I am a UA 1K and took my first CO intercontinental flight this past week. I flew STL-IAH-GRU-SSA (last leg as a codeshare on JJ) on 3/11 on a full fare Y ticket.

My flight from STL-IAH was delayed about 40 minutes, leaving me 25 minutes to sprint from the B concourse to Gate E18 at IAH. I made it in time and boarded CO 93 for the IAH-GRU leg. We pushed back from the gate on time for the 9:05pm flight. We made it about 15 feet before the pilot makes an announcement that we have a mechanical problem with the plane. After about 90 minutes, he announces that the problem will require a more extensive fix and that all pax will need to deplane with carry-on luggage.

Those of us that were eligible waited out the delay at the Pres. Club in Concourse E. About 1:30 am, the concierge announced that they were ready for boarding. As we entered the plane, a GA handed each of us a Customer Care Kit, good for one free drink and 10% off future travel as our "COmpensation" for the delay. We were wheels-up at around 2:30am and deplaned in Sao Paulo around 3:30pm, five and a half hours later than scheduled.

I'm normally pretty easy going about these sort of things, but this delay cascaded into more fun. It caused me to miss my already rebooked connection GRU-SSA (2 hours delay at GRU for next flight). Then the new JJ flight was diverted to MCZ (Maceio) to wait out a repair to the weather station at SSA. This was another two hours on the tarmac at MCZ, a tarmac plane change, and another hour back to SSA. I eventually arrived in Salvador around midnight a beaten and exhausted man. The trip took 31 hours door-to-door including >20 hours BIS time in Y.

Anyway, a long story to get to my questions:

1) When I write CO to request compensation, what should I expect to receive in addition to my Customer Care kit (which frankly was more insulting than if we received nothing )?

I know UA has a reputation for being over generous with compensation (for now at least ), but as a comparison I had a similar situation in December on a UA flight AMS-ORD. We had a 4.5 hour delay due to a snowstorm in AMS. UA made all alcoholic beverages free to all pax once we took off. Upon landing, UA (unsolicited) directed all pax to a website where 12,500 miles or a 20% off e-cert for future travel was offered.

2) As a UA 1K whose status match has not processed yet for OnePass (still a OP GM for now), will I have better success trying to work this through the UA 1K desk vs the general CO customer service outlet(s)?

TIA for your help!

--Beer Me!