A Delta Airlines passenger was offered $3,000 (approximately ₹2.5 lakh) to voluntarily deboard a flight from Chicago O’Hare to Seattle, citing a fuel rebalancing issue. The surprising offer was made quietly at the gate even after boarding had begun, according to a Reddit post by a user going by “bag_o.”
The incident occurred on Monday, the day after Easter, a typically high-traffic travel day. The passenger had completed Zone 2 boarding when a gate agent discreetly asked for two volunteers to deplane, offering a $3,000 compensation. “No mic, no big announcement,” the user wrote, calling it a travel myth come true.
He quickly raised his hand and was joined by another flier. Delta provided them each with two vouchers – one worth $2,000 and another worth $1,000 – due to their system limitation of issuing only up to $2,000 at a time. The vouchers can be redeemed for flight credits or gift cards through Delta's Choice Benefits portal.
Interestingly, this wasn’t the first offer made on the same flight. Earlier that day, 22 other passengers had accepted a $1,700 offer to deboard due to an equipment change, highlighting how operational adjustments can trigger lucrative compensation opportunities.
The Redditor praised the Delta staff for managing the offload smoothly, especially given the hectic nature of post-holiday travel. The post sparked a lively discussion online, with other users sharing their own high-compensation airline stories.
The incident sheds light on airlines' occasional high-stakes compensation practices during overbooking or operational adjustments—even after passengers have boarded.
