Originally Posted by mgchan

I had a trip booked with miles (economy saver one way, standard the way back) for a trip CLD-LAX-ASE and back. Our flight to ASE was diverted to Grand Junction due to limited visibility and United has offered 3k miles, a $75 voucher, or 10% off certificate for customer appreciation. That was an unexpected surprise, since it certainly wasn't their fault for the visibility issue.

Presumably you were transported to ASE by bus from GJT arriving about thee hours late?

Some nights five aeroplanes are parked at the aerodrome for the first flights out in the morning. United 'planned' to use the one from LAX as your aeroplane back to LAX to following morning. One of the five overnight parked aeroplanes (from ORD) did not get in and was diverted to DEN.

Why did United choose to re arrange the planned aircraft?
1) The crew who flew in from LAX successfully the previous evening might not have been the crew scheduled to fly to LAX on your flight to following morning - that well may have been the crew coming in from ORD who were diverted to DEN.
2) Further down the line, commandeering 'your' aeroplane might have resulted in less displaced passengers overall (not just in Aspen but the whole day's schedule) - so that might have been considered as well.

I am sure this cancellation was not deliberately done to inconvenience you and there are many factors at play that we know nothing about. ASE is an aerodrome with unique difficulties at 8,000 feet bordering onto the Buttermilk Ski Area closer to the slopes and chairlifts than any other commercial landing site in the world. After witnessing last month’s unsuccessful fatal landing I applaud the UAX crews who make the unpopular decision to divert.


tl;dr version: do I have any claim to compensation of some sort if my flight is canceled due to the expected aircraft being used for another flight, even if United is blaming the weather? Or would I be pushing a boulder up a hill if I file some kind of claim or complaint? Does UA tend to stick to its guns saying the weather ultimately affected them which is the root of our flight being canceled?