Involuntary reroute - where do the miles go?
 

Forgive me if this has been covered elsewhere, but I haven't been able to find a thread covering this topic:

I had scheduled a trip on short notice, MSP-ORD-BNA on 2/2 with a return the evening of 2/5, on UA. On the return trip, the BNA-ORD flight was delayed such that I knew I would miss my connection to MSP, and UA helpfully put me on the evening NW non-stop to MSP, which was fine with me as I got to MSP three hours early and didn't have to transit ORD in the process. I normally fly NW on this route and credit my miles to my DL account. Since I took the flight, the miles have yet to be credited to either my UA account or my NW account, let alone my DL account (which would be my preference, as they will give me double miles). So my question is, should either UA or NW have credited the miles, and can I still retroactively do so, even to DL?

I just saw a post with something about bumps when doing MRs... My reply to that one, however, seems more fitting here:

I have been in a few situations where I wanted miles on carrier A and ended up being placed onto carrier B whereas A and B are totally different alliances./

In my experience, you just keep all copies of all things/records, itineraries, boarding cards and tickets and start writing letters.

I was able to get the miles I WOULD HAVE RECEIVED on "A" and then, also write in to get miles for what I DID FLY on "B."

Works every time. I have the ticket for B and just flew it, so it actually should show up especially if you had remembered to give your FF number at the gate before stepping on the plane. But if not, just mail a copy in and ask for credit, without necessarily having to mention the original carrier you were supposed to be on! 99% of the people touching your record once you fly have no concern as to where you were before using that ticket, so you can easily get miles from its use now.

the other airline, however, needs to simply see what you were supposed to fly, and then you just indicate to them how you were told to go fly on airline B. Maybe have a copy of the B ticket for them too, but generally, you should still be able to recoup miles you meant to obtain for a trip they botched up by sending them copies of those tickets as well.

Again, just keep everything and write letters and wait!

In the end, hey, if they do give you miles for both, you deserve them anyway. And if they do not or try to say you cannot do that, just play dumb and pick/take the one that you really wanted most.

good luck!
:)MM

You should get the miles from the airline you actually flew if you gave them your FF number before boarding. It should happen automatically. If you didn't, or if it doesn't, you can follow their standard "missing mileage credit" process.

Getting mileage from the airline you were originally booked on is a controversial topic that has been debated (perhaps "argued" would be a better description) ad nauseum in other FT threads. Some, like the previous poster, feel it is only fair compensation for the inconvenience you were put to. Others feel it is taking advantage of the fact that airline computers don't generally talk to each other, since it is against the rules of most programs. I'm not taking a position here, I really don't want to restart that topic, just noting the issue.

If you want to get credit from the original airline, it usually takes a special request since standard "missing mileage credit" processes are not designed for when you didn't take the flight. If you use the words involuntary reroute and request original routing credit (using the exact words in bold type) when you contact them, you will usually get it. You may be told it's a one-time exception - a precaution on their part to prevent it from becoming a legally binding precedent for the future - but it's not all that unusual.

Other helpful things to add when requesting ORC are that the reroute was due to a mechanical failure, crew unavailability, or something else under the airline's control if that was the case, and that you didn't request credit from the other airline as well, if that was the case. These shouldn't be necessary but may make a difference in borderline cases.

It's a bit too late for this now, but for the future, it can also help if the agent who reroutes you adds a notation "give original routing credit" to your PNR.

This has definitely happened to me however sadly it hasn't happened recently. I've had Delta cancel a flight and put me on United. I always give the FF # to the gate agent and ensure it is on the boarding pass for the flight I do indeed fly. I've never had the mileage post automatically with the carrier I booked but was unable to fly HOWEVER I've always been able to get the credit through a quick call (or email). I wish this would happen more often, DOUBLE BASE MILES!!! :)

Hi. My GF was rerouted from a UA SEA-DEN-YEG to a AC SEA-YVR-YEG one way and from YEG-SFO-PDX-SEA to YEG-SFO-YVR the other way.
First one was involuntary, second one was a mutual deal since the SFO-PDX was full.
She got miles on what was flown except SEA-YVR on AC.
How should I request miles for this?

More interesting; what is the best strategy when this happens? Change the FF number before the AC flights to AeroPlan and request MP miles afterwards?

Last, the promotion miles for flying a UA round trip probably won't show up automatically in this case; could a call fix it, or is e-mail the way to go? I am no UA expert.

I would not concur with Efrem's assessment as IMHO when it is an involuntary reroute situation I have never heard of any airline denying the request of issuing the original mileage, nor do they say its a one time thing, you do however generally have to ask for it, and using search one can find many references to this situation by referring to it as "holy grail".

In every situation where this has happened (there have unfortunately been quite a few), I've received miles from both the rerouted from and the rerouted to carriers. As stated, the rerouted to should be automatic and the rerouted from will take a letter and copies of pertinent info.

and, BOTH airlines are partners with SINGAPORE AIRLINES, so if you set up a KRISFLYER account, you could even mail COPIES of the tickets and boarding cards with a form they have, and put 3 US Stamps on it, wait about 2 months and you would receive credit on THEM as well!

hehehehe.

even without the rerout thing, I probably did this particular double dip about 15-20 times in the course of 5 years. I finally stopped because, well, I was flying both DL and UA a lot less and I felt bad. As well, Singapore deletes blocks of miles regardless of continued activity--it's all based on when you earned them vs how fast you redeem. I ended up losing--no wait--not getting to doubly use about maybe 7k miles on them. Not bad.

I probably should not have posted this because it probably still works. Oh well. Call me the pudding guy. ;)MM

Since UA was listed as the OP's original airline, I'll say that my experience with them is less than stellar in crediting the original routing. There are several threads in the UA forum on this topic.

I've never had UA refuse to credit the original routing in such cases. Usually requires a letter with supporting documentation, though.

Please see several threads in the AA forum documenting this, citing the specific verbiage AA uses, and discussing why they do. If that is not enough to convince you, I may have saved copies of communications I have personally received with this statement. It did not come out of my imagination.

:D I guess it's all how you write your letter... i.e. user error, perhaps??

I find the craftily written ones with a creative spin and some professional but obvious prodding, which also contain some length and lots of details, often get results. In fact, I have never "lost" a case involving anything related to missing miles. It may take a while, but you always get what you set out to get if you really want it!

;)MM

Of the dozen or so major carriers that are my "regulars" AA is not one of them. That being said I have been able when Fim'd onto AA to get BA miles plus DL miles (the original carreir) without problem, then again I do not have experience with them the other way around, but do with almost every other major network carrier in this exact same situation.

The OP's example involved NW, DL, and UA. All three of these airlines are well-known to provide credit for original itineraries in the event of involutary reroutes.

Sorry about AA.

For the OP:

UA: Submit written request for original mile with copies of as much supporting documentation as you have.

NW/DL: Decide where you want the miles to post and submit a missing mileage request for the missing segment.

I do this numerous times every year, have to do it again after we return home this week.

In the case of NW, this is their policy as spelled out on nwa.com:
I'd hardly call that "controversial".