this high. Going from Seattle to Palm Springs last week. Got to the gate and there was chaos,” said the post.
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The user wrote that due to mechanical issues the plane was swapped out for a smaller one, prompting the airline to ask passengers to give up their seats.
“Initial offer was $1000 a seat, not Delta miles or credit, but an actual Visa gift card worth $1000 and a hotel voucher,” the post continued.
A flight passenger (not pictured) wrote online that flyers were asking to give up their seats in exchange for gift cards after a plane switch no longer could accommodate all travelers. (iStock)
The user shared that the offers began to increase as passengers began to board the plane.
“Two people jumped at $2200, another guy took $2500, and finally an older couple took $2800. As they were leaving they said, ‘We’re using the money to pay off our car,’” the user wrote.
The user asked why Delta did not originally offer $2,800 to the people waiting to fly, plus a hotel voucher, with the promise of flying out the next day.
“Do they also make that offer to people waiting for someone to give up their ticket[?]” the user asked.
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A Delta spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “In the uncommon event of an oversold flight, Delta empowers our people to solicit volunteers with compelling offers for those flexible to take a later flight.”
On Delta’s website under Contract of Carriage, rule 20 lists denied boarding compensation.
“Before denying boarding to any passenger holding a confirmed reservation on an oversold flight, Delta will ask other passengers on the flight to voluntarily give up their seat in exchange for compensation in an amount and form to be determined by Delta in its sole discretion,” the rule says.
A flight passenger says that Delta flyers (not pictured) were asking to give up their seats in exchange for gift cards, with one couple receiving $2,800 in the form of a gift card. (iStock)
Flyers took to the comments section to discuss their experiences and thoughts on passengers giving up their seats.
“It can happen…the longer people hesitate the higher amount,” said one user.
“I’d sleep in the airport for $2,800. I tried for $1,200 once but two people in the front beat me,” said another.
“It’s amazing how many people jump up for a few hundred.”
“I have a friend that used to do this every year down in Mexico on New Year’s Day, she’d basically go to the airport with the intention of getting paid $600-800 to stay an extra day,” another user commented.
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“They’ll go as high as they need to avoid having to involuntary deny boarding. Sometimes you yourself can make an offer, for example, $1000, a confirmed seat on the next flight, and a hotel if the next flight isn’t until the next day, and the gate agent will instantly accept it just to get the flight out sooner,” wrote another.
“It’s amazing how many people jump up for a few hundred knowing they will always go up,” a user wrote.
Delta’s website says, “Before denying boarding to any passenger holding a confirmed reservation on an oversold flight, Delta will ask other passengers on the flight to voluntarily give up their seat in exchange for compensation in an amount and form to be determined by Delta in its sole discretion.” (iStock)
“Does anyone ever get these offers if they’re waiting in the lounge before a flight?” one person asked. “I wish they’d text the request out via the app, not just announce at the gate.”
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Brandon Blewett, the Texas-based author of “How to Avoid Strangers on Airplanes,” told Fox News Digital that these offers often start at check-in with prompts in the airline’s app or kiosk.
“If there aren’t enough volunteers early on, gate agents will escalate offers, sometimes including alternative flights on other airlines or even cash-equivalent gift cards like Visa or AmEx,” he said.
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“In resort/vacation spots, I’ve seen them offer the voucher, plus [an offer to] book on a later flight in first class, plus accommodations/meals compensated for the extra time you stay in a certain spot,” Blewett added.
