Soccerdad1995

I think you are missing the point. Yes, UA is not legally required to provide IDB comp in this situation. And that is exactly why a DOT complaint should be filed. Because IMHO, UA should be required to pay if they swap out aircraft in most cases.

Cargojon

Out of 15 people, you as a Gold got booted? Wow, I would have torn my MP to shreds right there in front of the GA. On what basis did they decide who got the boot?

kluever

I didn't suggest the BUF routing. The gate agent told me I could either go to BUF, PIT(!!), or CLE(!!) that evening, or otherwise wait until 9pm the following night to get to ROC (and my return from ROC-EWR was at 6pm the following day, so that wouldn't work for obvious reasons). I had meetings in Rochester the following day starting at 8am, so the only real option for me was to take the BUF flight. There were 14 other angry people behind me in line (some of them on the phone), and only 2 seats left on the BUF flight, so I really didn't have much time to argue for more compensation. Truly between a rock and a hard place.

So in the end, I ended up with a $300 voucher, 2500 miles, and a $200, 80 minute taxi ride.

I have no idea how they selected people to bump. I was also on a fairly expensive ticket: ~$450 roundtrip or so (U fare for EWR-ROC and H fare for ROC-EWR). Given I'm "only" gold, I wouldn't be too surprised if there were a bunch of folks with higher status than I (given that it was originating at EWR).

fastair

That's like complaining to the police that a law isn't a law. How about legislators instead of enforcement officials. (I realize the DoT does have certain legislative abilities, but changes to policies like this usually start with congress and pressure from lobbying vs complaints to an agency whose job is to enforce rules that already exist, not to regulate where rules don't exist or the rules specifically allow what you wish them to not allow.)

Sykes

Here, the DOT wrote the regulations, so your statement is completely off-base.

JBord

Wow. I would have taken it too. At the least, UA ought to reimburse you for the taxi. Hopefully they do. I think I would have had a tough time not telling them where to stick their 2500 miles, and I'm a patient person.

I assume options to ROC were limited or non-existent on other airlines too.

Kacee

Yup. They get to interpret them, too.

If someone were to complain to DOT about this, theoretically the airline would be required to show that substitution of a smaller aircraft was "required" for operational reasons.

If UA mishandled the rebooking, and in particular, failed to get OP to his final, ticketed destination, that would appear to be a separate basis for a DOT complaint.

UA hardly handled this situation in exemplary fashion.

PV_Premier

did you ask the GA to look at OAL routings, eg, via DTW or ex-LGA on DL?

in this case, OAL accommodation would certainly be warranted, but if you just stood by and accepted what they offered on UA metal without challenge, this was a bit of a making of your own problem...

you should have also demanded ground transit voucher at the time of accepting the BUF routing, a service director at EWR would be empowered to provide this

JBord

If UA reimburses for the taxi, does that solve the destination issue for them? At least a back door for them to get out of trouble?

I stayed silent on the DOT complaint, because I was thinking this was really the issue and wasn't certain if the OP had worked out the reimbursement.

kluever

I asked the gate agent if UA would cover the ground transportation costs, and the he said that they don't do that. I didn't have time to escalate because there were 14 angry people behind me and 2 seats left on the last flight of the night to BUF.

My original fight, UA 4853 (EWR-ROC) was scheduled to depart at 9:35pm. There aren't any other options, even on other airlines, that would get me there that evening from EWR. There definitely wasn't enough time to get from EWR to either LGA for the 9:59pm (DL) or JFK for the 10:40pm (B6). I guess you could say it's my fault for booking the last flight of the day and assuming UA wouldn't screw me over.

Kacee

Well I think the obligation is to get the pax to the ticketed destination, so if they had given him a voucher, that would have satisfied their obligation.

But they didn't do that so we're now in the realm of customer service recovery.

(Although it could be argued that the pax accepted an alternate itinerary, thus relieving UA of its obligations. The issue I would raise is whether OP was basically forced through poor cs to accept an objectively unreasonable "resolution." That would be a practice DOT might want to hear about. Remember also that DOT records the complaint and transmits it to UA for follow-up regardless whether there's been a formal violation of DOT regs.)

JBord

You don't make record Q3 profits by getting people where they paid you to take them!

I'm joining the chorus for a DOT complaint here. You paid UA to get you to ROC and they didn't do it, and then tried to pay you off with a net $100 voucher and meaningless RDM's.

Just my opinion.

LaserSailor

One way car rental BUF-ROC under 100USD, even on Hertz...

kluever

I checked rental cars too. Hertz was sold out (you can call them if you don't believe me...it was last Thursday night). The only available options were $150.

You know, I could have walked from BUF to ROC for $0, or probably rented a bike for like $15. Forcing someone to rent a car and drive an hour because of a down-gauge isn't a valid option (plenty of people don't drive, can't drive, don't like driving @ night, etc).

I took the most reasonable option available given the circumstances.

astroflyer

I think that's a bit harsh. Reread the situation. Already quite late (9:35 PM), only one more flight that night, 14 people in line behind the OP, and a business meeting at 8 AM. Oh, and only 2 seats left on the BUF flight.

There are not a lot of options in that situations. If you make life difficult for a GA and get stuck waiting for a supervisor, you might find no seats available on the BUF flight. I think the OP did the right thing, taking the accommodation and complaining later. 2500 miles is pretty shabby. I think the OP is absolutely correct to write in and demand more compensation.

I'll also agree with the others that this is worth making a DOT complaint. If an airline subs out a smaller plane for any reason other than weather or FAA issues, I think it should be just like any other IDB. "Operational" reasons is such a weasel word.