Hi guys:
Have a really disappointing incident that occurred. I booked an award ticket for my elderly grandmother 6 months in advance thru UA awards. I reconfirmed with Qatar to request a wheelchair etc.. 1 week before departure. Booking was intact, seat was assigned. When I arrived at the airport (2 hours before departure) I was told that she was on standby and she would be assigned a business class seat at the gate. I asked why that was the case since she had a confirmed ticket in business. Then they admitted that the flight was overbooked by 2 seats. They offered economy but I declined stating that she was ticketed/confirmed in business and that the overbooking was there problem. Then the agents started to intimidate me stating that UA flight was invalidly reissued (for which I responded, why were you willing to fly her on standby in business in the first place). I called United and they said that her ticket was completely valid (I also had a valid Qatar record locator). I didn't accept the downgrade to economy because the business class seat was actually something she needed given her age. I am extremely disappointed with their tactics. Not only did they not follow the DoT rules on overbooking of flights (they were suppose to give a written statement, ask for volunteers to give up their seats, and then offer compensation) they did not even offer to provide any alternate transportation. For this instance it was important that I got the same class of service I booked given the circumstances. Overall really disappointed and irate. Honestly couldn't sleep because of this issue. Essentially they bumped and offered to downgrade a passenger but did not provide the criteria to do so or follow the proper DoT rules. I sense it was because it was an award ticket vs revenue and that corporate HQ might have told them to make that decision. The argument of discrimination could be made given they didn't follow Dot procedures since both my grandmother and other passengers were "similarly situated" as ticketed passengers. And by not following the DoT rules they singled her out because it was an award ticket. I will likely consider legal options but really disappointed with them overall.