You probably know the scene. The waiting area grows crowded, the microphone hums and a gate agent makes the announcement: Anyone willing to fly on a later flight gets a $300 voucher. If volunteers appear, the announcements end there. If not, the airline removes passengers from the flight.

In 2006, 55,828 passengers were bumped by the 19 largest U.S. airlines (that does not include those who gave up seats in exchange for vouchers), according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That was a mere 1.01 in 10,000 people. The figure climbed to 1.12 for 2007. Those numbers are likely to rise again this summer because of full flights.

Beginning tomorrow, bumped passengers will be slightly better off. Under new Transportation department rules, airlines will be required to pay passengers up to twice as much as before. Anyone involuntarily bumped from a domestic flight and given a substitute flight scheduled to arrive between one and two hours later than the original flight will be entitled to a refund of the one-way fare, up to $400.

If the new flight is scheduled to arrive more than two hours later, payment jumps to as much as $800. As was already the case, passengers are entitled to insist on money instead of a voucher.

International fliers will get $400 if a bump delays their arrival by up to four hours. A longer wait earns them $800.

More flights are covered by the new rules, including those flying 30 people or more.

According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, "This rule will ensure fliers are more fairly reimbursed for their inconvenience."

Kate Hanni, executive director of the Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights, said the compensation isn't enough. "Fuel prices are increasing and the cost of a ticket will go a lot higher and, if you are bumped, there will be no seats on another flight because most are already overbooked."

Kerri Westenberg • 612-673-4282