Got an RC Gift Card for Bumped Flight

[TBone2K]

This happened to me last week and I thought it was worth sharing with the group.

 

Summary: My Delta flight was overbooked and they were offering compensation for anyone to volunteer to take a later flight. Since I didn't have to go anywhere in a hurry I offered and they gave me a $600 credit in my choice out of a few different companies. One of which was $600 towards a Royal Caribbean cruise.

 

That's the gist of it, but here's the full experience for those who are curious:

Sometime an airline oversells a flight, the reasons why are somewhat mysterious, but I think it's because they always assume a certain number of people will miss the flight. The net result is sometimes at the gate they will start a call for volunteers to take a later flight in return for some compensation. In my case they were looking for two people. They start raising the amount of compensation as the departure time for the flight gets closer. I've heard the compensation amount go as high as $1200, but in my case they were at $600. If you put your name in, they ask you to wait until the rest of the flight boards and they can see if they need you or not. You can back out any time before that happens and still get your seat. So like I said they were looking for two volunteers, but one person didn't show up for the flight. Since they were oversold by two people and one other person didn't show, they only needed one volunteer in the end. Since I stepped up first, that was me. So the other volunteer wasn't needed and took her seat on the plane. I happened to be standing with the person who was waiting to see if a seat freed up, so he said thanks to me and they gave him my seat on the flight.

After the gate agent got the flight squared away, she got some information from me and pretty much right away I got an email from Delta customer service. It led to a link with about six choices. I don't recall exactly the choices, but I could choose $600 with Delta Airlines (of course), Target, Amazon, and lo and behold, Royal Caribbean! There was also a choice of a $600 AMEX gift card, but it had a time limit to use it and since I'm Canadian, some of those choices won't work anywhere but in the US.

After that they put me on the next available flight, but couldn't assign me a seat until the flight opened. So I suppose there is some risk you'll get a bad seat if that's all that is left. She told me though that even though I didn't have an assigned seat, I couldn't be "bumped" to another flight and to come to the gate for that flight to get a seat assignment once the flight opened. In the end she even put me in Comfort + seats to boot (extra leg room, yay!).

Now having told this story, I'll relay one warning: I just read a consumer advocacy story about a passenger who recent did something similar to me, but on Air Canada. Instead of the $800 promised, when he got his credit it was only a $300 flight credit or something like that. So he had to battle his way back up while getting the airline head office and obviously the news media involved. So the lesson there is try and get that notice of credit as soon as possible, similar to what the Delta agent did for me.

[Debitoo]

Wow, I didn't know they offered Royal Caribbean credit. Good to know. I'm glad it worked out for you.

[Clarea]

Have you used the Royal gift card yet?  Some have restrictions requiring them to be used to book a new cruise.

[josh.vincent.180]

8 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

Have you used the Royal gift card yet?  Some have restrictions requiring them to be used to book a new cruise.

 

Worst Gift cards ever, Honestly unless you are booking a new cruise only through Royal Carribean in the next year they are pretty much worthless unless you can find someone to buy them off of you looking to do that.  Maybe sell it for 50% if you are not going to book in next 12 months.

 

How hard is it to have a 16 digit card?

Edited February 5, 2019 by josh.vincent.180

[kelbell]

I think thats awesome! Enjoy your future cruise 🚢

[michst8alum]

Same thing happened to me, but I opted for the American Express gift card. They do have an expiration date, but knew I could use it for anything!  Used them ( my husband and I both bumped) for our cruise that leaves Sunday!!  Easy to use and hoping for a bump on the way back! 

[TBone2K]

There was no expiry date mentioned in the details for the RC gift card and FWIW other rewards do mention expiry dates. Although as Bob said it's only good for a new booking. I kind of figured that would be the case though. FYI details said it is also stackable with other credits and discounts.

 

One update though, only US addresses can get this RCI credit. When I tried to redeem it, the mailing address section was only US states. I called Delta and they said I was sent the offer for US residents. So have to wait for them to send me the Canadian one.