GadgetFreak

Flying RT from LGA to RSW connecting in CLT both ways. Trip out uneventful. CLT-LGA canceled while on way to airport. First problem, called the EXP desk and they have to transfer me to US. Not being able to use EXP desk is obviously a problem although they did get me to someone at US. They can't do much and don't have any suggestions until late tomorrow. They can't even suggest where I might be better positioned for an early flight tomorrow. It seemed problematic to go back to try any AA connections.

I decided to check at airport. There is a sign for first class check in but basically anyone was there who wanted. I asked a U.S. employee if there was a first class check in (I was in paid first) and the response was "not really, everyone sort of bunches together". Way cool. Finally get through long line and not much help. I found out later that Delta probably had seats to JFK but that wasn't offered. I knew Jet Blue had seats but US said they couldn't do that. US couldn't confirm anything before Monday night. I gave up and went to Jet Blue and bought a seat.

While I realize the weather was bad I can't help but think that they handled it really badly compared to say AA at ORD where I have had a lot of weather issues that got dealt with much better than this. Also felt a bit in the middle between the AA and US parts of the operation. Pretty disappointed overall.

Phoenixtinct

I agree - it's a shame that 15 months into the merger, new AA hasn't worked out a better way to deal with mixed itineraries or flights ticketed on the other carrier's stock. Unfortunately, until the Single Operating Certificate is received, you will still be getting "We're operating as separate carriers" excuse.

AA777

This is why I refuse to book not AA metal....I don't care what they say, if I see "operated by US" I won't book it, even if it means booking away from AA. NOT WORTH the hassle if anything goes any other than perfectly smooth.

Cheers,
AA777

GadgetFreak

I'm probably in the same place. I was originally on AA to Miami and driving to and from Gulf Coast. Thought I would try closer RSW on US. Should have stuck with MIA or gone Jet Blue to begin with.

milesandmoremiles

I don't see where the merger had anything to do with any of this other than the OP having to be connected from the EP to CP desks. Where else did the merger create an issue?!?

As to the options available on US or AA, its possible they had nothing available to rebook you on so they gave you what they could. Its my understanding now that even at the airport level they are to exhaust all US/AA options when it comes to weather rebookings before looking at other airlines. As to DL, DL actually is quite restrictive now about taking bookings from other carriers so thats probably why that wasn't even offered. This changed about two years ago. Last week I could not be rebooked from US to DL but was given UA and AC as options. With Jet Blue, much like Southwest they don't take other airlines' passengers.

So again, where did the merger with US Airways have any impact on the situation other than what was already mentioned at the beginning of my response?

grahampros

This probably didn't have anything to do with the merger in this case. DL probably wasn't available for the agent to book. DL is now pretty aggressive in restricting interline bookings in mass irop situations to protect their own passengers first. JetBlue simply wasn't an option for the agent since there is no interline agreement in place. As the OP did, only option for B6 was to book directly with them.

ubernostrum

Warm-weather hubs can be awful in unusual weather, yes.

Of course, blaming it on a specific airline seems a bit odd, considering that I've been in a similar situation with AA when DFW gets a bit of a storm -- including the point of once just giving up and booking myself on a WN flight from DAL to get home, since AA had basically just shut down completely.

denCSA

OP, apart from the first class line comment made by the agent, there's nothing here worth complaining about. Even then, US allows its CREDIT CARD holders access to it, so that is not much of a statement itself. Weather is weather, and airlines have no control over it, nor are they required to reroute you on another carrier. That costs them money. I don't see much credence to your argument.

iflyuaaa

i had a weather cancel last week adn they booked me on DL no issue.

ElmhurstNick

This just reeks of "US bleh grumble grumble Parker stinks bad sandwiches grumble DYKWIA grumble grumble drunk grumble Parker bad."

I'm at TPA flying to ATL on DL, as I wasn't going to pay more to fly US TPA-CLT-ATL than to fly DL YUP nonstop, status or no status. As I'm checking my bag, a lady comes over from the B6 line. I guess B6 cancelled TPA-JFK and won't rebook anybody since no interlining... and she wants to fly DL if possible. Response was "sorry ma'am, every single DL flight today is completely sold out already."

If there are no seats CLT-NYC, what exactly did OP want them to do? Make an extra section appear? And if folks going west on cancelled CLT flights were already being shoved on every available section to MIA/DFW/ORD, what exactly was the agent supposed to do?

IRROPS suck. My flight today is delayed five hours due to a mechanical, waiting for them to ferry in another 757. Can't get on the other flights even if I wanted a middle seat in E- standby. Today's meetings cancelled and rescheduled. DL SkyClub agent was clueless until I asked when the decision time was on cancelling, and she finally called operations. It happens.

abk

We had an interesting experience on USAir Saturday and Sunday. My kid was supposed to fly Mia-Clt Sunday morning. Her flight was a turn around from an early Sunday Clt-Mia flight. On Saturday afternoon I saw that US proactively cancelled the morning Clt-Mia flight due to the expected ice storm. Expecting my kids flight to cancel I called US immediately to rebook and was told her flights were fine. I was puzzled by this and starting looking at flightaware and saw that they flew a 319 down empty to Mia early Saturday evening so that it would be in position in Mia on Sunday for my kids flight.

Correct me if I am wrong, but this is not the type of thing that the old AA would have done.

ChicagoDave

Once the merger completes things will be better. I see things slowly getting better. A few weeks ago AA cancelled my wife's (EXP) direct flight due to weather. She was given the given a choice between a direct flight on UA or a connection with US. She choose US with the connection due to her status in case there were further IRROPS. It was surprisingly simple and we were both happy she made it home only a few hours late.

I'm hoping when the FF programs merge in the 2nd quarter both AA US elites will get the phone #s to both carriers elite reservation departments.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

Weather has played havoc on airlines and reaccomodations. This is what you get with 80% load factors, all airlines. There was a woman yesterday in Las Vegas at the check in count that because of weather was going to miss her connection in DFW to MAD. She was going home for her father's funeral. The best the agent could do was get her out on Tuesday forcing the woman to miss her father's funeral. This woman was massively upset, crying like crazy and the agent couldn't do anything to alleviate her misery. I felt sorry for both.

Yes, there are glitches to deal with mixed itineraries but I have found US staff for the most part willing to go the extra mile. The US agent at the MIA D AC is going to check me in tomorrow for my US flight Wednesday and either upgrade me or put me on the list since both must be done with an agent when US is the 2nd+ flight on an aa itinerary.

This all will go away by next year anyway.

grahampros

It's happened on occasion when AA had get to get planes in position to recover from a major IROP situation from weather. I've been on a couple of these repositioning flights on AA over the years with one or two other passengers. Nice private jet! Now if this happens more often on US, not sure.

cmd320

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