US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Customer (non) service?

I need some guidance here on what I can do. I am an American living in Paris and trying to get back to Philly for Christmas. Due to the demand I booked three frequent flyer tickets for travel today (Dec 15) to let my son see his grandmother.

After seven hours at the airport US Airways cancelled the flight due to maintenance issues and now they are only willing to re route me on Wednesday as I have a frequent flyer ticket and that is the first time they have FF seats available. This means that my son will NOT get to see his grandmother over Christmas as she has to travel and see other grandchildren! There is a flight on Air France tomorrow but US refuses to book us on that as we are non rev passengers. I am frustrated as I am trying to explain to my son who has been counting the days until Christmas why he can't go home.

Any thoughts on getting US to book me on another flight? Any names of people I can contact?

What gets me the most here is the fact that as a gold preferred (formers chairman's) I am being penalized for having a free ticket while some guy who bought an international e saver on line and has never flown US before is being re routed on Air France while I sit in Paris until Wednesday with a four year old staring at me wondering why he isn't at Granny's house
Thanks for your help

[This message has been edited by PSU Lion (edited 12-15-2002).]

I would strongly suggest you go standby, as there is always a chance of no-shows and seats opening up at the least second.

thought about that but standby with a four year old is a tough proposition especially after having him there for seven hours today! Considering the flight today was sold out and I have been told by customer service that I am absolutely dead last on the priority list due to free tickets I don't relish the prospect of ANOTHER day at the airport waiting to see if US will allow me on their flight. I am sure since the flight today was totally booked that there are at least 50 - 100 people ahead of me on the list

[This message has been edited by PSU Lion (edited 12-15-2002).]

I am afraid I can't help but it sounds like we will be seeing each other on the Wednesday flight, presuming of course that it flies, and if not then standing around in line . . . .

Looks like US' perfect record across the Atlantic (something like 4000 un-cancelled segments) has come to an end...

Well, at least if this was the A330, a maintenance fix in France should be pretty easy to come by......the mechanics in the US say it's a different story when you need spare parts, contract services, etc.

haveric - you beat me to the punch - that was my first thought too!

although they'll probably have the accounting guys figure out how to blame this without messing up the record.

Get them to send you through the Chunnel...to LGW

PSU Lion - WOW that is EXTREMELY bad luck! US Air has been announcing for months their perfect record of what, 5,000 flights with no cancellations.

Have you called the actual customer service number and not the reservation number? They are BOUND to have a ****ed seat available on a flight out that you need!

I agree also, if you go on standby and talk to the gate agents in advance and explain their situation, that you'll get out.

I don't know if this will work, but see if they'll accomodate you on a UA flight. Also try what HPTunco suggested. If LGW doesn't work, try other European cities. (FRA, AMS, MAN, etc.)

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SonOfACockroach:
I don't know if this will work, but see if they'll accomodate you on a UA flight. Also try what HPTunco suggested. If LGW doesn't work, try other European cities. (FRA, AMS, MAN, etc.)</font>

As you may know, LGW is an option via Eurostar, and AMS can be made via Thalys service. I might suggest AMS, since Thalys rail tickets (I believe) will be less costly than Eurostar, and because Thalys will take you right inside of AMS Schiphol. I believe all the other US destinations will be a longer ordeal to get there via train.

Also, are they correct in putting you dead last on the waitlist because of the award ticket? I thought waitlists were by STATUS, regardless of fare class. Best of luck to you!

Last time I took Thalys it was an insufferably long ride. But, as noted, the advantage was that you get off right at the airport. Check www.sncf.com (http://www.sncf.com) or www.sncf.fr (http://www.sncf.fr) for times and schedules. I should add that that was about seven years ago. We just crawled from the moment we reached the Netherland's frontier.

[This message has been edited by cure (edited 12-15-2002).]

I actually tried to get them to re route me through LGW or FRA and they said no problem but I would have to get myself to LGW or FRA...they wouldn't foot the bill. I don't feel like adding a couple hundred dollars to my Christmas bill! They clearly told me no dice on any other carrier as I am on an award ticket

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by cure:
Last time I took Thalys it was an insufferably long ride. But, as noted, the advantage was that you get off right at the airport. . . . I should add that that was about seven years ago. We just crawled from the moment we reached the Netherland's frontier.</font>

That's still about right. Great high speed service from Gare du Nord in Paris to Brussels. Then Brussels to Amsterdam is a lot slower. Still, it's A LOT less total time than trains to any other US Airways gateway from Paris, apart from London, IIRC.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by haveric:
Looks like US' perfect record across the Atlantic (something like 4000 un-cancelled segments) has come to an end...</font>

This may have come to an end on the 14th as the LGW-PHL flight was cancelled.

They held our CLT flight waiting to cram every last person in they could.

Then they held us so they could find a bag (presumably for a volunteer) to pull of, they said they found it, then they said they didn't find it and didn't know where it is. Then they let us fly and never told us what ever came of the bag that made us late.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
Well, at least if this was the A330, a maintenance fix in France should be pretty easy to come by......the mechanics in the US say it's a different story when you need spare parts, contract services, etc.
</font>

Isn't the CDG-PHL flight operated by an A330?



[This message has been edited by terenz (edited 12-16-2002).]

I don't know if its change in policy, or int'l vs. domestic, but a couple years ago my family and I had 3 FC award tickets for a transcon on US. The first segment was delayed, the agent said we wouldn't make our connection and they put us on UA, in FC. Nonstop on UA, so we actually arrived sooner than scheduled.