Originally Posted by
d3van
I did ask UA if they could help me out, but they can't do anything unless AC endorses the ticket back over to them. Upon questioning if AC did that, the RCC agent said she didn't have any open flights until the afternoon anyways, and then I would have to catch the 7pm flight to YVR from ORD. Wasn't going to help me either.
And if you are thinking I am stressed out, I am not. I was just frustrated by the lack of help being provided by AC, and wanted to share my story. I was calm the entire time. ^
Apparently, its a myth that AC "has to" endorse the ticket over to UA in order for them to accept it. There was a thread on this in the UA forum a few weeks ago, with employees confirming that, UA, or any airline, really, could choose to take a ticket from another carrier (at least in NA, I think), and submit to ARC for reimbursement from the airline originally scheduled. Of course, that doesn't mean UA "has to" accept the ticket, but they can.
Also, over in teh NW forum, there should be threads on a program they used to have (can't recall what it is called) where they would voluntarily take other airlines tickets, particularly in these kinds of situations, simply as a kind of a marketing program to get a pax to experience NW, and of course, create goodwill with the hope next time they would buy a ticket with them.