Citi Trip Delay Reimbursement (Prestige, Chairman, HHonors, AAdvantage)
Feb 7, 2018, 12:41 pm
#376
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Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
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Hotel compensation is a part of the benefits from the credit cards to when a flight is delayed. I signed up for good credit card in order not to deal with airlines when flight is delayed.
Have you ever stayed at the Airline Offered Accommodations? I have, I was put in the cheapest motel where you are scared for your life, try it next time, not everyone is being put in nice hotels.
Hence if I were to be "stuck somewhere", airline fault or not, I would expect my credit card to come thru with their promise of decent room, and not start playing and interpreting the terms to their liking.
Have you ever stayed at the Airline Offered Accommodations? I have, I was put in the cheapest motel where you are scared for your life, try it next time, not everyone is being put in nice hotels.
Hence if I were to be "stuck somewhere", airline fault or not, I would expect my credit card to come thru with their promise of decent room, and not start playing and interpreting the terms to their liking.
(* Which, while sensible at first glance, is also odd, since there are tools available that show exactly why a flight was delayed. Why rely on a person’s word when the info. is verifiable?)
Feb 7, 2018, 1:04 pm
#377
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 90
Given that a person above was just required to attest that the airlines didn’t offer accommodations,* your expectation seems outdated.
(* Which, while sensible at first glance, is also odd, since there are tools available that show exactly why a flight was delayed. Why rely on a person’s word when the info. is verifiable?)
(* Which, while sensible at first glance, is also odd, since there are tools available that show exactly why a flight was delayed. Why rely on a person’s word when the info. is verifiable?)
"The coverage provided by this benefit is secondary. This means if the Common Carrier or another source reimburses the Covered Traveler(s) for any expenses, this benefit will cover only unreimbursed amounts."
I attested to same thing on their claim form when its airline fault. I did not accept airline reimbursement, therefore airline did not reimburse me, and secondary coverage should be picking it up.
Nowhere on their benefits packet is says I am required to accept airline reimbursement.
Last edited by compspy; Feb 7, 2018 at 1:10 pm
Feb 7, 2018, 3:09 pm
#379
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 378
The sneaky part is that the terms didn't change: it still refers to one dated 2016. It's how the insurance decided to interpret them that changed. and the trend seems fairly recent. Plus, given that misconnections aren't covered, "3 hr" claim is essentially irrelevant, and makes the whole coverage one of the worst among competitors.
Feb 7, 2018, 7:10 pm
#380
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Location: Miami, Florida
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I’ve always put airline charges on my Prestige for the past few years but if this is how they’re interpreting the coverage now, it might be better to simply self-insure trip delays and get the 5x on the Amex Plat.
Feb 8, 2018, 8:39 pm
#381
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
Therein lies the problem: they differentiate between Trip vs Trip on a Common Carrier.
"Trip" is defined, as you specified. "Common Carrier" is also defined in the benefits guide. But Trip on a Common Carrier is not defined. And their interpretation is that it's "A" common carrier. Meaning: 1 carrier, or 1 plane, so 1 flight segment.
And they do make the distinction so eloquently in the letter to compspy in post 359.
"Trip" is defined, as you specified. "Common Carrier" is also defined in the benefits guide. But Trip on a Common Carrier is not defined. And their interpretation is that it's "A" common carrier. Meaning: 1 carrier, or 1 plane, so 1 flight segment.
And they do make the distinction so eloquently in the letter to compspy in post 359.
If a Covered Traveler’s Trip on a Common Carrier is delayed for at least 3 hours, we may reimburse you for expenses incurred because of the delay. You are covered for up to $500 per Covered Traveler, per Trip.
Feb 8, 2018, 9:11 pm
#382
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 309
The definition of Trip in Trip Delay Protection as well as the rest of the benefits guide for other Trip-related benefits don't differ significantly.
Yet Trip Cancellation has a coverage where The Covered Traveler(s) misses more than half of their Trip because of missed connections, delayed departures, denied boarding, traffic accidents on their way to a departure, or lost or stolen passports.
If Trip is defined as a flight, you can never invoked this coverage above under Trip Cancellation & Interruption Protection. How can I miss more than half my flight unless I pull a D.B. Cooper?
Another condition of coverage, Additional fares or tickets needed to rejoin the Trip that has been interrupted must be booked within the same fare class service as the original booking, such as economy or business class.
How am I going to rejoin my flight? If Trip is flight segment, how I can extend a Trip or continue a Trip?
Similar problem with Trip being defined as flight under Medical Evacuation. For example, Trip is less than 60 consecutive days long. What flight is that long?
Citi should clarify Trip in Trip Delay to avoid this confusion because the rest of the benefit guides makes it clear Trip is a collection of transportation and not individual segments.
Yet Trip Cancellation has a coverage where The Covered Traveler(s) misses more than half of their Trip because of missed connections, delayed departures, denied boarding, traffic accidents on their way to a departure, or lost or stolen passports.
If Trip is defined as a flight, you can never invoked this coverage above under Trip Cancellation & Interruption Protection. How can I miss more than half my flight unless I pull a D.B. Cooper?
Another condition of coverage, Additional fares or tickets needed to rejoin the Trip that has been interrupted must be booked within the same fare class service as the original booking, such as economy or business class.
How am I going to rejoin my flight? If Trip is flight segment, how I can extend a Trip or continue a Trip?
Similar problem with Trip being defined as flight under Medical Evacuation. For example, Trip is less than 60 consecutive days long. What flight is that long?
Citi should clarify Trip in Trip Delay to avoid this confusion because the rest of the benefit guides makes it clear Trip is a collection of transportation and not individual segments.
In fact, I knew there was a delay as the big flat screen TV at the airport had the word 'delay' in red next to my flight number for 3.5 hours.
During the delay I had a generous but healthy lunch before proceeding to my connecting flight at AMS. Citi reimbursed. I am not sure I understand the confusion.
Last edited by GarlicFlyer; Feb 8, 2018 at 9:12 pm Reason: Typo
Feb 9, 2018, 12:51 am
#383
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 378
You can read about their success via "raising hell" upthread.
Feb 10, 2018, 7:20 am
#384
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 309
I disagree. They don't define/use a Trip on a Common Carrier; they define Trip and Common Carrier separately, and the letter simply quotes a passage of the benefit document. The language, with defined terms underlined:
The definition of Trip doesn't reference a Common Carrier at all, other than to say that in order for a Trip to qualify, some portion of the Common Carrier's fare (like a ticket, which includes all segments) must be paid with the card. I would be raising hell with the insurance regulator if I did not get coverage on a misconnect, as there is no even remotely reasonable interpretation that matches what they claim given their own definitions.
The definition of Trip doesn't reference a Common Carrier at all, other than to say that in order for a Trip to qualify, some portion of the Common Carrier's fare (like a ticket, which includes all segments) must be paid with the card. I would be raising hell with the insurance regulator if I did not get coverage on a misconnect, as there is no even remotely reasonable interpretation that matches what they claim given their own definitions.
As also stated in my other post my experience was an actual "delay", confirmed also by airline. Therefore the "delay" rather than the "cancellation" benefit applied.
Feb 10, 2018, 11:06 am
#385
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Not at all. Instead of focusing on the word "trip" you may instead want to focus on the word "delay". Missing a flight connection is not a delay. It is a missed connection. The resulting problems caused may or may not be addressable via the flight cancellation benefit.
As also stated in my other post my experience was an actual "delay", confirmed also by airline. Therefore the "delay" rather than the "cancellation" benefit applied.
As also stated in my other post my experience was an actual "delay", confirmed also by airline. Therefore the "delay" rather than the "cancellation" benefit applied.
Feb 10, 2018, 10:47 pm
#386
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 309
The Citi Trip delay protection becomes available when there is a three hour or more delay on a common carrier. It does not cover missed connections when there was not a preceeding three hour delay. To me, this is obvious after having read the benefit guide. In my view it is also reasonable.
Feb 10, 2018, 11:06 pm
#387
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Location: Miami, Florida
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The Citi Trip delay protection becomes available when there is a three hour or more delay on a common carrier. It does not cover missed connections when there was not a preceeding three hour delay. To me, this is obvious after having read the benefit guide. In my view it is also reasonable.
Feb 11, 2018, 12:08 am
#388
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 309
I appreciate that Citi uses the three hour threshold. This is more generous than others.
Missed connections happen often, and the next available flight is usually more than three hours away in my experience. The three hour threshold would not be financially sustainable if Citi included also missed connections. Plus there would be no phone chargers left at the airport as the travel hacker squids would have bought them all.
Chase offers 'overnight' stays with their benefit. It would be interesting to pay part of a ticket with Prestige and part with CSR. But I'll take my chances with the Citi Prestige three hour option vs the Chase 6/12 hour option plus 'overnight' everytime.
Last edited by GarlicFlyer; Feb 11, 2018 at 1:01 am
Feb 11, 2018, 2:57 am
#389
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Interesting - so reading the guide, I actually can see a legal rationale for excluding delays. The missed connection isn't the common carrier.
The problem that most are getting caught up on (myself included) is that while the guide is therefore consistent, it seems to be ridiculous as it flies in the face of logic and goes against what most trip delay laws require (such as EU and Israeli aviation compensation laws) because the passenger cares about the time he/she is supposed to arrive versus when they actually do. Whether on a direct flight or a connecting flight shouldn't matter.
The problem that most are getting caught up on (myself included) is that while the guide is therefore consistent, it seems to be ridiculous as it flies in the face of logic and goes against what most trip delay laws require (such as EU and Israeli aviation compensation laws) because the passenger cares about the time he/she is supposed to arrive versus when they actually do. Whether on a direct flight or a connecting flight shouldn't matter.
Feb 11, 2018, 7:20 am
#390
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Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
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Interesting - so reading the guide, I actually can see a legal rationale for excluding delays. The missed connection isn't the common carrier.
The problem that most are getting caught up on (myself included) is that while the guide is therefore consistent, it seems to be ridiculous as it flies in the face of logic and goes against what most trip delay laws require (such as EU and Israeli aviation compensation laws) because the passenger cares about the time he/she is supposed to arrive versus when they actually do. Whether on a direct flight or a connecting flight shouldn't matter.
The problem that most are getting caught up on (myself included) is that while the guide is therefore consistent, it seems to be ridiculous as it flies in the face of logic and goes against what most trip delay laws require (such as EU and Israeli aviation compensation laws) because the passenger cares about the time he/she is supposed to arrive versus when they actually do. Whether on a direct flight or a connecting flight shouldn't matter.
Garlic Flyer arrived at connection point late but because he had a large connection time, he arrived at destination on time. As an example, he allocated 8AM to 7PM for travel when booking was made and he got to destination at 7PM despite the first flight arriving at connection point 3 hours late. Citi covered the “delay.”
Whereas another passenger intended to travel 8AM to 7PM but arrived at 6AM next morning. Citi denied it. Absolutely no sense at all. As you indicated, EC261/2004 would cover the second passenger but not the first as passenger (GarlicFlyer) was NOT delayed.
Although most of my bookings are nonstop, i’ll donate to a legal fund if someone wants to take Citi to small claims for this.