WASHINGTON (TVR) – Delta Air Lines has dramatically increased the amount of compensation its front-line staff can give to passengers who agree to voluntarily give up their seats on flights, including those that are overbooked, just days after viral videos showed a United Express passenger being dragged off a flight when not enough passengers would accept that carrier’s offer of compensation.

Delta gate agents are now authorized to offer up to $2,000 to passengers, more than double the old limit of $800, according to an internal memo obtained by The Voyage Report. A Delta spokeswoman confirmed the authenticity of the document.

Airport supervisors are also being given vast new authority. The memo says they now have permission to offer up to $9,950, a dramatic increase from the $1,350 limit prior to the United incident.

Federal rules require airlines to compensate passengers who are involuntarily bumped up to $1,350, depending on the cost of the ticket and the length of delay.

–>LEARN MORE: Know Your Rights When Flying

–>LEARN MORE: 6 Ways to Avoid Getting Bumped Off Your Flight

-–>LEARN: How We Save Hundreds Off Every International Flight

Delta: ‘To Reinforce Our Commitment’

The memo begins by thanking Delta employees for being “very good with managing oversold flights”—”5x better” than United Airlines and American Airlines, “and best among our competitors.”

Last year, the airline says it involuntarily bumped 1,200 passengers out of 130,000,000 flown.

“To reinforce our commitment to our agents and their ability to care for our customers, we will be increasing the maximum allowable compensations limit for voluntary denied boardings (VDBs) systemwide,” the memo says.

It also encourages employees to “solicit early and often” if more volunteers are needed and to be prepared “to explain options to customers traveling to their final destinations.”

The new policy is effective Friday, April 14.

–>MORE: New Airline Rankings Find Fewer Passengers Bumped

Read the first page of the Delta memo obtained by The Voyage Report:

The first page of a memo obtained by The Voyage Report that was sent to Delta workers April 13, 2017, notifying them of an increase in Voluntary Denied Boarding compensation.

More Compensation Changes Possible

Other airlines are considering following Delta’s lead.

Alaska Airlines is “actively taking a look at our denied-boarding policies, which includes compensation,” a spokesperson told The Voyage Report Friday.

In response to TVR’s inquiry, Southwest Airlines said it doesn’t have “any recent changes to share” yet regarding its compensation policies.

American Airlines and JetBlue did not respond to a request for comment.

United Debacle Goes Viral

A screen shot of a video posted by passenger Kaylyn Davis on Twitter.

United had reportedly offered up to $800, but no more, for passengers who would disembark Flight 3411 on Sunday from Chicago to Louisville.

The airline initially said the flight was overbooked, but then changed its statement to say that a last-minute scheduling issue required it to put four flight crew members to Louisville on that flight.

An airline staff member called airport police, who then forcibly removed Dr. David Dao from the flight. In the process, Dao’s lawyer said the Kentucky doctor sustained a “significant concussion,” a broken nose, sinus injuries,

Dr. David Dao being dragged off an United Express flight April 9, 2017, as seen in a video posted to Facebook; courtesy: Audra D. Bridges

and lost two front teeth. He spent several days in the hospital and is expected to receive reconstructive surgery in the future.

Three Chicago Aviation Department police officers have been placed on leave.

–>RELATED: United CEO Finally Issues Unreserved Apology; Calls Incident ‘Truly Horrific’

Customers Not Cargo Act

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said Thursday he plans to introduce a bill that would ban airlines from forcibly removing passengers after they have boarded the plane for overbooking or crew accommodation.

Van Hollen sent a letter to his Senate colleagues urging them to support the Customers Not Cargo Act.

–>READ THE FULL LETTER

“[W]e should act immediately to ensure that airlines cannot force passengers who have already boarded to leave the plane in order to free up seats for others. Instead, they must provide sufficient incentives to encourage passengers to voluntarily deplane,” Sen. Van Hollen wrote.

–>RELATED: Congressional Hearings Possible After United Incident

–>RELATED: Know Your Rights When Flying; Compensation for Denied Boarding

–>ACT: File a complaint with the USDOT against an airline

How much money would you accept to voluntarily give up your seat on a plane? Let us know in the comment section below!

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