Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Air Canada | Aeroplan
Reload this Page >

Removed from Plane on Oversold Flight - Options? Codeshare operated by Canada Air

Removed from Plane on Oversold Flight - Options? Codeshare operated by Canada Air

Old Aug 14, 2017, 8:17 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 11
Removed from Plane on Oversold Flight - Options? Codeshare operated by Canada Air

I wanted to see what are my rights since over three weeks ago I was removed from the plane on a oversold flight since they booked me with someone else in the same seat on a flight from YYZ to IAD. I was asked to leave the plane on a paid ticket with Canada Air since I was told that all seats bought from them are given priority over folks that bought tickets from United. My ticket was bought from United at full fare. I ended up getting home hours after originally scheduled (not to weather, maintenance, etc..) but due to a oversold flight. Canada Air kept knowing it was United's problem to fix.

Since I bought my ticket from United I contacted them which was very painful and they did put me on a later flight but kept blaming me at the airport from everything to showing up late (hour early) to not checking in (not possible to get on the plane) and not having a paid ticket (just look it up). I was asked to reach out to Customer Care and three weeks later still no response. I am "United Gold" which I know isn't huge but still thought it was somewhat of status. I thought knowing the sensitivity of the PR nightmare a couple of weeks ago they would at least address something back to me especially with the new customer promise. Same problem when they asked my kid to remove his harness which was against FAA rules since as the flight attendant noted United rules trump the FAA.

Do I have any rights since it did cost me from getting home on time for no other reason than an oversold flight. No one was even asked if they were willing to take a later flight for compensation. Help? Just sad!

Last edited by iaddca2011; Aug 14, 2017 at 8:34 pm
iaddca2011 is offline  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 8:27 pm
  #2  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,284
I'm not quite sure I follow the story.. you had a ticket sold by United (016) for travel on Air Canada? You were traveling from Toronto (YYZ) to Washington Dulles (IAD). After having boarded the Air Canada flight, you were informed that the flight was oversold and you would be required to deplane. Having done so, you contacted United (by phone?) and were rebooked on a later YYZ-IAD flight (on what carrier?) and found the process painful.

Yes?

If so, then it should have been Air Canada who rebooked you and handled the situation. Your recourse for the IDB would be against Air Canada and under Canadian law, neither of which I am particularly familiar with. UA acted as little more than your travel agent in this situation.
findark is offline  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 8:34 pm
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 11
Thank you for your response and that was correct it was a United ticket but a Air Canada flight. I was deplaned but Air Canada kept saying it was United (since the ticket was bought from them) to take care of the rebooking. I tried to take care of it in Toronto first with Air Canada and than United but since no one would take care of it in-person. United finally took care of a later flight via the phone and said my recourse was United Customer Care which has been silent since.

I partly been going through United since they were the ones I booked with and have status. It sounds like that is incorrect and I should contact Air Canada right away.
iaddca2011 is offline  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 8:34 pm
  #4  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.99MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,425
The operating carrier is the responsible party -- who sold the ticket is of no importance. If the flight departure was in Canada, it will be governed by the regulations of Canada (even if it had been operated by UA which it appears it was not).

So neither UA or the US DOT regulations apply.

===
Moderator Hat on

Will be glad to move this to the AC forum for you.

WineCountryUA
UA coModerator
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 8:39 pm
  #5  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 11
Good to know since Air Canada was quick to say it wasn't their fault. If you can move over to Air Canada forum would be appreciated!
iaddca2011 is offline  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 9:04 pm
  #6  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,153
Don't DOT rules not apply for Canada to US flights with respect to IDB?

I'd verify that, then submit a DOT complaint.

As for the post, I have two comments.

1. "full fare" probably doesn't mean what you think it means, and would likely have made a huge difference in a denied boarding situation
2. How the heck did two people board with the same seat?
canadiancow is online now  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 9:31 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: YYZ/YUL
Programs: UA 1K, AC nadda, DL, WS-Nadda
Posts: 1,476
Originally Posted by iaddca2011
Thank you for your response and that was correct it was a United ticket but a Air Canada flight. I was deplaned but Air Canada kept saying it was United (since the ticket was bought from them) to take care of the rebooking. I tried to take care of it in Toronto first with Air Canada and than United but since no one would take care of it in-person. United finally took care of a later flight via the phone and said my recourse was United Customer Care which has been silent since.

I partly been going through United since they were the ones I booked with and have status. It sounds like that is incorrect and I should contact Air Canada right away.
Regardless of who you bought the ticket from you had a right to a seat on that air plane. If AC took you off the flight they have to compensate you.
There is no shade of grey. As for UA tickets being less valuable that's nonsense.

You should contact the CTC and file a complaint. Not sure they would be impressed with what happened. Your battle is not with UA but AC. AC dumped you back on to UA because they were too lazy to deal with you knowing that UA would. UA staff in YYZ is all contract who work for ATS, which made the lowest bid for UA's handling after UA fired their local workforce. So their ability to help you was limited.

You could go to the media. Sophia Harris at the CBC has been writing about their customer service transgressions for a while, might be worth dropping her a line.
yul36 is offline  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 9:32 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: AC SE100k, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver
Posts: 2,644
United is having pax removed from planes of other airlines now.

Nazdoom likes this.
Diabeetus is offline  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 9:36 pm
  #9  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: sqrt(-united states of apologist)
Programs: *$ Green
Posts: 5,403
Originally Posted by canadiancow
Don't DOT rules not apply for Canada to US flights with respect to IDB?

I'd verify that, then submit a DOT complaint.

As for the post, I have two comments.

1. "full fare" probably doesn't mean what you think it means, and would likely have made a huge difference in a denied boarding situation
2. How the heck did two people board with the same seat?
Not surprised. Wouldn't be the first time we hear about double seating issues found out on board.

The more I hear stories like this (double seating, missing from waitlists, coupon errors, etc), the more I feel like the DCS is an incredible "weak" system. Wasn't there a case recently on FT of someone boarding the flight with an invalid BP?
SparseFlyer is offline  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 9:58 pm
  #10  
Marriott Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: San Clemente, CA
Posts: 165
I found this, I hope it helps in terms of what you should have been offered in compensation.

http://dcta.boardingarea.com/2014/12...nied-boarding/
Martina70 is offline  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 10:00 pm
  #11  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,730
Looks like a poorly described case of IDB?

With additionally some BS having been served to the OP?

Although a ticketing issue might also be a possiibility?
Stranger is offline  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 10:29 pm
  #12  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,153
Originally Posted by SparseFlyer
Not surprised. Wouldn't be the first time we hear about double seating issues found out on board.

The more I hear stories like this (double seating, missing from waitlists, coupon errors, etc), the more I feel like the DCS is an incredible "weak" system. Wasn't there a case recently on FT of someone boarding the flight with an invalid BP?
I feel like the whole concept of a separate DCS and reservation system dates back to a time when airports couldn't possibly stay synced with headquarters.

You know, before the internet.

Most double seating issues I've read about are due to someone being unknowingly upgraded or offloaded.

Clearly it wasn't the former here.
canadiancow is online now  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 10:48 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: sqrt(-united states of apologist)
Programs: *$ Green
Posts: 5,403
Originally Posted by canadiancow
I feel like the whole concept of a separate DCS and reservation system dates back to a time when airports couldn't possibly stay synced with headquarters.

You know, before the internet.

Most double seating issues I've read about are due to someone being unknowingly upgraded or offloaded.

Clearly it wasn't the former here.
Do you know if each airline have their own DCS? Or is it some kind of shared system between airlines and airports?

​​​​​​
SparseFlyer is offline  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 10:53 pm
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
Posts: 9,684
What was the plane type? The fact you were boarded and then removed makes me think there was a Wright restriction. There may be an entirely set of rules that govern that, and the "United ticket" being less valuable MAY be, based on whatever method AC uses to deplane on a capacity reduction, their method of prioritizing the reverse order of removal.

Did they replace you in your seat with another passenger, or did the plane leave under the seating capacity due to a weight restriction?
fastair is online now  
Old Aug 14, 2017, 11:09 pm
  #15  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,153
Originally Posted by SparseFlyer
Do you know if each airline have their own DCS? Or is it some kind of shared system between airlines and airports?

​​​​​​
Each has their own, though some airlines buy the same system as other airlines.
canadiancow is online now  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.