Thank you for all your responses. Below are the answers to some of your questions.
Originally Posted by
SunLover
Was weather involved at origin and/or destination; i.e. bad weather and a decreasing travel window, therefore UX rushed everyone on the bird for takeoff?
SL
No weather at all. Moreover, the plane sat on the tarmac for a while after departure, I could see it from the gate.
OP should complain to UA as he was available in the gate area 15 minutes prior to departure and checked in 30 minutes prior to departure. That seems to be all the UA CoC requires of passengers.
Thank you Ari!
Originally Posted by
Often1
OP -
First, details matter. What was the airport, what was the date, what was the flight number and, if you know, what was the aircraft type? Were you rerouted? If so, when? Did anybody else from UA say anything? That information can help to provide you with better advice.
Second, UA requires that you be at the gate by T-15. Presumably UA's own records will show that you were off-loaded prior to that. Don't worry so much about video and all that stuff, every key stroke typed by an agent is logged and time-stamped.
Third, DOT rules would provide involuntary denied boarding compensation of as much as 400% of the ticket segment price capped at $1,350, if you were off-loaded due to an oversell, the aircraft meets certain capacity requirements, the delay occasioned by the denial meets certain minimum requirements, and there are no other exemptions. If the DOT rule does not apply, there is zero sense in a DOT complaint.
There may be some point in a complaint to UA as the timing is odd. But, again, the detailed facts really matter here. Without them, the advice is speculative and, as you can see from some of what you've got above, pretty useless.
Flight number was 6311. It was a non-stop flight. It was the last flight of the day. It was sold out as was the other flight early in the morning. I'm guessing the GA just wanted to get it done and didn't care. I called the premier line right away and they refunded my ticket as it was still >15 mins before departure. They couldn't do any Idb compensation though and Told me to write feedback on UA's website.
Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
OP should note how DOT defines an IDB. It's not just a matter of not being allowed to board the plane.
Originally Posted by
fly18725
The check in time is yet to be confirmed. Even if the OP checked in online and did not arrive at the airport and begin to clear security until T25, the OP did not meet the minimum check in time.
I checked in in the morning, several hours before departure time. Was at the airport 31 mins before departure and at the gate 21 mins before departure with only a carry on.