If they attempted to check-in 1 hour before their domestic segment, your daughter and son-in-law were "Involuntarily Denied Boarding." They should use those exact buzzwords in their complaint because it entitles them to compensation.
They need to send an email to US Airways & cc: the US DOT.
[email protected]
[email protected]
The email needs to include all contact information, the names of both passengers, confirmation number, ticket numbers, flight numbers and dates of travel. (ticket number is optional, but it helps).
Write a
concise description of the problem, and demand the following compensation for each ticket:
either (their choice): Cash refund of the value of the ORD>PHL segment x 200%,
or a transferable voucher for one free roundtrip coach class ticket on US Airways within the continental United States
I didn't make this stuff up, see page 13 of US Airways
Contract of Carriage.
Considering the added expense and frustration associated with hauling themselves over to Midway, I'd include information about those costs (crosstown taxi + air fare), and indicate that receipts can be provided. I'd ask for reasonable compensation for these expenses.
US should respond within 30 days, if they do not, or if they offer anything less than the above, you should file a second complaint. It's my impression that sometimes if they've got a huge backlog of complaints to resolve, they just send out generic coupons. They're entitled to more than the standard "we goofed" compensation.