Originally Posted by
Bealzebub
Because common sense would tell you that there would be a limit to such offers and reaching that limit doesn't necessarily corelate to achieving the required result.
The "required result" is to operate airline that makes a profit and generates value for its shareholders. I'm not a
PR expert, but I suspect the cost of this particular fracas, in terms of reputational damage, is in the millions or tens of millions. Offering $2,000 would have got people off the plane. Do the math.
It strikes me that the commonsense limit would be, at the point that making the offer for volunteers costs more than involuntarily bumping a passenger would cost.
And even if you don't wind up with an altercation, involuntarily bumping a passenger has to be at least $5,000 in reputational damage; unless your computer algorithm succceds in finding the passenger who's unlikely ever to fly your airline again, anyhow.