RangerNS

016 ticket, YHZ-EWR-ATL. United, being United, overbooked the entire Newark airport, so the first flight went from officially on time departure[1], with a late arrival, to a later arrival, to a later arrival, to not even taking off until 6 AM. Finally breaking down to using the phone, I call up UA and get rebooked on 619/7548 around 1655 local. Escorted out of US Preclearence because most of the GA's are occupied getting yelled at and/or begging people to return their duty free so everyone else can be escorted out of the US area.

Re-clear security (shoes on for DOM, yay!), head to the gate, but no A/C. Head upstairs[2] and power a couple of doubles into me[3]. See the A/C arrive directly below me, and head downstairs. The very nice concierge[4] waves me over and hands me something better than GTE, regular GA peon scans my passport.

Thunderstorms in Toronto! Yay! Departure delayed 1 hour. AC 7548? Not even EF[5] knows if it is also delayed. I now have -5 minutes to make that connection, which has been long enough in the past.

Back upstairs[2]. The [4] already helping someone else[6], but this is more important than sundries[7]. "Nothing else for Atlanta tonight". Duh, I knew that at noon, before I left the house. Secured on a backup at 0-dark-hundred out of YYZ, and Toronto black-suits[4] will get me a hotel room, if needed. To the bar! First: tomato impregnated olive oil bisque which someone thinks is salad! And FT!

To be continued...?

When in this saga did I become AC's problem? Should I have fired off an FYI to someone who is well overdue for a Booster Juice GC[9] at noon before I left the house when I was but 016 and UA confirmed? 1 when the GA pulled[1] on me?
Between then but before literally GoC[10] employees made me take off my shoes (compromising our sovereignty) ? At the first (actually, second) delay?

Should I hope that 7548 isn't delayed and AC needs to bill United because they overbook an entire airport?


[1] But I work at the airport: contract United TA claimed they were unable to rebook me on AC metal (via YYZ) when I checked in at around 1300.

[2] MLL[2.1]

[2.1] Maple Leaf Lounge

[3] no pickles or edamame, still the old coffee machine (only coffee remains), and standard issue cucumber flavored olive oil soup)

[4] Ball-washer, for any Lewis Black fans

[5] Expertflyer.com

[6] DYKWIA?

[7] Black. Johnny Walker Black

[8] Concierge[4]

[9] Gift card.

[10] Government of Canada

24left

@RangerNS

Awesome post!

I got distracted somewhere between yelling, begging, olive oil salad, working at the airport and Johnny Walker. Black.

Do we need to come rescue you?

canadiancow

What exactly is your question?

You became AC's problem when you were booked on them.

RangerNS

Then the question is when (if) did (has) that happened? I'm still on a 016 ticket. I expect, but am I entitled to, concierge service in Toronto [1]?

[1] who can take out an entire runway and still manage better OTA than EWR in the unexpected concept of "summer".

SparseFlyer

What cow said.

Once an airline books you on another, you are the new airline's problem unless the original airlines messed up your rebooking (like that other thread).

canadiancow

SEs flying on AC metal are entitled to concierge service.

Actually, according to the website, you don't even need to be flying AC metal. But I doubt they could do much to help you otherwise.

RangerNS

Update: this e190 is resting for a while on the deicing pads in Halifax waiting for Toronto to clear up.

What is Sunday night at the landing strip like?

Often1

To shorten this and make it useful:

1. You are the marketing (ticketing) carrier's problem until the day of travel.
2. On the day of travel, it is the operating carrier which causes a delay which has the duty to effect a service recovery, e.g. rebook you.

Additional services such as concierge, hotel rooms, and soup, are all according to the policies of the operating carrier on the day of travel.

In its simplest terms what UA did or did not do at EWR is irrelevant because AC never got you there. If UA operated all flights on schedule or cancelled them all, you might never know as you never got there to be dealt with.

Had AC got you to EWR on schedule, you would have then become UA's problem if its onward to ATL could not accommodate you. That is because UA was the operating carrier.

SparseFlyer

But, technically speaking, if AC cancels YYZEWR and UA cancels EWRATL, then both airlines could assist. Regardless of the fact that you got to EWR or not.

CZAMFlyer

Yes, but to be fair, there's no possible way such a scenario could have been envisioned when global airlines got together and formed an alliance.

Do I need a sarcasm icon for anybody here?

KenHamer

As soon as Air Canada becomes aware of you they consider you to be a problem.
​​​​​​​

MSPeconomist

If the OP used a travel agent or OLTA, he/she is their problem before the day of departure.

However, I don't understand why the OP wants to become a problem.

RangerNS

YYZ/EWR was a UA flight. As was the entire return, so I never considered contacting AC, at least until the first flight officially was delayed 15 hours. I see now o should have ignored the contract TA.

The YYZ/ATL flight happened to be delayed enough I could have made it... If the MURICAns worked past 9 on school nights. Which they don't.

YYZ Sheraton tonight. Critical question: whose dime?

canadiancow

What was the cause of the delay?

This is where I like having a credit card with trip delay insurance. Rather than trying to figure out which airline to go after, I just submit a claim.

RangerNS

Either weather in EWR or some VIP visiting their gilded tower in midtown and screwing up the most valuable airspace in the known universe. You think its possible to get something better than "ATC, hur dur" out of anyone?

Personally, I'm fine: it's business travel on my $799/year AMEX. My client would pay, my company would pay, AMEX would pay. It won't get as far as AMEX. I'm not home regardless, and my client doesn't seem the excited type. Hotels are hotels.

I hope UA pays for constantly overbooking EWR. I doubt I'll trigger an international incident over the emoluments clause, but that too would be nice.