I related this true story before, but for those who are hearing it for the first time ...

Several years ago, Brenda and I flew out of Newark, NJ on American Airlines on the way to the CC>CC convention in Las Vegas with a connecting flight at Chicago-Ohare. The connecting flight to Vegas was overbooked, so we volunteered our seats as it was early in the week and we were in no hurry. We were given $300 each for our seats, and new tickets and boarding passes issued for the next flight out. Two hours later, the new connecting flight to Vegas was overbooked and the gate attendant was again looking for volunteers, which we readily accepted. We were given another $300 each and re-ticketed for the last flight out of Chicago to Vegas on the red-eye. Lo and behold, that flight too was overbooked! We accepted another $300 each and overnight hotel accomodations in Chicago and a $50 food voucher at the hotel and two complimentary toiletries packages containing tooth brushes, shampoo, deodorant, etc. We got on the first flight out of Chicago the next morning ... $1800 ahead in travel vouchers in hand before the plane even touched down in Las Vegas! Needless to say, we flew free to Vegas for a few years after that because we have accepted additional volunteer bumps since then, using the vouchers we received on that day. All in a day's work I would say!

Only in America!!