I know a woman who has turned giving up her seat on an airliner from an accident to an art. She books herself on flights likely to be overbooked, all in the hope she is refused a seat–and compensated for the inconvenience.

Not everyone relishes the idea of waiting for another flight as much as she does. But delays are less annoying and sometimes even worthwhile when you understand your rights.

Airlines overbook to compensate for the fact that some travelers fail to show up for flights. In most cases, a few passengers miss the plane. But when they don’t, the airline ends up with too many people and too few seats.

This is most likely to happen on peak travel days, near a holiday, for example, or during the summer vacation season. It’s also a problem when a flight is canceled because of weather or mechanical problems, leaving too many passengers eager to board a later plane. Bumping is more common on and around weekends than it is on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays, which are traditionally light travel days.

Before you protest losing your seat, consider the reward. Voluntary bumping occurs when a passenger with a confirmed seat assignment agrees to give up his seat for negotiated compensation. The compensation is not government regulated, but most airlines will give passengers who give up a seat on an overbooked flight a free round-trip ticket for later use.

When not enough passengers volunteer, the airline may have to airline force a paid passenger off of a flight. This is called involuntary bumping, and the US Dept. of Transportation regulates the amounts passengers receive. The compensation depends on the price the passenger paid for his ticket and the length of the delay.

No compensation is legally required if:

• The airline arranges substitute transportation that is scheduled to arrive at your destination within one hour of your originally scheduled arrival time.
• The airline has to substitute a smaller plane for the one it originally planned to use. In addition, on flights using aircraft with 30 through 60 passenger seats, compensation is not required if you were bumped due to safety-related aircraft weight or balance constraints.
• You’re booked on a charter flight or a on a plane that holds fewer than 30 passengers.
• International flights inbound to the United States, although some airlines voluntarily follow the rules.
• A flight is canceled because of bad weather.

But in most other cases, you receive both alternate transportation and a fee for your inconvenience.

If you’re rebooked on a flight scheduled to arrive at your destination between one and two hours after your original arrival time (or between one and four hours on international flights), the airline has to pay you an amount equal to your one-way fare to your final destination, up to $400.

If the new flight is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (or four hours internationally) or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the compensation doubles (200% of your fare, $800 maximum).

If the airline can’t guarantee you a seat on its next flight out, ask it to protect you under Rule 240 (which the airlines will understand) with a guaranteed seat on another carrier’s flight.

If you choose to make your own arrangements, you can request an “involuntary refund” for the ticket for the flight you were bumped from as well as compensation for your inconvenience.

If you discover your flight is overbooked, check what compensation you will get if you voluntarily give up your seat. Your compensation depends on your negotiating skill. Review the offer carefully. Some free tickets come with so many restrictions and blackout dates they’re almost impossible to use. Try to negotiate a better deal if you don’t like what the airline is offering. Sometimes, they will up the ante.

Consider is how long the wait will be for the next flight to your destination. If the airline can’t guarantee you a seat on its next flight out, it might be able to offer you a seat on another carrier’s plane. And if you have more than a two-hour wait, ask for other perks, including meal tickets and a free long-distance phone call. The worst the airline can say is no - and often, the answer is yes.

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