Hi everybody,

I just got a TripAlert telling me that my 8:45am SJC-IAH for tomorrow is canceled. I called the elite desk to find out what happened and what my options are. I was told that the flight was canceled due to crew scheduling issues, not weather (there's no significant weather at SJC or IAH, and the inbound plane is from IAH, too).

I was told that the next available seat out of SJC is on 12/26, and the next out of SFO is 12/25. Obviously taking a trip home for xmas that arrives late on 12/25 or 12/26 isn't a good plan, so I found out that there is a flight out of SMF (Sacramento) tomorrow at noon.

Ok, I can make that, but it's a 2 hour drive each way, and I'll have to leave my car parked there for 8 days (12/22 morning -12/29 evening). That's easily over $100 in parking and extra gas to drive 250 miles round trip. I live right next to SJC, and usually take a cheap ($20) cab or get a friend to drop me off. So, worst case, the transportation costs me $40 round trip.

I'm in a relatively good mood today, so I politely asked my CSR if there was any compensation for this available, and he said "no, since these are extraordinary circumstances beyond CO's control." I let it drop, for now.

My question to the group is: is there a standard compensation I could expect? I don't see how crew scheduling is "beyond CO's control." It seems like they screwed up (hey, fine, it happens), and now I'm going to have to drive 250 miles and pay for 8 days' parking because of it. Ideally, I'd be compensated for my time and extra expenses, which are worth at least $200 together.

Alternatively, does anyone else see a different option? I was scheduled to leave on 12/22, but 12/23 would be ok with me too. I'd prefer to fly in/out of SJC/SFO (OAK would be ok, too, if a non-CO partner could be arranged). I know it's the busiest/worst travel time of the year, so I don't think there's a good option except SMF. I just think I should be somehow compensated for CO's scheduling mistake.

Am I being reasonable? Is there something I should expect? Should I just shut up and feel lucky I found the SMF flight (and I'm #1 on the EUA list)?

Nothing personal against you, but I don't think you'll get anything from the airline. It's likely that the crew scheduling issue was brought about by the weather issues across the country the past few days. I'm not sure if they can consider that 'weather' or not, though.

when I get hit with these things , I try to get placed onto another Carrier or another Casrrier to its hub and then CO from there. Did you check to see if anyone had any seats? eitehr to IAH or their hub and either CO or that same Carrier to IAH

Not sure what CO would do but I know that NW twice was very nice to me when a flight was cxld due to mechanical. Got reimbursed for gas and parking to MSP and 10K miles. Same thing happened 3 weeks later and was reimbursed gas and parking and got 15K miles. But being PE probably helped. And it was mechanical, though "crew scheduling" is not beyond their control.

This has been one hellish year with the snow in both the Northwest and in the Northeast hitting on the busy travel season. So first, be grateful you got something.

As for alternatives, even your usual ways around it are impacted. Everything's full for the holidays. SEA/PDX is closed up due to snow, so you can't even head up on AS to go back down, and there are a handful of seats on NW via MSP, but who wants to risk that?

Even the SJC-SMF flight on AS is booked up.

As for SMF parking, long term is only $9/day, and that includes any taxes, so you'll only be at $72. You can also get some cheap gas while you're up there.

Enjoy your holiday and write a letter when you get back, and see what they might give you. Hopefully the flight will remain tagged as cancelled due to crew, so theyll see it as their fault.

Thanks for replies.

I think channa's got it right. I *am* happy to have found something (advantages: better arrival time, I get to wake up 1 hour later, I'm a good bit more likely to EUA).

As for routing around it, I just don't see that as being worth it. Best case scenario, any stopover is going to add 2 hours to my travel time. Compare that to an extra 4 hours of driving (which I do somewhat enjoy, if traffic is ok), and the risk of something going wrong at any stopover airport, and I think SMF wins. SJC-SMF was a very good idea! Too bad it's booked .

Also, thanks for the tip on SMF parking -- that was my next question. Speaking of -- is that covered/garage parking?

I'll write a quick letter when I get back. See if I can't at least get a few miles out of it.

Now I just wish my return flight were after the new year -- My re-booking is in H, so I've got a 50% EQM bonus that's totally useless to me on my last flight of '08!