My flight last night ATL-GSP went mechanical and got canceled. One of my students was on the same flight and we shared stories after class this afternoon.

Freshman: non-medallion in coach
Confirmed 9:40am flight next morning
$16 meal voucher
Hotel Voucher @ Marriott


Professor: Diamond-medallion in first
Confirmed 7:15pm flight next evening
$22 meal voucher
Hotel Voucher @ Clarion, (a real dump, they wrapped the sofa cushions in a pillowcase and plopped them on the bed)

At least I got more meal vouchers.

It was probably my fault. The instant the flight got canceled I was on the phone with the diamond line and the agent put me on hold for a long time while she tried to SDC me onto the 9:55pm flight that evening. That didn't work out. In the meantime the other pax who went to the rebooking counter took all the confirmed seats on earlier flights. Then I hung out in the skyclub to watch the end of the Jets-Steelers game. By the time I picked up the hotel voucher all the good hotels had been booked.

In the end I was standby on the 11am flight, which after a couple more calls to the diamond line, they turned it into a SDC.

The lesson from my lecture today is that when you call the diamond medallion line in a rebooking situation, get the confirmed seat first, and then try for the SDC.