Bumped From Flight After Equipment Change: DOT Compensation?

If you're bumped from a flight after an aircraft change, are you entitled to DOT compensation? TravelSort reader Dvorah comments on the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights: What Are Flyers' Rights? post:

“Alaska Airlines called me three hours before my scheduled departure to say my toddler and I had been bumped because a smaller aircraft…was being used for the domestic journey and we were put on a flight leaving four hours later. Are they required to compensate me in any way for this?”

Bumping Compensation Normally Applies When You Are Involuntarily Denied Boarding

Normally, if you are involuntarily bumped from a flight, you are entitled to Department of Transportation (DOT) mandated compensation, and are entitled to be paid in cash (so don't accept a voucher if you prefer cash, which most people will, all else equal).

Domestic Flights Where You are Bumped / Involuntarily Denied Boarding

If you arrive 1-2 hours later than your scheduled arrival: 2X your one way fare, up to a maximum of $675
If you arrive >2 hours later than your scheduled arrival: 4X your one way fare, up to a maximum of $1350

International Flights Where You are Bumped / Involuntarily Denied Boarding

If you arrive 1-4 hours later than your scheduled arrival: 2X your one way fare, up to a maximum of $675
If you arrive >4 hours later than your scheduled arrival: 4X your one way fare, up to $1350

If your ticket is an award ticket, your compensation is based on the lowest paid fare charged for a ticket in the same class of service on that flight.

If the Bumping Is Because of an Aircraft Change, You Are Not Entitled to DOT Compensation

Unfortunately, there is an exception from the required DOT compensation amounts above. If the airline substitutes a smaller plane for the one originally scheduled to operate the route, and you are bumped as a result of this downgauge, the airline isn't required to compensate you, per the U.S. Department of Transportation site.

Additionally, on flights with aircraft that have 30-60 passenger seats “compensation is not required if you were bumped due to safety-related aircraft weight or balance constraints.”

You Can Still Request a Goodwill Gesture

So in this reader's case, unfortunately Alaska Airlines is not required to pay her any compensation, as she was bumped due to an aircraft equipment change. I would still encourage her to succinctly describe the inconvenience she experienced and request a goodwill gesture, however. The same goes for cancelled flights: you are not entitled to any compensation, but as one data point, Flyertalker JimmyJoe received a $400 Alaska flight voucher when his last flight of the night was cancelled–granted, he's an Alaska elite frequent flyer.

As another example, Flyertalker KelownaGuy called Alaska Customer Care after his flight was cancelled and rebooked, and received a $250 Alaska flight voucher. Alaska could of course decline to provide anything, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Have you been bumped from an Alaska or other U.S. flight due an aircraft equipment change, and did the airline provide any kind of goodwill gesture?

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