Compensation for cancelled flight

[MikeBW]

Last Thursday we tried to fly from Tampa to Providence thru Dulles on United. About 10 minutes out from Dulles, the pilot tells us that the from landing gear won't retract and we have to go back. When we get to the terminal, the supervisor at the gate tells us that the next flights back to Prov. or Boston is on Tuesday. Yes, 5 days later!! We drove back the next day - 10 1/2 hours!!
I was wondering what kind of compensation do airlines normally give in these cases? Anyone have this happen to them?

 

[peg2001]

Normally, if they are not able to put you on a flight, they will put you on a different carrier. Did you ask?

Peggy

 

[MikeBW]

They said Tuesday was the earliest flight from DC - 5 days later. They were sending people to Amtrak for a 5 AM train. I have 2 kids (8 and 7), so it was unacceptable. I asked about a car and they said fine, so we did it. 10 1/2 hrs later we arrived at the Providence airport.

 

[zurgswife]

I would expect a refund of the portion of the ticket which was unused and maybe even pay for your rental...but that would the basics....

 

[CarolA]

I would have pitched holy SSSS! They had NO more flights to your airport for 5 days. That is just a bunch of ..... United hates to do this, but did you ask them to check with SW?

I would write a letter sending in a copy of any and ALL expenses (meals, hotels) etc. to United. I would expect FULL reimbursement, and an apology. I would also like some compensation, but I am willing to be all they would give you is vouchers and there would be NO WAY I would ever get on an airline that did that to me.

Just to give you a for instance, I was on a Delta flight where the breaks got stuck! We were on the runway long enough to watch an entire movie while they bled fluid out of the breaks and then towed the widebody back to the gates. They got me home that night by putting me on a Delta Express to Orlando and from there to Nashville.

I find this too hard to believe!

 

[seashoreCM]

The rule varies by airline but the most common rule is that they have to refund the part of your purchase price that applies to the cancelled flight and at your option the rest of your trip if you ask.

In a few cases they have to put you on another airline if you find a suitable flight, and ask.

I forget the web site where "rules of the air" are enumerated but it is listed within this site:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/travel.htm

 

[tlens]

I believe if you read the "Fine print"on the back of your ticket, they are obligated to get you to your destination, but not necessarily by air. They were putting people on a train so I think that covers them. Any TA's wish to comment???

Did they pay for your car rental?

 

[MikeBW]

Carol, I am currently in the process of pitching holy SSSS!!

SeashoreCM, thanks for that rules of air link. It is quite useful.

tlens, United's first answer to paying for the rental car was:
"No. We are sorry, but we can't do that!" - that is when the pitching of holy SSSS began

 

[CarolA]

I don't care what the rule is! That was flat out LOUSY customer service and that should be thier rule. I travel a LOT and I would have been so mad. I mean they were just being CHEAP! They had flights, just not unsold seats in next five days. There are THREE airports in that area, it sounds to me like United was just no too interested in Customer Service that day. Certainly makes me think!

 

[mcnuss]

You should post this on www.flyertalk.com to get the advice of lots of United very frequent flyers. It's a great forum.

They could have sent you in a taxi (on their dime) to Reagan National where there are flights every hour to Boston on the US Airways shuttle, with which United code shares. When you write your letter, make sure you point this out. Dulles is not the only show in town! There are 3 metro-DC airports they could have sent you to.

Last, the rules for this situation are clear. If they cannot get you to your destination w/in 4 hours (not days, LOL) of your original flight time, and the cause is NOT weather, there is a sliding schedule of what you are entitled to. It starts with meal vouchers and ends with hotels, food, etc... I have received this compensation many times. I do not believe United's bankruptcy status affects this. IMHO, they will give you the least they can get away with...you have to be the squeaky wheel.

One thing I am not sure of is why you wouldn't take Amtrak? IMHO, less stressful than driving home. (This is curiousity more than anything....)

 

[MikeBW]

mcnuss, I didn't take Amtrak because it was 11:30 PM and I have 2 young kids and they were suggesting a 3AM or 5 AM train. At that exact time, I was more concerned with getting my kids to bed and tackling the problem the next day. United put us up for the night near Dulles.
When the train was suggested in the terminal by the United personnel, my response was, "Oh great, from 1 bankrupt carrier to another!"

 

[mcnuss]

I didn't take Amtrak because it was 11:30 PM and I have 2 young kids and they were suggesting a 3AM or 5 AM train. At that exact time, I was more concerned with getting my kids to bed and tackling the problem the next day. United put us up for the night near Dulles.

Thanks...I can certainly understand that! Did you ask if you could take a train later in the am and still get the hotel paid for? (When you say United put you up, I am assuming they paid, yes?) Did they give you meal vouchers at the hotel?

My only concern here is that they will say that they offered you a way home, and you rejected it. You must counter with the fact that they could have put you on the US Airways shuttle the next morning from DCA which would have been the mode of transportation you paid for.

With respect to getting your rental car paid for, pls. go online & figure out what your 4 Amtrak tickets would have cost vs. the car. I think you have a very good argument if you actually saved them money!

Please let me know if I can help. I am getting pretty good at dealing with the airlines as I fly a couple of times a week so I want to be sure to give the best advice I can. Luckily, I have a fabulous TA and she handles most things, but I have dealt with very late or cancelled flights on my own, and you were treated shabbily and possibly in violation of the airline's contract of carriage.

 

[MikeBW]

This is the latest on my cancelled flight saga:

Each ticket was refunded $53.60 ($250 RT was original price - Providence to Tampa via Dulles)

Each ticket gets a $100 United voucher.

I have still only spoken to the first customer service person - I faxed a letter to her boss, but haven't heard from her yet. I just left a message for a 3rd person, who mailed me the vouchers.

Is this the best that I will get from United? Any suggestions?

 

[lsyorke]

"Each ticket gets a $100 United voucher"

Not good enough!!!! We got bumped from a Delta flight at got put on the next flight first class, free breakfast at the airport, and $300.00 / person in vouchers!!

I wouldn't settle for a lousy 100.00 voucher!! Move up the chain of command!!

 

[seashoreCM]

Wouldn't the 3 AM train have been a reasonably quick way back home? I assume United would have provided transportation from Dulles to the train station and again from the Providence rail station to PVD if you parked there.

And you could all sleep on the train just as easily as inm a car except with no one tired out driving.

By 11:30 PM there aren't any more flights going out.

I don't think I can fault them for refunding the remaining fare ($53.00) and then they gave you the extra voucher.

 

[mcnuss]

I am still wondering about the questions I asked in my last post. You may have forfeited your rights by rejecting what they offered. Please let me know.

 

[Lewisc]

In this case the flight was cancelled due to mechanical problems. That has different compensation rules than problems due to overbooking.

 

[MikeBW]

mcnuss,
United did give us a voucher for the hotel (Embassy Suites) that night and it included breakfast the next morning. I spoke with someone yesterday and she asked for the car rental receipts and she was going to talk to her supervisor. I haven't heard back yet. I did mention that the Amtrak tickets were $175 each for a total of $700, so $200 for car rental is a bargain.
I will give this a day to play out, and then it will be time to climb the ladder at United.

 

[MikeBW]

Here's the latest:

United is sending me a check for the car rental. I have been reimbursed $53 (from $250 RT) per ticket and they have sent me 4 $100 vouchers.

One last thing, what are my odds of getting credit for the vouchers for a Feb. flight that we already have purchased? We purchased the Feb tickets 2 weeks before we left on this last trip.

 

[CarolA]

I would certainly call, have them pull up this FIASCO and tell them you don't think you can risk them again and ask for refund. You may have to climb the ladder on this one, but....