Delta Air Lines to offer $10K for bumping

By Canberk Yuksel

NEW YORK

Delta Air Lines has authorized supervisors to offer as much as $10,000 to passengers who give up their seats on overbooked flights, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press.

The move comes as United Airlines battles controversy after the violent removal of a passenger from one of its flights Sunday.

David Dao’s brutal treatment led to a concussion, a broken and lost teeth, and sparked global outrage after videos online showed airport law enforcement forcibly removing him from his seat and dragging him down the aisle.

Dao was removed because there were not enough seats in the fully booked flight for four United employees to fly from Chicago, Illinois, to Louisville, Kentucky.

Passengers aboard the flight had been offered as much as $800 to give up their seats but no one volunteered, leading to random selection and ultimately the controversial episode with Dao.

It is legal in the U.S. for airlines to overbook flights to compensate for unfulfilled bookings.

The Delta memo said gate agents are permitted to offer as much as $2,000 in compensation, up from $800, while supervisors are allowed to offer up to $9,950, up from $1,350.