Berry, who had spent two months in Italy, didn’t want to end her trip. She wanted to continue exploring Naples through her volunteer work and receive a $1,200 flight voucher for future travel.
“Before the manager could finish his sentence, I was like, ‘Me! Me! Me! Can I please do this?'” Berry, who was scheduled to fly from Naples, Italy, to Philadelphia on August 4, told Business Insider.
After accepting the offer, the 36-year-old said she jumped into an airline car that took her and seven other stopover passengers to a four-star hotel where they spent the night for free.
The next day, Berry arrived at the airport and learned that her next flight was also fully booked. She said she volunteered again, and then an airline employee mentioned that the flight was fully booked until mid-August.
After doing some quick math, Berry realized she could spend the next ten days collecting flight vouchers, staying in free hotels, and enjoying free Italian food.
The freelance fashion photographer said she couldn’t pass up the opportunity and hoped to end up with over $10,000 worth of around-the-world vouchers.
While Berry did not reach her $10,000 goal, she was able to extend her trip by three additional days and now has $3,550 worth of flight vouchers.
The airline offered passengers a hotel stay, free food and a flight voucher worth $1,200.
For most travelers, a sold-out flight would be a nightmare, but Berry says she sees it as an opportunity, especially after her first day in Naples was a success.
The group of extra passengers quickly became friends – they drove to their hotel together, had a dinner of prosciutto, mozzarella and fish and cracked jokes.
Berry initially assumed it was a one-time effort until she arrived at the airport the next day and found that volunteers were needed again.
As a freelancer, she could work from anywhere in the world – including a free hotel in Naples. And with flight vouchers worth $1,200, she could photograph in new destinations.
“I could go on a really great trip or be on the road all year,” Berry said. “It could be fantastic for my career.”
Susan Berry spent her days photographing in Naples, Italy. Susan Berry
Berry said she decided to continue volunteering and not return to Philadelphia until the airline had an opening. She began referring to the experience as “Camp American Airlines,” and on Aug. 6, she posted about it on TikTok. An audience quickly formed, cheering Berry on to earn more than $10,000 in flight vouchers.
For three nights, Berry stayed in various hotels throughout Naples. She said American Airlines booked her into four-star hotels, and the accommodations varied in quality and location. Some were in the heart of Naples, others on the outskirts.
The first hotel, the Grand Hotel Vanvitelli, was the most luxurious, she said. According to TripAdvisor, rooms cost between $122 and $138 a night and the property features a pool, an elegant restaurant and rooms with balconies.
“Definitely the nicest hotel I stayed in during my trip,” she said.
Berry said every hotel she stayed at while waiting for her flight had a restaurant where she could order breakfast, lunch and dinner to her room and eat for free.
Her free hotel stays, meals and flight vouchers expired on August 7, three nights after her first rescheduled flight. BI confirmed that Berry had earned $3,550 worth of flight vouchers, with one voucher worth $1,150 instead of $1,200.
In a statement to BI, an American Airlines spokesperson said: “If you voluntarily give up your confirmed seat on the aircraft, we will compensate you in a form and amount we deem appropriate.”
The flight vouchers expire within a year, but Berry isn’t worried about taking the jet to new destinations. Shooting photos in places like Rio de Janeiro and the Seychelles is high on her list.
Susan Berry spent her days taking photographs while boarding an overbooked flight in Naples, Italy. Susan Berry
Despite the difficult start to the new year, Berry said she was “grateful” for this summer in Italy, the new travel fund and the memories of the experience.
“I feel like myself again,” she said. “I feel like I’m involved in the community. I’m saying yes to things I don’t know, and that’s what drives me.”
