Alaska Airlines diverted our flight - anyone know about cash compensation?
Jul 9, 2019, 5:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
Alaska Airlines diverted our flight - anyone know about cash compensation?
Newbie here. My family and I were supposed to land at Dulles in DC for July 4th but ended up diverted to Columbus, OH instead for “thunderstorms.” We ended up renting a car and driving over 5 hours in the middle of the night, arrived at my sister’s house in VA after 5 am on July 5th. We were told that because it was an “act of God” we could not get reimbursed for the car rental but Alaska Airlines gave each of us a $250 single use flight voucher instead (there are four of us).
Does anyone know of any options for cash compensation from Alaska Airlines in this circumstance? Any feedback would be great, thanks!
Does anyone know of any options for cash compensation from Alaska Airlines in this circumstance? Any feedback would be great, thanks!
Jul 9, 2019, 5:41 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS MVP Gold
Posts: 36
No, you're not going to get compensated for a weather diversion that was beyond the airline's control. Honestly a total of $1000 in travel bank credit sounds like a really great deal (I don't think AS' contract of carriage provides for any compensation for weather diversions, so this was an agent trying to do something nice for you) and likely is far more than what you paid for a one-way rental car. Sounds like you made out pretty well.
Jul 9, 2019, 5:45 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: LON
Programs: AS MVPG, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver
Posts: 1,350
No, you're not going to get compensated for a weather diversion that was beyond the airline's control. Honestly a total of $1000 in travel bank credit sounds like a really great deal (I don't think AS' contract of carriage provides for any compensation for weather diversions, so this was an agent trying to do something nice for you) and likely is far more than what you paid for a one-way rental car. Sounds like you made out pretty well.
Jul 9, 2019, 5:51 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS MVP Gold
Posts: 36
OP:
Dunno about you, but that sure sounds like they got four $250 credits each, and per the T&Cs you can apply four travel certificates on one reservation. So, $1000.
Dunno about you, but that sure sounds like they got four $250 credits each, and per the T&Cs you can apply four travel certificates on one reservation. So, $1000.
Jul 9, 2019, 6:08 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,371
Jul 9, 2019, 7:02 pm
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Somebody at AS will get counselled if AS ever audits the $1,000 for a weather-related diversion.
Seriously, why on earth should there be any compensation and why should AS pay for a rental car. OP's travel insurance ought to cover the rental.
Seriously, why on earth should there be any compensation and why should AS pay for a rental car. OP's travel insurance ought to cover the rental.
Jul 9, 2019, 7:26 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,586
If AS did not offer to transport you to your ticketed destination -- even after some delay -- I
should think that you would be entitled to some cash compensation/partial refund of fare paid -- but you might have to sue (or get the media involved) to obtain it.
Jul 9, 2019, 7:58 pm
#12
Moderator: Alaska Mileage Plan
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,318
Honestly a total of $1000 in travel bank credit sounds like a really great deal (I don't think AS' contract of carriage provides for any compensation for weather diversions, so this was an agent trying to do something nice for you) and likely is far more than what you paid for a one-way rental car. Sounds like you made out pretty well.
Jul 9, 2019, 8:07 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
FWIW - with this situation, OP's family could have invoke trip-in-vein and asked to transport back to the origin and got a full refund. Given the circumstance, $250 each in lieu of a refund sounds fair.
Jul 9, 2019, 8:18 pm
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: Rapid Rewards, AAdvantage, SkyMiles
Posts: 2,931
What were they offering in terms of IRROPS recovery? They have an obligation to continue you on to your final destination. Did they continue the flight later on? Send a replacement crew? Rebook you guys on other flights out of CMH?
Jul 9, 2019, 9:54 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
They deplaned us in Columbus because of union regulations that state the flight crew could not work more than a 13 hour shift. When we landed in Columbus, they had already worked 12 hours, we waited on the tarmac for another hour, then they deplaned us because they could not receive clearance to return to Dulles and their shift had ended. Even if they received clearance to return, there was no one to fly the plane.