Here's the scenario. United ticket and carrier - flying home from Hawaii vacation with the family. OGG-LAX-IAD-YYZ. Land in LAX after the first flight and the plane to IAD is having issues - 2 hours delayed. So - that means I miss the connection in IAD to YYZ. I talk to an agent and the next flight from IAD to YYZ wasn't until 12:30PM instead of 8AM. A flight was just about to take off from LAX to EWR and I can get into YYZ at 9AM. I said sure. So, they move us to that flight - as they are doing it, they note - oh, the flight from EWR to YYZ is on Air Canada - may have to change terminals. I said - no problem, should have time.
We arrive early (thankfully) as changing terminals in EWR means going back through security. (Horrible setup.) We get to the gate on time and I ask the gate agent if she can adjust the seats - all 4 were spread out. She grabs my boarding passes and then says - "Where's your luggage?" I'm confused, but considering how tight it was, I'd say it's probably on it's way to IAD. She gets on the phone and then says - if you're luggage didn't make it to EWR, I can't let you board. Otherwise AC will be on the hook for delivering it. I have never heard this before. Well - I have boarding passes. Well - not anymore, she took them. She gets on the phone and after a while says - okay, your luggage is here. Hands me new boarding passes. Then just before boarding, I get called to the front. There's a mistake. Luggage isn't there. It is heading to IAD. She says I can't board. This is crazy - I just want to get home. Two small kids have hardly slept, etc. I said - my luggage isn't heading here, how long am I going to spend in this airport??? She has no answer. She even said, I'm not even supposed to call United to inquire about this. I'm thinking - well, how you know it isn't here then!?!? We argue a bit. I finally said - do l (an elite) have to drag my entire family back on the train back to the other terminal to the United desk, and grab the next flight back to YYZ on United, which may be hours from now, so you're not on the hook for returning the luggage? I even said I'd pay to have it delivered. Finally she relented, said because I had kids - she let us board. Sure enough - no luggage in YYZ and the policy was - last carrier. AC was on the hook to deliver it. Which they did and I didn't pay of course.
Anyone ever heard this??? Can they deny boarding because you don't have your luggage?
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About four years ago I took my mom to Vegas for mother’s day, she lives in YVR and I lived in YXE. She flew direct to LAS and I decided to make this a mileage run so I booked YXE-YYC-YEG-YVR-SFO-LAS and when I tried going through US Customs I was stopped as my luggage was not with me (yes I checked in one bag as it was cold in YXE and needed summer clothes). I spent an hour and half filing out lost reports and AC was great, so they finally let me travel through to the US without my luggage, AC had lost the bag in YEG!
Flew AC all the way to SFO and then the Last carrier was United (SFO-LAS) so United was on the hook. Made a $500 claim to the credit card insurance, UA provided me with an amenities kit and delivered my bag to the hotel and bought me a new suitcase for all of my new Vegas summer clothes!
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2013: 69,659 AQM with 73 AQS
2012:181,353 status miles with 155 segments
About four years ago I took my mom to Vegas for mother’s day, she lives in YVR and I lived in YXE. She flew direct to LAS and I decided to make this a mileage run so I booked YXE-YYC-YEG-YVR-SFO-LAS and when I tried going through US Customs I was stopped as my luggage was not with me (yes I checked in one bag as it was cold in YXE and needed summer clothes). I spent an hour and half filing out lost reports and AC was great, so they finally let me travel through to the US without my luggage, AC had lost the bag in YEG!
Flew AC all the way to SFO and then the Last carrier was United (SFO-LAS) so United was on the hook. Made a $500 claim to the credit card insurance, UA provided me with an amenities kit and delivered my bag to the hotel and bought me a new suitcase for all of my new Vegas summer clothes!
Dude...you were asking for your bag to be lost! You really rolled the dice on this one!!!
Interesting that UA got stuck with the bill, even though AC lost the bag in YEG. Yet another reason to NEVER connect in Canada when flying to a US destination!!!
Programs: AP*SE, HH*G, SPG*G, Delta Privilege P+, Avis First
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pokee
Dude...you were asking for your bag to be lost! You really rolled the dice on this one!!!
Sometimes I want my bag lost as I can buy new clothes!
For 2012 I have had my bags "temporarily misplaced” three times including once in Europe with the family. I can’t tell you how excited were to buy new clothes! I have to thank AC & my Credit Card Company for all of our new clothes.
As I lose weight and get into shape I will need updating so I look forward to a wardrobe update in 2013 so I rely on AC to step up to the plate and provide
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2013: 69,659 AQM with 73 AQS
2012:181,353 status miles with 155 segments
We arrive early (thankfully) as changing terminals in EWR means going back through security. (Horrible setup.)
Sorry to hear about your problems but you shouldn't have had to reclear security on a terminal change. If you landed in Terminal C there is a shuttle bus to Terminal A (the middle part). From there you can take another shuttle that leads to the part of Terminal A in which AC resides.
The signage is not the best but you should have be able to stay airside.
Sometimes I want my bag lost as I can buy new clothes!
For 2012 I have had my bags "temporarily misplaced” three times including once in Europe with the family. I can’t tell you how excited were to buy new clothes! I have to thank AC & my Credit Card Company for all of our new clothes.
As I lose weight and get into shape I will need updating so I look forward to a wardrobe update in 2013 so I rely on AC to step up to the plate and provide
Yes! I always 'kind of' hope my bags are delayed when I'm at the luggage claim. With my TD credit card, my wife and I get $1000 each to buy new clothes Nothing like a shopping spree in the states
Okay - so, it does sound odd. It appears the airlines all agree, the last airline in the leg is responsible for delivery, no matter who loses the luggage. I guess that makes sense - if you connect to an airport where the original airline isn't operating, you'd have issues. However, I can't believe it's policy to deny boarding. If I hadn't gone up to get new seats, and had she not checked, no one would have known. Had we be denied - I would have really complained. But, considering she let us on, I'm wondering if she had seconds thoughts on what she was doing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SensFan
Sorry to hear about your problems but you shouldn't have had to reclear security on a terminal change. If you landed in Terminal C there is a shuttle bus to Terminal A (the middle part). From there you can take another shuttle that leads to the part of Terminal A in which AC resides.
The signage is not the best but you should have be able to stay airside.
I was in C - and I never saw the shuttle bus. Just followed the signs to take the train, which requires you leave the secure area. Fine there is a shuttle bus - but, I still think horrible design. Why not put the train that links terminals after security like most other airports???
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tragicway
This is crazy - I just want to get home. Two small kids have hardly slept, etc. I said - my luggage isn't heading here, how long am I going to spend in this airport??? She has no answer. She even said, I'm not even supposed to call United to inquire about this. I'm thinking - well, how you know it isn't here then!?!? We argue a bit.
This probably won't come across right ....... Why would you not book one of the dozen 1-stop options for HNL-YYZ?
I'm always confused by parents who just want to get their small children home to bed ..... yet book something like HNL_LAX-IAD-YYZ with tight connections??
As a recent parent myself, we're limiting ourselves to 1-stop max and non-stop when offered. If we can't afford the fastest routing, we don't go. Simple as that.
No doubt the routing saved you some cash ..... Maybe enough to deal with the frustrations. Maybe not
This probably won't come across right ....... Why would you not book one of the dozen 1-stop options for HNL-YYZ?
I'm always confused by parents who just want to get their small children home to bed ..... yet book something like HNL_LAX-IAD-YYZ with tight connections??
As a recent parent myself, we're limiting ourselves to 1-stop max and non-stop when offered. If we can't afford the fastest routing, we don't go. Simple as that.
No doubt the routing saved you some cash ..... Maybe enough to deal with the frustrations. Maybe not
I was thinking the same thing. I have small children and would have never booked that holiday with that itinerary. Way more chances for things to go wrong, and that is one long difficult day for young kids.
Sorry to hear about your problems but you shouldn't have had to reclear security on a terminal change. If you landed in Terminal C there is a shuttle bus to Terminal A (the middle part). From there you can take another shuttle that leads to the part of Terminal A in which AC resides.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tragicway
I was in C - and I never saw the shuttle bus. Just followed the signs to take the train, which requires you leave the secure area. Fine there is a shuttle bus - but, I still think horrible design. Why not put the train that links terminals after security like most other airports???
There isn't a shuttle to the AC gates anymore, just the C-A2 shuttle. They discontinued the A2-A1 shuttle a couple months ago after UA stopped using A1.
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Sounds pretty outrageous to me. Complain to the hilt.
Slightly different scenario, but vastly different customer service:
I flew Cancun-LAX on AA, connecting to LAX-HKG on CX. In Hong Kong, I found some items had been stolen out of my checked bag. Filled out claim on CX and submitted it while in HK.
Flew on to Australia on QF a day later and when I fully unpacked at home, I realised some other things were missing and I submitted a supplemental claim to CX (as in my mind, it was the same theft event as before).
CX noted, correctly, that the supplemental claim should go to QF, but they agreed to cover it.
I was actually sorry CX had to cover it, as I strongly suspected that the theft occurred before CX got anywhere near the luggage. But they paid up, even for the supplemental claim, and full marks to CX.
