jjmoore

Hearing stories like this is why I feel these ToD upgrade offers for literally dimes on the dollar need to go away (or be available for ONLY premier members / higher level premier members). This by itself would leave some seats in F open at the gate as long as R/RN/PN inventory is managed properly. This is another prime example where UA may make a little extra $$, but at the sacrifice of the most loyal pax. Unfortunate.

morkovka

Good to know there are some success stories. I was not aware they can rebook you on other airlines! I don't know why I did not think of this (I guess just the shell shock of what has just happened ))

I agree with you that this is not a good solution. I would be mad as hell too if I was that person. My point is simply that United has treated us (paying first class customers) like garbage in this case - absolutely no attempt was made to accommodate us in this situation which was not our fault. This is why after this I am not paying any $ for United business.

lincolnjkc

It is one of the "hidden" benefits of flying with a legacy/network carrier -- they have interline agreements with other legacy/network carriers to allow for recommendation [though there has been some erosion e.g. Delta and American shunned each other a couple years ago], while with a LCC like Southwest, Frontier, or Spirit part of their "low cost" structure is not having to maintain those agreements and the infrastructure to support them so if you get stuck up a creek with them you have to wait for them to bring you a paddle or buy your own replacement.

bocastephen

It basically comes to two problems:

1. United likes to declare ALL irregular ops as weather events, even when it's obviously something else

2. because it's a "weather event", they will not re-route you on another carrier

3. even if it's obviously mechanical or something in their control, they will still try and refuse to re-route you on another airline, especially if you're seated in a premium cabin

expressboy

I was booked on UA79 EWR-NRT with a confirmed upgrade in business. UA cancelled the flight (cited reason was "Canceled due to severe weather conditions in our route network") and was not willing to put me on any other united connecting flights even though seats were available. They were willing to put me on the same flight on the next day in business but I would have been unable to make the meeting I was traveling for and hence I refused. Finally, they put me on a ANA flight from JFK-NRT on the same day but were not willing to put me on business class even though it was available. I ended up in a terrible seat with no food for the whole flight (needed a special meal). I am trying to understand if downgrade compensation is due here. I am a bit miffed that united didn't even send a standard apology email for the incovenience.

Miles Ahead

What does United have to apologize for? You flew a different carrier in the class of service you bought.

lincolnjkc

Downgrade compensation, especially for upgrades, only applies if you're downgraded on the same flight you were originally booked on. In the case of irregular operations, United's only obligation [other than to refund the ticket if you request and certain criteria are met] is to reaccommodate you in the purchased class of service. UA will not, absent some extraordinary circumstances (and certainly not for a weather cancel) upgrade on an interline carrier based on the costs/compensation involved (they'd only have revenue for an economy seat but have to pay the receiving carrier for the business class seat). It is a gamble/risk you take when upgrading rather than just purchasing the higher class of service, in which case you would be entitled to request space in the ticketed cabin on the new carrier.

It does seem odd that they wouldn't put you on online flights with space available--I would have asked for a supervisor, HUCAed, or WACBLed--but it wouldn't surprise me if there were underlying reasons (e.g. revenue management allowing seats to be sold into overbook but no actual seats being available, misconnect risks, etc,)

WineCountryUA

No, standard downgrade comp only applies if you flew the original flight and were downgraded.
As this was irrops, there is no downgrade comp

As you declined UA's alternative on UA a day later in business, UA placed you in your purchased fare class on an alternative carrier -- upgrades don't carry over to alternate carriers.

You are due the return of the upgrade (GPU or miles/copay)
You should request compensation for the irrops especially if you arrived later that originally scheduled

jsloan

No compensation is likely for a weather delay. In fact, it's pretty uncommon to get UA to rebook on another carrier when the delay is due to weather. I'd say UA went above and beyond here (and, not surprisingly, managed to upset the customer in the process).

WineCountryUA

Very true, but the combination of WX and the reversion to economy might get a sympathy compensation especially for an elite. But agree it is not a certainty.

Kacee

Especially if combined with complaint that agent refused to rebook on UA metal with available seats. (Though I will add that is a classic HUACA situation.)

zrs70

We also don't have full info as to whether those available seats were truly available. Did those flights make it to NRT? Did the UA agent know if the flights were likely to be cancelled, or if there was a change of equipment?

Kacee

We never have "full info" on FT. But I see no reason to disbelieve OP's report of what happened, and offer input assuming the accuracy of the information provided.

expressboy

Thanks lincolnjkc and WineCountryUA for clarifying. Yes, I did arrive ~6 hrs later. I probably won't bother asking for any comp.

expressboy

Haha. Yep, you are right. They did upset me but mainly because I thought they did not go above and beyond. NH is a JV partner and they get the same money off an NH flight as their own metal and they acted like they were doing me a favor (this was after 3 HUACAs that insisted I had to travel the next day). I guess this is simply a case of mismatched expectations. UA knew I was going to Japan for *a day* and returning on their metal. Offering to get me there 2 hours before my return flight should have sounded ridiculous to them, especially given the high fare I had to pay.

I did HUACA thrice to even get on this NH flight .

I tried to book the flights and they were available to book on the United app (in U class which makes me assume they had seats). The flight (UA803) did make it to NRT (EWR-IAD-NRT). Not sure about the answer to the last part of your question about whether the agent knew if flights were likely to be canceled, but the publicly available info at the time did not indicate any such thing.