Flight-Jacking, You've been bumped!

Several months ago you got on line, searched for the best price airline, purchased your tickets and made hotel reservations. You have been waiting months for this vacation, perhaps you are traveling for a job interview, or going home to see mom for the holidays. What ever your reason, losing the flight is your worse nightmare. As a paying ticket holder the airline can not bump you from the flight without paying a federal fine. [Up to $800 or more] The airline has over booked the flight. In many cases up to 98% of the seats have been sold. With stand-by and rescheduled flights they have about 110% of the seats accounted for. Filling every seat is the goal of the airline. Getting you off that flight is part of that goal. When you booked the flight you most likely have a layover. This is part of the booking process; all airlines will attempt to put you on multiple flights to your destination. This is how they bump you. When more than the maximum number of ticket holders show up the airline is going to attempt to reduce the number of flyers who are willing to take the flight. They first do this by delaying the flight. If this is the first flight of your journey you are going to be comparing the now delayed departing time to the next flight. The airline is wiling to give you information about your second flight but their response is going to be "It is not delayed". If you get online you will find the information is true. The original departure time comes and passes. Fifteen minutes, then thirty. Your plane has not showed up at the gate or may just be sitting there. Again you compare layover time to the amount of time it will be to get to the next flight. It is going to be tight, but you want to take this flight. When you are about to start boarding, an announcement comes over the intercom. Delayed again! Frustrated you approach the boarding agent and ask them to check on your adjoining flight. 'Your going to miss it' is the reply. You then start asking questions, Can I get a second flight? "They are all booked" Are you going to pay for my hotel? "No" You are going to be stranded in Chicago, or Atlanta. The crime rate in that city is high. Your life will be in danger. You will be stranded for the entire weekend. You will miss the job interview, or never spend Christmas with your family. That is what you are faced with. Frustrated, you cancel the flight and head home. What you don't know is a minute after your first flight left the ground the adjoining flight was delayed. You have been flight-jacked. This is how the airlines muscle you off the flight. They may have told you "It is raining in Denver" But you are heading no where near Denver. The FAA requires the airline to pay for your hotel if they leave you stranded between flights, unless weather is the reason, so they use that reason. It is always raining some where, winds are blowing or the temperature just is not right. Protect yourself. Don't let the airlines bully you. Take the flight regardless of what type of threats they have made or implied. But before you book the flight take one precaution. Make sure the adjoining flights are the same airline.