sxchan

What is the fair compensation for flight delay and missed connection to international flights in this situation?

My friend's two daughters, college kid and a high school kid, were traveling to China from SFO-LAX on AS and LAX-PEK on CA on a single ticket issued by CA. AS flight was delayed for 2 hrs 40 min due to mechanical and caused missed connection to the CA flights. Since this was their first time traveling alone on international flights, they had no idea what to expect. AS folks st SFO never helped them to rebook their flights from LAX to PEK and let them board their delayed flight.

When they arrived LAX at 1:00 am and found out that their CA flights have left. All the AS and CA staff have gone home. Counters were closed. They went back to AS baggage office and asked for help. They told them to call 800 number for AS reservation line and they waited one hour to get to an agent. The AS agent first said they missed their flight but they were not, and then later AS agent realized that it was AS delayed the flight, then AS rebooked them on AA @ 1045am from LAX to PEK. That was 8 hours later, and now they were at LAX @ 2am.

AS did not offer any hotel nor meal vouchers. They did not know they could ask for those accommodation. I think they were eligible for such accommodation after all it was AS mechanical issue to cause the delay. AS did not offer anything except rebooking their flights. They were cold and hungry sitting at the LAX terminal from 2 am until 10 am for their AA flights.

Sorry for the long story!!

jsguyrus

eddiehuang97

Were they on the same ticket or separate tickets? It seems a bit odd that AS and CA would be on the same ticket, unless it's ticketed by a travel agency. If they are on separate tickets, AS owns you nothing. If they are on the same ticket, you need to contact the travel agency to change the flight. I don't know how AS rebooked them but normally it's not AS's responsibility to do so.

felicidad76

actually it is the responsibility of the carrier that caused the delay. It was Alaska's responsibility 100 percent if all of this was on a single ticket. When I was almost late to yvr from pdx, due to late aircraft arrival, alaska booked me on air Canada asap so they do it as long as u call them proactively

Repooc17

This.

Also, CA flies nonstop to PEK from both SFO and LAX. Sorry to hear about the experience, but for inexperienced travelers, flying connections with different carriers should be considered as the last option when nonstop flights are available.

eddiehuang97

Yeah rethinking about this and I think you are right. But for compensation/complaint afterwards they have to contact the ticketing agency right? Obviously it's not an AS ticket.

Often1

There is some poor information in this thread.

In the case of IRROPS, it is the carrier causing the delay which has the obligation to rebook. In this case, AS caused the delay and thus had the obligation to rebook. Absent anyone intervening, that will take place at the interline connection point, e.g. LAX. AS apparently did rebook.

AS had an obligation under its COC to handle accommodations and OP will simply need to submit a hotel (and reasonable meal) receipts. AS may balk at a full reimbursement unless the passengers can say that they asked for vouchers at the baggage office and were denied.

There is no compensation due for US-to-Asia departures. However, AS might provide a customer service gesture of some kind. CA is beyond unlikely to provide anything. Even in the EU, it falls on the operating, not ticketing carrier, to handle these matters.

It goes without saying that a more experienced traveler on an international connection would have asked for a reroute at SFO rather than flying to LAX (unless knowing that the LAX departure was delayed) and would have asked for a hotel voucher if delayed overnight. But, this is partly why I advise inexperienced travelers to focus on nonstops whenever possible and, if they can't, to have Plans B, C, and D handy based on discussions with an experienced traveler.

JacksonFlyer

The OP clearly stated that the ticket was a single ticket issued by CA with AS being part of that trip. That alone puts the onus on AS on re-booking and taking care of the passengers, or am I wrong? I could see if the parties involved had a separate AS ticket and a separate CA ticket that were not connected, then there might be an issue.

jsguyrus

This is the most valuable information anyone can have. When flying anywhere, no matter how good the weather, be ready with an alternate plan. Be ready to proactively help yourself by providing a in person or phone agent with your pre-planned alternate. It will get you on your way much faster and many times will avoid you having to stand in a long line to rebook.

rustykettel

dave1013

On my AS flights with delayed departures, which have been numerous as of late, AS has always made announcement that, among other things, they know that some of the pax on the delayed flight have connections and they are monitoring the situation, will make adjustments as needed. It sounds like that did not happen in this case, and I'm wondering why.

The least they could have done is page the two kids and say, hey, we believe you're going to miss your connection and here's what we are going to do (or not do).

Sounds like a complete communications breakdown.

sxchan

Yes, it was on a single ticket issued by TA on CA ticket stock.

sxchan

Thanks all for the data points.

sxchan

Yes, agree. However, the fare difference was like $500+ between nonstop and 1-stop at LAX, so they picked the cheaper option.

channa

And this is what the cheapest option looks like sometimes.

AS is on the hook for reimbursing hotel and meal expenses for the overnight connection. Sounds like they stayed in the terminal, though.

They certainly should have done better, and I would suggest reaching out to CS to get some sort of goodwill gesture.