I knew I couldn't check in online, but I went to the AA site anyway, to see what seats looked like. We have assigned seats, but was looking to see what seats were available. There was as notice that popped up, asking if our plans were flexible, offering to allow ourselves to volunteer to be bumped, it appeared for a minimum of $600. Is that something new, as I have never seen that before?

I couldn't tell whether it is really oversold or not. There looked to be a couple dozen seats available, so I don't know whether it is all people who never paid for an assigned seat or what. If so, I guess they will get a better seat than we did, considering there are basically no 'regular' economy seats left to be able to assign. If you try to buy a ticket, you could buy it for $249 one way, so it doesn't make sense it is actually oversold.

I don't think I would ever volunteer on the way down, but it might enter my mind for the return trip!!

What I have found to be an irritant when they ask if you are flexible and want to add you to the list is that you still don't know until you are close to boarding. I have called in on these noting I would be willing to go early, or make other changes to flights that already have extra seats which seems to me would make sense but they don't have the band width to think that way. It is a big machine, not as flexible as you think they could be.

I was able to downgrade once from FC to coach for the CLT to SXM portion and I think we got $800 each which was more than we paid all the way from PDX.

I also agree on the way home sure, but on the way there unless I am getting there before my other option then it is a flat no.
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OK, I know you fly a whole lot more than I do, I just never saw that as an option before. And it sounds like it is pretty worthless in reality. There is no way that we would even get to SXM the same day if we took a bump, so I would say that would be a definite no-go for me also.

That showed up on mine going to and from SXM. My flight returning home had about 10 empty seats including an entire row in the back of the plane. Figure its a just in case they need to so they have a list of volunteers.

OK, I had never seen it before on there, guess it's just something new they are trying. It looks like the earlier flight from Miami to SXM MAY well be over-sold, so that could be the reason.

I got an email in March, asking if my plans were flexible. I followed the link and there was no option for another flight. I think it is another game the airlines are playing.

This was when I went to check in, basically checking on seats. I didn't click on anything. I know that there is no way I could get to SXM the same day if I took a bump from that flight.

It is just something in the programming with AA that introduces its self when you go on-line to check-in. I can guarantee that your flight is not over sold. Remember to use verifly! Makes life easier, just saying

SXMfox===OK, not worried, just wondering why I got that message.

Definitely not bothering with Verifly. From all accounts, does NOT make life easier, but more complicated..

Actuallly, Carol, it did make life easier. I was able to check in on line and print boarding passes at home.

Made life so much easier for us, both at MIA and SXM.

They did the same thing to us Carol and then they cancelled our almost full flight from Nashville to MIA due to simply not having a flight crew to get the plane there. I think it may be automated on flights that reach a certain capacity. We always go as a fam so no way we are giving up our seats, our vaca time is set so not happening but I can see it being lucrative to those who are flexible.

Surely doesn't seem like it, from how difficult it is to do.........

It wouldn’t let me check in for my flight until I completed the VeriFLY.