Fly the Friendly Skies (x2)

A friend of mine brought this to my attention as a possible blog post, and of course I had already taken advantage of this type of opportunity - but, he's right. It's time to share...
Have you ever been sitting around a crowded wait area for a flight that you learn is actually overbooked? Have you heard a flight attendant announce the situation followed by a request for volunteers to take a later flight in exchange for a stay in a hotel, a meal ticket and a flight voucher? I have - and I was first in line at MIA to take up the offer on my way back from a vacation in the Caribbean. It was a great buffer between palm trees and snow plows.





...yup, that's me chilling in the *free* hot tub with a $300 travel voucher in my purse! A word to the wise:

Book an overbooked flight!
Chances are, there'll be more butts than seats. Many airlines will gladly offer travel vouchers, a free night in a nearby hotel and meal vouchers for any inconvenience their overbooking may have caused. Just be first in line when they ask for "volunteers" to take the next flight.

Pack Light!
I've heard that some airlines will only accept "volunteers" with carry-on luggage. Also, If you've checked your luggage, switching flights can increase the chance of your luggage being lost - and haven't we ALL been there?

And speaking of airlines...if you haven't already heard, Delta Airlines just gave the severance package to 30,000 employees. Even Bear Stearns bit the dust. Save that money, honey. Cuz soon, you and save-it-all Grandpa may have a lot more in common than you might like.