Wow...talk about a chain reaction. Oddly entertaining, though, reading about the troubles of others...

Been awhile since I paid some dues like that. Earning your EQMs on packed, segment-heavy itins in coach exposes you to potential for stuff like that, and airlines now are much worse than they used to be about reaccommodation. Even when they don't try to stiff people on hotel vouchers there's an excellent chance they're understaffed or under-trained to handle it.

A long line at the service-center counter usually means another long line at the hotel. I tend to take it more cheerfully if I'm there because of a voluntary bump vs. there because of an airline problem for which there's no compensation.

BTW, UA has to be the most "playable" of the big U.S. airlines when it comes to being able to build bizarre itins and zig-zag all over the place (the .bomb notwithstanding). I guess it can be a double-edged sword.

Better luck on the next one! (Or at least, if you don't have, write about that one as well)