Originally Posted by
SmokeyTheBear
Booked a paid P (business/first) class CUN-BOS via EWR. Just checked my reservation and my 1B from CUN to EWR has now disappeared. Called UA and they said "sorry it's overbooked, I can't do anything. We can either reroute you via cleveland, but I can't give you a seat right now." I said no for the time being because it doesn't work too well for me. (and then I'm flying a CRJ....)
If UA involuntarily downgrades you to coach on a paid J fare, you should be able to get fairly generous compensation. (As a paid pax, I think you get even more than what's offered in GG OVS DOWNGRADE.)
Under the circumstances, UA should be willing to offer you any reasonable itinerary change you ask for. Check whether there's a CUN-IAH-BOS that would work for you or if there's a CUN-CLE-BOS that has a CLE-BOS mainline segment (usually one of the evening flights is mainline 737 equipment, may depend on the day of week).
Apropos of nothing, if you have a seat assignment on a flight, and you lose your seat assignment, and you are persistent in asking agents why you lost your seat, and they refuse to explain why or they give some reason that doesn't make a lot of sense, then your flight might have a federal air marshal aboard, in your former seat.
(Caveat that there are other reasons why you can lose a seat assignment — rumors of a "phantom equipment swap" where passengers get reshuffled randomly after UA's computer systems decide that an A320 has become an A319 and then change it back to an A320 minutes later, unseating and reseating all pax in the process. But these are rumors.)
If you end up traveling CUN-EWR as booked, for a good time, try winking knowingly at the pax in 1B. "I'm here to help, buddy!"