fgirard

eng3

UA640 ended up getting cancelled last night

LIH

Absolutely brutal in Chicago today. 45 MPH winds and sideways sleet/snow. MDW/ORD basically shuttered.

fgirard

BThumme

Routing rules go out the door for weather waivers. Even fare buckets really don't matter (unsure about basic economy). If you're in economy, an agent can put you in any economy fare bucket up to and including Y. For business class, up to F. This is explicitly stated in the waivers.

I have numerous examples I can cite. Most recently, I had YYZ-DTW turn into YYZ-IAH-DTW.

Last year this time, I had DTW-IAH-QRO morph into DTW-SFO-LAX-IAH-QRO.

No need to make things overly complicated when there's a weather waiver. My argument for trying to turn ORD-PHL into ORD-IAH-PHL would have been "there's space available and I think it gives me the best chance to get out." If an agent doesn't agree, politely HUCA. Force feeding them flights you want will go a long way.

Most of us on here use ExpertFlyer

No, see my comments above. How did everything play out for you? And what I've noticed, is that for weather waivers affecting your flight (and lengthy delays), you lose the ability to SDC, but instead are replaced with the weather waiver change (which is better/more flexible, as it also allows you to change nearby departing and arrival airports and up to two days later).

username

I think if there is a flight irregularity, the United App marks your PNR somehow and you are free to change, change and change...

jsloan

This is not true. However, as you've pointed out, an agent can waive the rules.

Just based on the waiver? Or based on actual IRROPS? Were there other, more sensible options available?

Sure, if you're comfortable making that argument, if you can make it make sense, and if you can get an agent who's good enough to be able to make the change comfortably but bad enough not to look and see if there are better options to try to help you out. But note that we're actually in agreement here -- you're suggesting you'd need to make a convincing argument to get what you wanted. We just differ on how convincing the argument needs to be. It may well come down to your social engineering skills.

BThumme

Just based on the weather waiver. What is sensible is up to the flyer. I would rather fly overnight (for irrops or weather) rather then be delayed overnight at an airport or miss my flights all together due to potential disruptions.

My YYZ-IAH-DTW was two weeks ago. There was a small winter storm that affected a lot of the NE. My YYZ-DTW was cancelled (all for the day were). What's really a sensible alternative? ORD/EWR/IAD? All those were delayed about 3 hours if not cancelled. If they weren't originally delayed, they ended up being. IAH however was not delayed, and would allow me to still connect to DTW the same day. I don't think anyone (outside of here) would ever say that makes sense. But to me, it did. I also like flying, so don't mind being on a plane. Since the weather was fine in IAH, I thought it was a legitimate argument. Being on all UA metal helped.

Last year I was flying to QRO. There was another bad winter storm coming through ORD and DTW projected for the next morning. I asked to be rerouted through SFO to avoid having issues the next morning, and not being on the hook for a hotel (since I reminded the agent that I wouldn't be covered for a hotel if needed due to weather, (even though I book with a card that has travel protection)). I was able to fly overnight and make it to QRO without issue. Sensible? Probably not. But what I do know is that it allowed me to get to my destination on time, which I wouldn't have been able to if I tried to be sensible.

Especially during winter storms (or any major disruptions), the agents are already flooded with calls. They are going to plug into their computer the same search we see and look for all nonstop alternatives (maybe other airlines if you have status and are lucky), followed by one stops that the computer defaults too. What's a "better" option might not really be a better option, just easier to make and to get on to the next call. I think you can make any argument for a reroute, no matter how crazy it is. To me, I don't think it comes down to social engineering skills, but rather how bad do you want to make the change?

It's also worth stating that I'm a 1K, so maybe that puts me in a better position then others who would try to make the same requests.

jsloan

If all of those flights were already delayed or cancelled at that point, then I agree that YYZ-IAH-DTW is a perfectly reasonable re-route. I just wouldn't expect to get an agent to agree to that in advance, based on the possibility of bad weather. At least, not without an argument. I'm used to agents assuring me that flights will operate on time even when I know they won't.

Again, that's perfectly understandable to me, assuming that there weren't any DTW-IAH flights that evening (or that they were full).

I imagine a 1K gets somewhat more deference than a non-1K, but I've had plenty of pushback from the 1K desk on seemingly-sensible requests. (I was booked GUM-NRT/HND-SFO-AUS, and two agents refused to put me onto GUM-NRT-DEN-AUS despite there being a hurricane waiver in place).

ajGoes

5:58 am: 7:13 am: 7:26 am:

fgirard

username

My mainline flight was the only one operating on-time into ORD today from my origin. 2 flights last night cancelled. Flight this morning before mine was cancelled. Flight after mine was delayed for hours.

We boarded and got ATC hold as we were ready to depart. Waited an hour and taxied out for slot. Waited 1/2 hour and back to gate. Pilot says ground stop into ORD. Next update is 14:30 CST.

Flight after mine still delayed and the one after already cancelled.

rolltribe

Official total @ ORD was 7.4. I'd say the 1000+ cancellations, blizzard conditions, multiple ground stops, etc. would argue it wasn't overblown.

Bear96

Yes. And also with this storm there was a big spread between what was forecast in downtown Chicago, and in the NW suburbs / ORD area.

paule123

Yes, indeed.

https://wgntv.com/2018/11/26/a-foot-...st-of-chicago/