Passenger Gets Rs 2.5 Lakh To Get Off Delta Airlines Flight, Find Out Why

Most people board a flight expecting a window seat, maybe a snack, and hopefully no crying babies. But for one lucky Delta passenger, a simple hand raise turned into a Rs 2.5 lakh payday - all thanks to an unexpected announcement and quick reflexes. It all happened on a jam-packed Monday morning, April 21, the day after Easter - a high-traffic day at airports across the US. A Reddit user, who detailed the ordeal, had boarded their 7:50 am Delta flight from Chicago to Seattle and was ready to cruise at 35,000 feet. But what came next was, in their words, "unreal."

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The user wrote in his post, "A gate agent walks up to the front of first class - no mic, no big announcement - and casually drops what sounded like a travel myth: 'We're looking for two volunteers to deplane due to fuel rebalancing issues. Compensation is $3,000.'" No sooner had the words left the agent's mouth than this traveler's hand shot up. "I barely even processed it before my hand was in the air. No hesitation. I wasn't letting anyone else beat me to it," the flier said. That lightning-fast decision paid off. The Redditor and another swift volunteer were each handed two credits - one for $2,000 and another for $1,000 - because, apparently, Delta doesn't issue more than $2,000 in a single voucher. The credits, redeemable through Delta's Choice Benefits portal, can be converted into gift cards for Amazon, Airbnb, and other brands.

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Instead of flying to Seattle that morning, the passenger ended up working from home with family - Rs 2.5 lakh richer for the detour. Turns out, the airline had been offering deals at the gate even before this last-minute announcement. Due to an earlier equipment change, 22 other passengers had accepted offers of $1,700 (Rs 1.4 lakh) to switch to a later flight. But those who had already boarded didn't know about it - until it was too late. "I always thought once you board, you're locked in and done," the user wrote. "But apparently, if Delta hits an operational issue (like fuel balancing) and still needs volunteers? That window reopens - and if you're quick, you can win big."

Delta offered $3,000 to get off a flight after boarding. I didn't even think—I just threw my hand up!
byu/bag_o indelta

The post soon went viral. A user shared a similar experience: "I was offered $3k. I forget which card(s) I got, but one of them allows you to use them for PayPal. So I set them as my PayPal info and PayPal-ed my wife, who then deposited it into our bank account. There was a fee to do so, but of the $3k, we pocketed like $2,950, so I was fine with it." 

Another wrote, "Years ago, I learned from a wise gentleman that you can negotiate...significantly. I was happy about $500, then he asked me politely if I minded if he would speak for me at that counter. He got me $4,500...like others here, I was traveling for business by myself, so I didn't care about a wait for the next flight that day."

A comment read, "I was flying during Christmas in Salt Lake City a few years ago when there was a winter storm that caused loads of planes to be canceled. They offered $5,000 per person to give up their seats. They gave the money to over 130 people." Someone shared, "The highest I've heard Delta offered and was taken up on was $10,000." 

What would you do if you got this lucky? Let us know in the comments below!