You are correct... but because it connected to International (larger) plane, is it still exempt?

I will defer to you.

So do you think $300 was fair or should I ask for more?

onward connection is not a factor.

you ask for what you think is fair. Part of UA's consideration is passenger's status and fare/cabin. If it was me, I would expect more for an 1K (probably upgraded).

It was a semi-volunteer. I was told that if I did not volunteer that I would be bumped and that no compensation would be provided then.

I'm looking for guidelines here. Is an additional $300 travel credit not unreasonable then?

I'm an AC elite. But travel quite extensively on UA.

They did bump off pax travelling in F (4-6 I believe) with no status, and gave them taxi vouchers to LAX to make their onward connection. no additional compensation was given to them. I have a hard time believing PSP-LAX is an elite heavy route.

if you signed the VDB form, your fate is sealed concerning additionally compensation. If you did not sign, you still have options.

Any additional compensation would be based on a "complaint" and not your negotiating skills for VDB.

They gave me a form to fill out wanting my address. No signature.

did you read the form or keep a copy? Did it state by filling out the form you were accepting the voluntary change and compensation offered?

more here, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ua-2013-a.html

Compensation for UA/Immigration Shenanigans
 

I was flying from Liberia, Costa Rica to Toronto (via Chicago) with a friend. We cleared all immigration/customs together but about 10 minutes before boarding they called my name and I was told there was a problem with immigration and I would not be leaving on my flight. Another 2 families booked on the flight were told the same thing and we waited for a supervisor to arrive to explain this immigration issue. My friend boarded and the plane departed, meanwhile we were still waiting for answers. Eventually one of the families became irate and the agent said he would "be right back." He never came back.

After about 30 minutes I started walking around the airport looking for a UA rep. At the other side of the airport (Liberia isn't very big) I found a group of people who were all told the same thing I was (about 12-20 people). Apparently someone working for UA lost all those little immigration forms you fill out and that was why we couldn't leave on our original flights.

When I got to the counter the agent told me that I was going to go to Houston, spend the night in Houston and would fly home the next day. They would comp the hotel and offered $200 for their mistake. The agent told me I could redeem it for cash in Houston but when I got to Houston the rep said it was only good for a flight credit. Upon closer inspection it does indeed say "flight credit" but I didn't get a good look at it as I was rushed through everything and never got a chance to explore my options. When I was talking to the agent the flight for Houston was almost done boarding and I had to run to make the new flight.

I was supposed to get home January 2 at midnight and got home January 3 at 5pm instead. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Is $200 fair? Is it too late to be compensated any more? The original one way ticket was about $360.

Thanks so much!

IMO, $200 is not enough for what was clearly their mistake on an international itinerary. The cost of your ticket is only somewhat relevant. Hold out for $400.

They owed you a hotel room anyway for getting you home late and making you stay over in Houston, so it shouldn't be counted against your compensation (if they happen to make that argument).

Welcome to FT! Sorry that you had to experience this ordeal. There are many of us who can provide invaluable information for you. Hopefully many will chime in on this.

Personally, I don't see $200 as enough compensation. Perhaps others can shed light about whether this constitutes as IDB, in which case the compensation is more, but there are so many other things here that in the least deserve a clearer explanation from UA. I would write UA through the website customer support link, and let them know that $200 and an "oops" for apology are not acceptable. If we are asked to be responsible for our own documents when traveling internationally, UA should own up to their responsibility, too.

As the OP was not at fault, this was an IDB. Maybe Costa Rica has set rules regarding IDBs as the EU does.

IDB??? OP was held for immigration issues, even if the issue was UA's faulty handing of paperwork, UA did not block travel -- the immigration folks did. Not IDB by any definition I'm aware of.

The OP:
That doesn't sound like immigration to me. That was UA.

What makes you think that this was not an IDB??? UA denied the OP boarding. Just that the reason wasn't (perhaps or officially) overbooking but bungling of some paperwork.

Perhaps UA did block travel, knowing that had OP left CR without the lost forms, UA would be in bigger trouble with immigration. @:-)

Look at Rule 25 Denied Boarding Compensation in the conditions of carriage. That section seems to be all about oversales and compensation under that scenario.

At the very bottom of Rule 25:

So, is there a law in Costa Rica covering denied boarding compensation and is it exclusive to oversales or not? Sounds like a lot will ride on their law in this case.