Agents announced in the gate area that the flight was oversold, and they offered US$800 (NZ$1100) vouchers, then raised it to US$1,000 (NZ$1,375) in travel credit, Preiss said.
"Since nobody volunteered, they then announced that the lowest-fare passenger would be pulled out of the boarding line," Preiss said.
The agents raised the offer for volunteers one more time, to a US$2,000 (NZ$2,750) voucher, but when no one responded, Preiss was stopped from boarding the plane.
In her tweets, Preiss said that a United employee offered her US$2,000 (NZ$2,750) in travel credit but she wanted cash. Then an agent offered a US$10,000 (NZ$13,700) voucher.
"They really do not want to give me cash. They just offered me US$10,000 in travel credit. TEN THOUSAND," she tweeted.
She took it. Along with two US$10 (NZ$13.70) meal vouchers. United drew the line, however, at letting Preiss into one of its airport lounges, she said.
Preiss said she paid US$163 (NZ$224) for her one-way ticket, not counting taxes and fees.
Asked what she will do with the voucher, Preiss, who manages communications for a liberal advocacy group, told the AP, "Haven't decided yet but I'm thinking Hawaii."
United raised the amount airport employees could pay a bumped passenger to US$10,000 (NZ$13,700) last year after criticism over the violent dragging of a man off a full flight in Chicago.
Some experts doubted that United or Delta, which raised its maximum compensation for bumping passengers to US$9,950 (NZ$13,670), would ever pay out the maximum. United did not immediately say if any other passengers have received a US$10,000 voucher (NZ$13,700).
- AP
