HNLbasedFlyer

Mistakes happen - I'd rather de-board and re-board for security reasons if there was doubt who was on the plane. We don't live in a perfect world.

COSPILOT

If memory serves, the Captain isn't likely to be reimbursed for this. I suggest a huge thank you. We need more guys/gals like this if you ask me, but with support from corporate.

boss315

He should get the Nobel peace prize for this as UA will never reimburse him for this!

weirdlyndon

Incorrect. Most pilots are allowed to submit expense reports for service recovery gestures like this and get reimbursed. Still, a very nice gesture on the captain's part.

Exleftseat

UA 273 LAX-SFO now delayed already for 2 1/2 hours due to "late inbound arrival". Hoping for the best to catch my HKG flight, looks tight.

COSPILOT

Good to know, thank you for the correction.

tom911

Did UA move you to a different flight or competitor to SFO? Looks like 273 took a 4.5 hour delay (2:54 arrival) and the 1:25 HKG flight departed at 1:52p.m.

Exleftseat

We boarded UA 273 around 11:00, it was scheduled to leave 11:13. By now the flight was half empty since most China and Japan bound pax had been accommodated out of LAX on competitor's flight. The lounge agent assured me that there was no need to put me on an earlier flight, they would both leave the same time. We sat down in the plane and waited. After 20 minutes the gate agent handed out new boarding passes to some of us, upgrade to the front. At 12:00 p.m. the Captain packed his bags, put on his jacket and disappeared. We were told that he refused to fly the plane. We received no updates, people left the plane complaining about the lack of updates. I had called the 1K line and all they were able to do was an offer to put us on an 11:00 p.m. flight to EWR and to HKG the next day. I was scheduled to be in Hong Kong for two days only, so in the end UA offered to cancel the flight. Just when we left the plane around 12:15, the gate agent entered and ordered everyone off the plane. He said they were looking for a pilot but had no success yet. This is just plain horrible. Seems the flight finally left at 1:30. I have tons of extra expenses now with hotels here, one way car rental etc., let alone a $ 600.00 bill from the Marriott Hong Kong. And of course 40,000 RDM lost. From what I read in the past there is not much hope for any compensation. This now is the third time in three weeks that we got stranded due to irrops, although this one was the worst.

tom911

I had looked when you originally posted and saw a 1030 AA flight with plenty of seats, but by that time you wouldn't have made it, and it sounds like UA wouldn't move you to it anyway in light of their expected arrival before the SFO-HKG back at that time. Sorry to read this trip has fallen apart for you and hope you have some chance of having Marriott, at the very least, make you whole if you can't get there. I've had success with non-Marriott chains twice before when I couldn't make a prepaid booking, but those were weather related issues that stranded me in other cities. Best of luck in sorting this all out.

As much as I see folks on FT mention travel insurance, you surely want to check if any of the credit cards used for this trip might have some coverage. If you're like me, you don't have a separate travel insurance policy.

Exleftseat

The agent in the lounge keep assuring me that I would make it, although the incoming flight kept creeping up every fifteen minutes or so. First we were supposed to leave at 10:15, then 10:30 and so on. I kept getting e-mails from UA.com advising me of changed departure times. But that stopped with the final message that it would leave at 11:13. The 1K line said they couldn't do anything "yet" since it looked I would still making it. When it was too late the curtain closed. I wonder why that Captain called it quits. The Co-Pilot just kept shaking his head.
As far as the Marriott is concerned they have asked me to substantiate my story and they are requesting a note from United. Wonder if I will be successful in getting someone at United to come up with something.
I used the "old" formerly Continental Presidential Master Card, have to see if they cover anything.

airplanegod

I guess my question is, WHY do you continue to use United when they treat you like this?

Exleftseat

Funny, that you ask this. This trip was to be our last one on UA and net us another 40,000 miles before the new rules come in effect. Didn't work out, so now we are done a bit early and ending the relationship on a sour note.

WineCountryUA

try this

JVPhoto

UA559 2/6 LGA-IAH 5:45am boarded and pushed back on time. Sat for about 10-12 min (blocking 3 planes behind us) because something about air pressure/compressor wouldn't get the engines to start.
Few more minutes then got towed to the gate where the "air truck" would come and try to start the one engine. 10 min lots of noise no success. Mechanics come on and eventually we got on our way leaving at about 7:05.
Was only 3:10 to IAH so I still had an hour to get to my SJD flight but I was worried that I would be spending the night in Houston waiting for the morning flight because if I missed this one I couldn't figure out a way to get there today.

Exleftseat

Thank you so much. This will be very helpful.