US Airways Dividend Miles - Caught in No Man's Land

I booked a flight using US Air miles from IAD to Auckland. The IAD to LAX flight (on United) recently changed to an arrival time of 8:26 PM. The LAX to Auckland section (on Air New Zealand) is set to depart at 10:30 PM. I basically have to get off the United flight (terminal 6 or 7), get over to terminal 2, go through security, and board my flight. The short connection time is causing me some concern, especially given that that it's LAX and the Auckland flight is the last of the day.

The problem is that I'm not getting any help from either US Airways or United to get on an earlier flight (even though my flight is already full and earlier flights have plenty of seats). None of the earlier flights have award seats available and my connection time change is not within the 2 hours period that would legally require the airlines to move me to an earlier flight. (I missed the cutoff by 4 minutes.)

I have two questions:
(1) If I show up early and obtain my tickets at the US Airways reservation desk, is there anyway at that point to get on an earlier United flight to LAX? I would like to be able to be able to do so at the time I obtain my tickets so that my check in bags are on the same flight?

(2) The IAD-LAX flight times actually changed twice. The first change resulted in a connection of less than two hours (1 hour, 55 minutes I believe), which would have required the airline to change me to an earlier flight. However, the second change resulted in an 2 hour 4 minute connection time. (I need to double check but I don't believe the departure times changed) Is there somebody at the airline or elsewhere I can complain to about this?

2 hours should be enough time to change terminals at LAX as long as you can check your baggage all the way through (which you should be able to do). However, I understand your concern. If your UA flight is late more than a few minutes, and you hit a security snag at T-2, you will be hosed.

I would not leave this to chance at the airport the day of your flight. I suggest you call back and ask to speak to a supervisor. Hopefully you will get someone in a U.S. call center and not an off-shore call center. A supervisor should have the authority to switch you to an earlier flight, especially if you explain that the connection requires you to switch terminals landside and re-clear security.

If that does not work, begin an e-mail trail by doing the on-line web chat, and printing out a copy of the chat in case you need to produce it as "evidence" should your connection get busted.

And don't forget that you can also check every day to see if any new seats have opened up on any earlier flights.

I think the buzzword to use in this case is "Involutary Re-Route" as that is what happened to you. When this has happened to me in the past they seem to break all the rules to make sure things are ok. I would probably talk to United to see if they can do anything for you as that is the carrier you have a ticket on. Tell them you were "involuntarily re-routed" and are now getting into LAX with less time then your comfortable with on an international voyage and was wondering if you can hop on an earlier flight to make sure nothing goes wrong. I wouldn't even mention the reward ticket part of it, let them figure that out for themselves and see if it matters. It should be irrelevant in an Invol Re-route case.

Sean

Unless you're stuck on LAX for some reason, there's also a flight from SFO - see if you can be rerouted that way - if they can't get you IAD-LAX earlier maybe IAD-SFO will have more availability. SFO may be a better airport to connect in too.

Thanks all for help.

SS255 - I talked to a US Airways supervisor who was very unhelpful. I will try to see if I can talk to a United supervisor. I will also try the on-line chat route.

The irony of this whole thing is that my IAD-LAX flight is fully booked (and thus possibly overbooked by the time I arrive at the airport.) The earlier flights on each have 30-35 open seats. Changing flights would open up a full fare seat for United.

My guess is that part of the problem is that if my flight is changed, the seat I'm giving up will remain an award seat and thus cannot be sold as a full-priced seat.

stiphy - Unfortunately neither US Air nor United seems to be willing to break any rules for me. Every time I call, they pick up on the fact that it's a frequest flyer award and basically say there are no award seats on earlier flights and that legally they (US Airway supervisor's words) are under no obligation to accommodate me if the connection time is over 2 hours.

BostonMark - no go. Again no award seats available on that flight.

It is somewhat comical (unless I'm spending the night at LAX at which point it no longer will be comical) but the first change in flight times resulted in a layover of 1 hours 58 minutes (and thus the airlines would have been legally required to put me on an earlier flight). However, I didn't catch this in time before the second change, which resulted in a layover of 2 hours 4 minutes. I guess those 6 extra minutes are the key to making a connection.

arent you able to get this rebooked on a different route once they changed the times? i think you could try that SFO route if there was an award seat available. they made the change, it does not mean you have to live with it though. sounds like you have to at least try it though, it is over 2 hours, so really should be ok....but i see your point of view...just freaking work with the customers US!

arent you able to get this rebooked on a different route once they changed the times? i think you could try that SFO route if there was an award seat available. they made the change, it does not mean you have to live with it though. sounds like you have to at least try it though, it is over 2 hours, so really should be ok....but i see your point of view...just freaking work with the customers US!
See....that would make too much sense. US isnt allowed to make sense :D

Actually, when US books a United award under *A, they have to follow United's rules and don't control the ticket - they just are the booking agent. So I can't really say I blame US - but they SHOULD be giving you better customer service or at least being polite when they tell you no.

Given that I've had the pleasure of a 25 min UAX to US Remote T-6 to T-1 connection at LAX (and made it), I feel at least some of your pain. However, you still have a legal connection at LAX. You also haven't mentioned what your original connecting time was.

My personal advice would be to show-up on the day of the flight, go to UA and ask to get on an earlier domestic flight. This isn't always "possible" with an international flight, but the airport seems to have the control to make it happen. They'd rather bend a rule for you than deal with bumped angry passengers down the line - but that passenger won't ever touch the phone rep, so they're less inclined to do the same.

Given that I've had the pleasure of a 25 min UAX to US Remote T-6 to T-1 connection at LAX (and made it), I feel at least some of your pain.

If you're a brisk walker, sometimes it's actually faster to walk from T-6/T-7 to T-1 than to take the shuttle.

It is only about a 5 to 8 minute walk from Terminal 7 to Terminal 2, probably less than 1000 feet straight across the parking lot. Much quicker than taking the A bus. Watch out for cars.

Thanks SS255 and bakoboy - I will hoof it if necessary at LAX.

McFlyPHL - If all else fails (which I think it will) I will show up early at IAD and talk to a United rep. Your probably right that the airport reps have more power to do something about it, especially if it does end up being an overbooked flight.

Any word on what the security lines are like at LAX? I've never actually had to go through one there.

Thanks SS255 and bakoboy - I will hoof it if necessary at LAX...


Any word on what the security lines are like at LAX? I've never actually had to go through one there.

If you're going to hoof it, you're best off going to the departures level, since it is apt to be less crowded than arrivals at that time of the day. The throngs of people can really slow you down!

I have never encountered a long security line at T-2, but then again, I usually go through the line early in the morning, or in the afternoon. I'm not sure how it is before the evening transpacific departures. Maybe someone else who has experience can offer better information.

It is only about a 5 to 8 minute walk from Terminal 7 to Terminal 2, probably less than 1000 feet straight across the parking lot. Much quicker than taking the A bus. Watch out for cars.

Oh, yes... it's kind of like playing frogger with a carry on and a top coat. At least if I didn't make it, I was well dressed. :D

As another thought, would it be possible for the OP to walk from T-6 to an area that would allow the bus to the Eagle remote gates (can't remember if it goes from DL/CO gates in T-5 to the "shed", but there's a bus from the "shed" to T-2 - all behind security.

Thanks again to everybody for their help on this.

To bring some closure (and an interesting twist), my flight from IAD went smoothly, I arrived at LAX on schedule, walked quickly over to the Air New Zealand terminal, got in line to pick up my ticket . . . and found out that my flight to Auckland was cancelled due to mechanical problems. So my worst fears were realized based on entirely different circumstances.

I ended up waiting in line for 2 1/2 hours Friday night to reserve a new flight and was forced to stay (at Air New Zealand's expense) at a hotel in LA for a night. The worst part was that the next day when I call United to confirm a seat assignment (my new flight arrangements included a United flight to Sydney, followed by an Air New Zealand flight to Christchurch, then Christchurch to Nelson) the United representative could not find my new reservation. I spent two hours on the phone while United, US Air and Air New Zealand came to some agreement as to what my new flight plans were. (The new flight plan by the way changed at this point to a domestic United flight to SFO, followed by a Air New Zealand flight to Auckland and then Nelson.)

When I arrived at LAX (very early) on Saturdy the Air New Zealand representative was able to again change my flight plans for an LAX-Auckland flight, followed by a flight to Nelson.

The lessons learned? Several:

(1) Try to limit the number of airlines involved. My travel plans included a frequent flyer award on US Airways, a domestic flight on United and an international flight on Air New Zealand. I ended up having to deal with three different airlines when trying to reschedule my flight arrangement.

(2) Don't discount the human element. I was forced to wait for two hours on the phone while the United representative worked with US Air and Air New Zealand to figure how to get me on my way. The United representative at one point (after 1 1/2 hours of me waiting on the phone) told me that her supervisor said this was something that US Air needed to figure out since I was using a USAir ff award. However the United rep could tell I was at the end of my rope and instead to disassociating herself from the situation she instead brought in a different United rep to help resolve the situation. (Whoever you are Ms. United Representative, I thank you from the bottom of my heart).

In addition, once I showed up early at the Air New Zealand desk at LAX, somebody there was able to help me reserve an even better flight arrangement. I seriously doubt I would have been able to get this better arrangement if I had waited until later in the day.

(3) Go with the flow. The end result of all this was that my vacation was delayed 24 hours. For a three week vacation to a wonderful country such as New Zealand, the delay ended up only being a minor setback.

Completely out of curiosity, were you flying Y or C on the international segment?

Thanks for the update.

Coming in late on this one, but here's my 2 cents:

I doubt if your being an award ticket mattered so far as the uncooperative service in accommodating you. I had a coach ticket PIT-MAD a couple of years back on US. They did a schedule change that allowed only about 45 minutes to make my PHL connection. I knew THAT was ridiculous. But when I called, the south Asian call center people refused to do anything. They kept saying they had to charge a change fee, and seemed completely unconcerned that US had made a schedule change. I can't even tell you how many hours I spent on this, talking to multiple supervisors, etc. Then they told me, OK, call this other number and they could change me to an earlier PIT-PHL flight. The people there said no way. Called back. Etc. This went on for days.

Anyhow, I FINALLY got them to change my flight, and a good thing, because it took me at least 30 minutes to schlepp over to the PHL-MAD gate.

The happy ending? While I was waiting there right near the desk, (quietly) jabbering on the phone to a friend, a GA came over and asked if I was traveling alone (I was) and then to see my boarding pass. When she gave it back, I was moved to business. Yee-ha!

I'm going to have to admit my ignorance and say I don't know what Y or C class stand for. My ff award ticket was in coach if that helps.

...The lessons learned? Several:
(1) Try to limit the number of airlines involved....
(2) Don't discount the human element....
(3) Go with the flow....

Thanks, DC_flyer, for the follow-up and the tips you provide. Happy to hear all worked out well in the end!

Comments to above:

1) It's wonderful and all to fly partner airlines (especially when they have availability!) on US awards, and 99% of the time all goes well, but if problems happen, US as the booking agent has more flexibility to help a traveler if it is a US award on US metal;

2) Human element...isn't is wonderful there are still kind agents around? ^. When stuck, pleading your case in person at the airport, showing the depth of your sincerity and the fix you're in, has also been known to work wonders...

3) Spoken like a true FF! Stuff happens, and we take it all in stride. And, BTW, having visited New Zealand recently, I can well understand your fondness for that lovely country ;)

I'm going to have to admit my ignorance and say I don't know what Y or C class stand for. My ff award ticket was in coach if that helps.


Y = Coach Class
C = Business Class

As another thought, would it be possible for the OP to walk from T-6 to an area that would allow the bus to the Eagle remote gates (can't remember if it goes from DL/CO gates in T-5 to the "shed", but there's a bus from the "shed" to T-2 - all behind security.

There is a shuttle bus at T-6 from the CO gate. Unfortunately, this requires a (refundable) CO coded AE operated flight. The easier route is to walk the tunnel to T5 then hop on the AE shuttle with a (refundable) $130 LAX-LAS AE ticket. Upon arrival at the AE terminal, make a U-turn and hop the bus for a ride to T2. Incidentally, the only terminal not served by the AE bus is T1 which US & WN share.

Frankly, I'm just impressed that you were able to score an award ticket on NZ! I'm sorry that you lost a day there, but I'm glad that your travel plans mostly worked out in the end.

Originally Posted by kudzu

And, BTW, having visited New Zealand recently, I can well understand your fondness for that lovely country.

Amen to that. I would go back in a heartbeat.