Whose problem is it when rebooked from DL to UA?
 

I was given 12+ hours notice that my 1st leg on DL was canceled this morning (mechanical). I need to be home tonight, so I asked to be rebooked on a UA flight which had plenty of availability. DL agent called UA and got me booked with a confirmation number and confirmed seats.

I show up at the airport at UA tells me that they aren't accepting any Delta passengers because they're oversold. I politely remind the agent I was confirmed some 7 hours ago; he curtly continues to repeat that they won't accept me. I ask to speak to a supervisor; he disappears and comes back, saying I need to go to the DL counter and get a ticket number.

I oblige, return, and he proceeds to issue me boarding passes. However, he tells me they may have to deny me boarding because they're still oversold and "I'm not yet a UA passenger, I'm still DL's problem.". I say I have a ticket and a confirmed seat assignment... He continues his stance, even going as far as saying that if they deny me boarding, it's delta's issue concerning compensation.

I'm pretty sure I'm 100% UA's responsibility here. Am I right?

If you were confirmed on UA it will be their $$$ for compensation.

[QUOTE=GreerApproach;14471512]
I ask to speak to a supervisor; he disappears and comes back, saying I need to go to the DL counter and get a ticket number.

I oblige, return, and he proceeds to issue me boarding passes. However, he tells me they may have to deny me boarding because they're still oversold and "I'm not yet a UA passenger, I'm still DL's problem.". I say I have a ticket and a confirmed seat assignment... He continues his stance, even going as far as saying that if they deny me boarding, it's delta's issue concerning compensation.

QUOTE]

Stand right there in front of him and call UA corporate on your cell phone for clarification. When he realizes what you are doing, his stance will probably change pretty quickly.

Although I think the problem likely rests with UA, there is the possibility that DL created the ticket for you with UA but UA never actually ticketed it or DL never re-ticketed it.

If the reservation was actually ticketed then this is 100% UA's fault and they have no grounds to deny you. If the reservation was not ticketed then it's either DL's fault for not forcing the reissue or UA's fault for not doing it.

It sounds like you made it on your flight so in the end this all worked out OK. Do you remember what the ticket number started with that you got from DL and brought over to UA? If it started with 006 that means it was still ticketed by DL and would be DL issue.

-RM

I would go ahead and ask the UA GA for their written IDB policy as soon as they open.

The point is to let them know that they are not going to have an easy time jerking you around. Better to prevent than fix.

Of course, you still might be a legitimate IDB victim.

If Delta issued a ticket before UA's ticketing deadline and shows you as confirmed, this is clearly UA's problem and UA's IDB money - even if DL didn't ticket this until you returned to the DL desk. Nice attitude by the UA agent.

Ticket reissued and confirmed on UA.....UA problem. It's no different then you buying a ticket directly from UA.dumb. Compensation from UA is in order.
This is only if the ticket was truely reissued....in many cases I have seen it not.

This is absolutely incorrect information. Please do not guess at the answer :)

Airlines have "interline" agreements. Most airlines in the world can issue tickets for travel on other airlines in the world. That has NOTHING to do with who is responsible for IDB or other service issues like this. If the passenger has a confirmed reservation ("HK") and a ticket number, the airline whose metal you are flying is responsible. UA has agreements with the following airlines. It doesn't matter WHICH of these airlines actually did the ticketing. UA must accept the ticket and the passenger.

AGREEMENTS WITH:

AA AB AC AF AH AI AM AP AS AT AV AX AY
AZ A3 A4 A9 BA BD BG BI BP BR BT BW B8
CA CH CI CM CO CS CX CY CZ C9 DB DE DL
DT D6 EI EJ EK EN ET EV EY FB FI FJ FL
FM FT FV FW F9 GA GE GF GU G7 HA HI HM
HU HX IB IC IE IG IQ IR IT IY IZ JA JJ
JK JL JM JO JP JU JV JZ KA KC KE KF KL
KM KQ KS KU KX LA LG LH LI LO LP LR LW
LX LY MA MD ME MH MI MJ MK MM MN MP MQ
MS MU MW MX NF NG NH NK NU NV NZ OA OH
OK OM OO OS OU OV OZ PG PH PK PR PS PU
PX PY PZ QF QI QR QX RA RJ RO RU R7 SA
SB SK SN SP SQ SU SV SW SZ S2 S7 TA TG
TK TM TN TP TU T0 UA UK UL UM UN UO UP
US UX U8 VH VN VO VR VS VW V3 WF WM WP
WY XF XJ XL XX YR YV YX ZK ZW Z5 2F 2M
3M 4M 4Q 5L 6U 7F 7H 9E 9K 9L 9U 9W