spstx
Jul 14, 05, 4:51 pm
On June 29th my family of 4 arrived at LGA at 3:00p for a 6:00p shuttle departure to DFW, connecting through DCA. Already printed boarding passes at the hotel. Went to check bags in, ticket agent says “I can’t find you in the system,….oh,…..we have rebooked you on AA. I asked why and he said because our outbound flight was going to be delayed due to weather. I asked him if US was delayed, why wasn’t AA just as delayed. He could not answer. The 2:00p and later shuttle flights to DCA were already cancelled.
Was not particularly happy, but took the AA tickets, got on the bus and went to the AA counter, where we waited in line for 3 hours and 10 min to get to the counter. AA ticket agent took one look at the tickets and said “these are only standby tickets and this flight is oversold already.” I looked at her and said she must be kidding and she just shook her head saying that the US agents never confirmed the tickets and there was nothing she could do.
Went back to the US counter and tried to explain the situation. Agent there said no, they were good tickets. I asked to see supervisor. After about 15 min, the supervisor came out and said AA must have made a mistake because they were good tickets. He called the AA counter, and sent us back there.
Back at the AA counter, the gentleman was nice, but the flight was oversold and closed. He could offer nothing. Referred us back to the US counter saying it was US’s responsibility to take care of us. I asked to see the AA supervisor and was told he would be out to see me shortly. We stood at the counter and waited for about 45 min. After asking several times how much longer they thought it might be, we were told he had already left for the day. I told the agent that I could not believe he would leave knowing we were waiting to see him. The agent said they often did that when things got hairy.
All US could do was put us on a flight the next day at 09:00. They kept telling me they were only trying to help me out by rebooking me because there was no way I would/could make my connection.
US would not provide any time of accommodations, food vouchers or phone cards. The only hotel I could locate with a room that evening was a Marriott Courtyard for $399. My wife and two children (one who has recently had her back totally rebuild with titanium due to scoliosis) slept on the floor of the airport. Fortunately, I found a cardboard box to break down to sleep on. My only regret is that I did not have an empty coffee can to put by my box. I would have probably woken up with it full of change!
I checked later that evening on our original fight’s status. Yes, LGA to DCA departed over 2 hours late with folks in MY SEATS, however, connecting plane into DCA had to divert for fuel and was also over 2 hours late. My flight into DCA arrived at 10:17, and the outbound to DFW left at 11:17.
All US would say is “we don’t provide anything for weather delays.” I totally understand that, my overnight delay was not due to weather, it was due to someone’s error. Our confirmed flight that we had boarding passes for left without us on it.
Was I just in the wrong place at the wrong time? I felt we received NO service from either airline. Needless to say, I was (and still am) a little hot under the collar about this.
Was not particularly happy, but took the AA tickets, got on the bus and went to the AA counter, where we waited in line for 3 hours and 10 min to get to the counter. AA ticket agent took one look at the tickets and said “these are only standby tickets and this flight is oversold already.” I looked at her and said she must be kidding and she just shook her head saying that the US agents never confirmed the tickets and there was nothing she could do.
Went back to the US counter and tried to explain the situation. Agent there said no, they were good tickets. I asked to see supervisor. After about 15 min, the supervisor came out and said AA must have made a mistake because they were good tickets. He called the AA counter, and sent us back there.
Back at the AA counter, the gentleman was nice, but the flight was oversold and closed. He could offer nothing. Referred us back to the US counter saying it was US’s responsibility to take care of us. I asked to see the AA supervisor and was told he would be out to see me shortly. We stood at the counter and waited for about 45 min. After asking several times how much longer they thought it might be, we were told he had already left for the day. I told the agent that I could not believe he would leave knowing we were waiting to see him. The agent said they often did that when things got hairy.
All US could do was put us on a flight the next day at 09:00. They kept telling me they were only trying to help me out by rebooking me because there was no way I would/could make my connection.
US would not provide any time of accommodations, food vouchers or phone cards. The only hotel I could locate with a room that evening was a Marriott Courtyard for $399. My wife and two children (one who has recently had her back totally rebuild with titanium due to scoliosis) slept on the floor of the airport. Fortunately, I found a cardboard box to break down to sleep on. My only regret is that I did not have an empty coffee can to put by my box. I would have probably woken up with it full of change!
I checked later that evening on our original fight’s status. Yes, LGA to DCA departed over 2 hours late with folks in MY SEATS, however, connecting plane into DCA had to divert for fuel and was also over 2 hours late. My flight into DCA arrived at 10:17, and the outbound to DFW left at 11:17.
All US would say is “we don’t provide anything for weather delays.” I totally understand that, my overnight delay was not due to weather, it was due to someone’s error. Our confirmed flight that we had boarding passes for left without us on it.
Was I just in the wrong place at the wrong time? I felt we received NO service from either airline. Needless to say, I was (and still am) a little hot under the collar about this.