Why does a player, who recently used over a months vacation suddenly get another month? I have to admit that it was pretty frustrating to see. I have lost some games due to lack of more vacation-time, so it feels a bit unfair that some players receives more time when they need it. Can all the players get more time when it is necessary?

If you look it will tell you that for example with diamond membership you have access to about 3 months time, once accrued.  As I have a lesser membership rank I would get less, but still plenty.  Check how much time you have under settings page.

I understand, but the problem was that this players vacation ran out, and then he got some more...That was the frustrating bit!

Everyone gets 2 days a month.

http://support.chess.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/26/0/how-does-vacation-work--how-much-time-do-i-get

Thanks for trying to help, but I still dont find the answer. My opponent started out with about 40 days remaining on his vacation, and after this time was consumed, he got another 28 days. So he used up his alloted vacation-time, and then got even more. I cant find anything in the rules about this.

@smoeggi - I think we're playing the same guy, I noticed it as well . As a slow player myself, I can't really complain, and personally I don't want him to time-out, but it is very odd that it happened and I can understand your frustration.

Thanks. My frustration is real, but secondary. The more principled question is about fair and unfair, if all players can get their vacation substantially extended or just a few chosen ones. Fairness recides in our spine...

Not in the spine, I hope.  Surely even invalids can still possess a highly developed sense of right and wrong?

Oh, I hope I didnt say anything wrong here... I automatically translated a norwegian expression, meaning that the feeling for fairness is rooted deep inside. Maybe it doesnt work in english.

No, I was just giving you a hard time (in jest).  I agree with the spirit of what you said.

Lol, thanks Vance!

The player probably renewed his membership for a year.  Diamond and Platinum member get 28 additional days vacation when they renew for a year.

Ah, that make sense! The answer, at last! Thank you!

This is not accurate. http://www.chess.com/forum/view/help-support/vacation-time15 "... we no longer give vacation "bumps" for premium memberships."

At this point I would say the random increase in vacation, which I have witnessed, is a bug.

I don't think that the referenced thread is correct.  When I renewed my membership in November 2010 (two months after the thread), I received a vacation bump of 14 days (gold members get less the diamond or platinum).

Note:  I checked to see if I got the bump because of a comment in the following thread.

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/help-support/vacation-auto-vacation-timeout-protection

This looks like something the staff should comment: either a bug or an incorrect statement from a staffmember. Does the staffmembers read this, or is it possible to get them to read this and comment?