AS 155 delayed overnight in OME, No Lodging Provided
Mar 22, 2018, 12:12 pm
#1
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AS 155 delayed overnight in OME, No Lodging Provided
So on Tuesday evening, I got my MIL a ticket from ANC to Otz on AS 155, which stops in OME on the way.
So there was a mechanical issue in OME and the plan was unable to fly until 1pm (roughly 18 hours after arrival) on Wednesday. AS did not provide lodging or food for the stranded passengers.
I am livid over the handling of the situation. For those who have not been to the Nome airport, it is not plush by any means and no place I would want to spend a couple hours much less an entire evening. AS's resolution to this was a $250 discount code. ...!
I am coming here to ask what should be adequate compensation for this event?
So there was a mechanical issue in OME and the plan was unable to fly until 1pm (roughly 18 hours after arrival) on Wednesday. AS did not provide lodging or food for the stranded passengers.
I am livid over the handling of the situation. For those who have not been to the Nome airport, it is not plush by any means and no place I would want to spend a couple hours much less an entire evening. AS's resolution to this was a $250 discount code. ...!
I am coming here to ask what should be adequate compensation for this event?
Mar 22, 2018, 12:25 pm
#2
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So on Tuesday evening, I got my MIL a ticket from ANC to Otz on AS 155, which stops in OME on the way.
So there was a mechanical issue in OME and the plan was unable to fly until 1pm (roughly 18 hours after arrival) on Wednesday. AS did not provide lodging or food for the stranded passengers.
I am livid over the handling of the situation. For those who have not been to the Nome airport, it is not plush by any means and no place I would want to spend a couple hours much less an entire evening. AS's resolution to this was a $250 discount code. ...!
I am coming here to ask what should be adequate compensation for this event?
So there was a mechanical issue in OME and the plan was unable to fly until 1pm (roughly 18 hours after arrival) on Wednesday. AS did not provide lodging or food for the stranded passengers.
I am livid over the handling of the situation. For those who have not been to the Nome airport, it is not plush by any means and no place I would want to spend a couple hours much less an entire evening. AS's resolution to this was a $250 discount code. ...!
I am coming here to ask what should be adequate compensation for this event?
Mar 22, 2018, 1:05 pm
#3
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For a delay over 2 hours, it states:
More Than Two (2) Hours: If Alaska has caused the Passenger's flight to be delayed more than two (2) hours, Alaska's airport customer service agent will provide the Passenger with instructions to ensure that Alaska's customer care team can promptly contact the Passenger via email or letter with an apology and relevant discount off a future Alaska Airlines flight.
Alaska will provide at its option either one night's hotel accommodations, or, if no hotel accommodations are provided and upon the Passenger's request only, reimbursement for one night's hotel accommodations in the form of an electronic travel certificate that may be applied to future travel on Alaska up to a maximum amount determined by Alaska. Such accommodations will only be provided when a Passenger incurs a delay that is expected to exceed four hours between the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. local time
Mar 22, 2018, 1:21 pm
#4
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It's actually a bit ambiguous.
For a delay over 2 hours, it states:
However, under canceled, it states:
Since the flight was not canceled, I think the OP received the correct compensation, but perhaps I am not interpreting the CoC correctly. Regardless, why not just book a hotel, and send AS the bill later? Worst case, send it to travel insurance or eat the cost. Beats spending the night in OME...
For a delay over 2 hours, it states:
However, under canceled, it states:
Since the flight was not canceled, I think the OP received the correct compensation, but perhaps I am not interpreting the CoC correctly. Regardless, why not just book a hotel, and send AS the bill later? Worst case, send it to travel insurance or eat the cost. Beats spending the night in OME...
The routing ended up being ANC->OME->ANC->OTZ and took 26 hours. I am just baffled that they think $250 is adequate compensation. I get that this is a unique situation, Nome is a tough place to to have a plane stuck, but I would expect AS to step up to the plate here.
Mar 22, 2018, 1:25 pm
#5
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Not saying AS shouldn’t have given some vouchers out, but it sounds like — shockingly — there may not be enough excess hotel capacity in Nome to house a 737 size load of passengers. In which case someone was going to be sleeping in the airport no matter what AS did.
Mar 22, 2018, 1:37 pm
#6
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I completely get that (it wasn't an entire 737, maybe 30-40% were continuing on to OTZ). But AS made a decision not to fly another plane that night. They stranded their passengers there without adequate lodging in order to save a few bucks. Now I would like them to adequately compensate my family member because they chose not to fly out there. I feel in no way that $250 is adequate. The contract of carriage is vague on this issue so I am wondering what AS should do at this point?
Mar 22, 2018, 6:12 pm
#8
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I completely get that (it wasn't an entire 737, maybe 30-40% were continuing on to OTZ). But AS made a decision not to fly another plane that night. They stranded their passengers there without adequate lodging in order to save a few bucks. Now I would like them to adequately compensate my family member because they chose not to fly out there. I feel in no way that $250 is adequate. The contract of carriage is vague on this issue so I am wondering what AS should do at this point?
Mar 22, 2018, 6:23 pm
#9
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If there were hotels, there were no hotels. That is not a question of who pays.
But, if there were hotels, an 18-hour delay enroute will almost certainly be held to be a delay in a SCC case and by DOT.
Presuming the MIL got herself a hotel room and her travel insurance didn't cover it, I would submit the receipt to AS for reimbursement (not funny money) and make it politely but firmly clear that you will report it to DOT if not reimbursed within 10 days. Just make sure you follow through if she doesn't get her money.
If there was no room, this is all an academic issue.
But, if there were hotels, an 18-hour delay enroute will almost certainly be held to be a delay in a SCC case and by DOT.
Presuming the MIL got herself a hotel room and her travel insurance didn't cover it, I would submit the receipt to AS for reimbursement (not funny money) and make it politely but firmly clear that you will report it to DOT if not reimbursed within 10 days. Just make sure you follow through if she doesn't get her money.
If there was no room, this is all an academic issue.
Mar 22, 2018, 9:44 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2006
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"i would send a letter to Customer Service and let them know of your unhappiness with their compensation."
I don't know about that idea. The last time I sent a letter to Customer Service I never heard a word back. You are certainly entitled to more than you received. Maybe you should let them know some other way.
Mar 22, 2018, 10:34 pm
#11
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This is one of those situations where I would reach out to the AS Twitter team; they're are a couple of really superb AS reps there who can often respond very effectively.
Mar 23, 2018, 5:15 pm
#12
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Just looked up hotel availability for just one person for OME, and over the next 14 days there isn't availability at all for any hotels. So I would wager a guess that they were hoping for crew availability, not just aircraft availability to fly an aircraft up to replace since there aren't any hotels at all.
This is just a no-win situation for folks on that flight.
This is just a no-win situation for folks on that flight.
Mar 23, 2018, 8:29 pm
#13
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I was just going to say, I'm not sure that Nome has many hotel rooms available... and of course the airline is hoping/begging with inbound crews to cover a new flight to come rescue you guys if there are not enough on reserve (or the right kind of qualified pilots). I'm fairly sure that Alaska just can't throw a regular line pilot into OTZ or Nome, just like Southeast - Alaska requires special training and you have to fly to Southeast airports a certain # of times each quarter to keep qualified.
Mar 24, 2018, 1:33 am
#15
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