UA cancels/MX my award flight,refuses to book another airline in biz (eventually did)
Jan 14, 2024, 11:52 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Californa
Programs: 100000 mile flyer
Posts: 100
Call up again and GENTLY BE PERSISTENT.
On NOV 28, 2023 12 hours before flight, my SYD-LAX arriving 6:00AM in J using points was cancelled.
They re-booked me on UA via SFO and had me arriving LAX at 11:00AM.
I already had a Limo set to pick me up at LAX at 7:30 for a 2 hour ride to a hospital.
The agent at first said "You don't expect us to re-book you on another airline, do you? You're only delayed by 5 hours..."
I answered "Yes, I do. QF arrives at 6:00AM LAX and I'd like you to put me on that flight. May be you are unable to do it, can you speak to a supervisor please?
I know I am asking for a favor but I have be at LAX to get that LImo to take me directly to a hospital." ALL THIS WAS TRUE.
15 minutes later..".Mr. Luv2fly1st you are booked on QF in J arriving 6AM LAX"
Me "Thank you very much, I REALLY appreciate your help and re-booking me on that flight."
SO if its not too late, try again. That's my advice. It's possible my status on UA (1K) helped, but I don't know that for sure.
On NOV 28, 2023 12 hours before flight, my SYD-LAX arriving 6:00AM in J using points was cancelled.
They re-booked me on UA via SFO and had me arriving LAX at 11:00AM.
I already had a Limo set to pick me up at LAX at 7:30 for a 2 hour ride to a hospital.
The agent at first said "You don't expect us to re-book you on another airline, do you? You're only delayed by 5 hours..."
I answered "Yes, I do. QF arrives at 6:00AM LAX and I'd like you to put me on that flight. May be you are unable to do it, can you speak to a supervisor please?
I know I am asking for a favor but I have be at LAX to get that LImo to take me directly to a hospital." ALL THIS WAS TRUE.
15 minutes later..".Mr. Luv2fly1st you are booked on QF in J arriving 6AM LAX"
Me "Thank you very much, I REALLY appreciate your help and re-booking me on that flight."
SO if its not too late, try again. That's my advice. It's possible my status on UA (1K) helped, but I don't know that for sure.
Last edited by luv2fly1st; Jan 14, 2024 at 11:57 am Reason: corrected grammar
Jan 14, 2024, 11:53 am
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,647
Doesn't United have to pay for Food and lodging until a viable solution that you are happy with is settled? If you could file a DOT complaint and a complaint to Christopher Elliott's team at Elliott.Org . The best is to book yourself with cash in Business or First Class and send the receipts to Christopher Elliott's team
Jan 14, 2024, 11:56 am
#18
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,607
Call up again and GENTLY BE PERSISTENT.
On NOV 28,2023 12 hours before flight, my SYD-LAX arriving 6:00AM in J using points was cancelled.
They re-booked me via SFO and had me arriving LAX at 11:00AM.
I already had a Limo set to pick me up at LAX at 7:30 for a 2 hour ride to a hospital.
The agent at first said "You don't expect us to re-book you on another airline, do you? You're only delayed by 5 hours..."
I answered "Yes, I do. QF 11 arrives at 6:00AM LAX and I'd like you to put me on that flight. May be you are unable to do it, can you speak to a supervisor please? I know I am asking for a favor but I have be at LAX to get that LImo to take me directly to a hospital." ALL THIS WAS TRUE.
15 minutes later..".Mr. XXX your booked on QF in J arriviing 6AM LAX"
Me "Thank you very much, I REALLY appreciate your help and re-booking me on that flight."
SO if its not too late, try again. That's my advice. It's possible my status on UA helped, but I don't know that for sure.
On NOV 28,2023 12 hours before flight, my SYD-LAX arriving 6:00AM in J using points was cancelled.
They re-booked me via SFO and had me arriving LAX at 11:00AM.
I already had a Limo set to pick me up at LAX at 7:30 for a 2 hour ride to a hospital.
The agent at first said "You don't expect us to re-book you on another airline, do you? You're only delayed by 5 hours..."
I answered "Yes, I do. QF 11 arrives at 6:00AM LAX and I'd like you to put me on that flight. May be you are unable to do it, can you speak to a supervisor please? I know I am asking for a favor but I have be at LAX to get that LImo to take me directly to a hospital." ALL THIS WAS TRUE.
15 minutes later..".Mr. XXX your booked on QF in J arriviing 6AM LAX"
Me "Thank you very much, I REALLY appreciate your help and re-booking me on that flight."
SO if its not too late, try again. That's my advice. It's possible my status on UA helped, but I don't know that for sure.
Jan 14, 2024, 12:25 pm
#19
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,299
This is another example of why we need a customer bill of rights for airline travel. It is awful you bought a product and United just refuses to honor what you paid for even with miles. ...United has to rebook you in the same class on any airline that has available seats especially for a mechanical that is their issue.
Basically no matter what part of the policy they read, OP should have been eligible for rebooking on NZ - uncontrollable IRROPs on JV? Yep; uncontrollable IRROPs for J pax? Yep; controllable IRROPs? Yep. IRROPs for premier member? Probably (don't see a premier status listed)
.
Jan 14, 2024, 12:47 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,437
"Sorry, the luxury SUV you booked unfortunately broke down. We can either offer you:
1) to wait until we can send another luxury SUV as soon as it becomes availabe
2) have our rival company pick you up in their Toyota Corolla and have them take you to your destination"
...and I'd have a potential option of asking for:
"Can your rival company take me with their Toyota Corolla for a short drive to just outside the airport, where I could take your luxury SUV to my original destination (AKL-SYD-LAX, or AKL-MEL-LAX), or could your luxury SUV take me, that is going to very close to my destination, and then drive me for the short final distance with your Toyota Corolla (AKL-SFO-LAX)?"
I think I'd be okay with that. Not overly happy mind you, but okay.
Jan 14, 2024, 1:00 pm
#21
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,152
A customer bill of rights won't solve that issue, because UA already has such a policy. You can have all the policies in the world but if your agents make up their own reasoning and doesn't follow those. An EU261-sque customer bill of rights isn't going to suddenly make agents read/implement policies appropriately (see: LH irrops handling).
UA basically does, their policy is even in uncontrollable IRROPs if it results in an overnight they will reacom on JV partners in JV markets. See above about agent's acually implementing that though.
Basically no matter what part of the policy they read, OP should have been eligible for rebooking on NZ - uncontrollable IRROPs on JV? Yep; uncontrollable IRROPs for J pax? Yep; controllable IRROPs? Yep. IRROPs for premier member? Probably (don't see a premier status listed)
.
UA basically does, their policy is even in uncontrollable IRROPs if it results in an overnight they will reacom on JV partners in JV markets. See above about agent's acually implementing that though.
Basically no matter what part of the policy they read, OP should have been eligible for rebooking on NZ - uncontrollable IRROPs on JV? Yep; uncontrollable IRROPs for J pax? Yep; controllable IRROPs? Yep. IRROPs for premier member? Probably (don't see a premier status listed)
.
Last edited by JimInOhio; Jan 14, 2024 at 2:19 pm
Jan 14, 2024, 1:35 pm
#23
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London / Los Angeles
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, BA Silver
Posts: 1,632
Jan 14, 2024, 2:00 pm
#24
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,216
United cancelled my AKL LAX flight for Jan 15. Booked Polaris with points. Air NZ has a AKL SFO flight with 17 biz class seats but UA refuses to book me in biz or premium Econ, only economy. No status. Is this par for the course?!? What type of compensation can I expect for downgrade to economy? I’m heading back to PHX.
My other option is to book premium Econ on AA for 72K miles and cancel United. I’d get my points back but what else to expect? How else to handle this, they’ve put me on hold for like 45 minutes and it’s painful….
My other option is to book premium Econ on AA for 72K miles and cancel United. I’d get my points back but what else to expect? How else to handle this, they’ve put me on hold for like 45 minutes and it’s painful….
Jan 14, 2024, 3:23 pm
#25
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
United cancelled my AKL LAX flight for Jan 15. Booked Polaris with points. Air NZ has a AKL SFO flight with 17 biz class seats but UA refuses to book me in biz or premium Econ, only economy. No status. Is this par for the course?!? What type of compensation can I expect for downgrade to economy? I’m heading back to PHX.
My other option is to book premium Econ on AA for 72K miles and cancel United. I’d get my points back but what else to expect? How else to handle this, they’ve put me on hold for like 45 minutes and it’s painful….
My other option is to book premium Econ on AA for 72K miles and cancel United. I’d get my points back but what else to expect? How else to handle this, they’ve put me on hold for like 45 minutes and it’s painful….
UA has to rebook in Business class - but you may not like their option - if you want a different option but they say "Sure - but economy only" and you say "Fine" at that point it was VOLUNTARY and you are owed nothing - so be careful what you ask for and agree to.
Jan 14, 2024, 3:31 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,556
[removed by moderator]
Within reason, sure. But OP would not be able to turn down a J seat on UA for the following day and then expect UA to pay for their hotel until they were “happy.”
This is possibly the worst advice I’ve ever seen on FlyerTalk. You’re gambling thousands of dollars of somebody else’s money in the hopes that a business class customer being delayed a day is a story that will resonate with a consumer protection advocate, and with UA, despite the fact that most people will never fly international J in their life. Sure, this might work. But it might also just result in UA adding an extra $100 to their voucher.
This is possibly the worst advice I’ve ever seen on FlyerTalk. You’re gambling thousands of dollars of somebody else’s money in the hopes that a business class customer being delayed a day is a story that will resonate with a consumer protection advocate, and with UA, despite the fact that most people will never fly international J in their life. Sure, this might work. But it might also just result in UA adding an extra $100 to their voucher.
Last edited by l etoile; Jan 14, 2024 at 4:33 pm Reason: OT political comment
Jan 14, 2024, 4:22 pm
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: أمريكا
Posts: 26,765
Airlines seem to be an interesting outlier where people expect the carrier to put you on another airline subject to whatever desires the pax has at the time of rebooking. Is there another industry like this? If your account gets the flu is there a bill of rights that says he has to get the account of your choice from a third company on your file?
I agree it's desirable for the airlines to do this from a customer service perspective, but it's not clear that it leads to systemic benefits that outweigh the costs to legislate it, just like people want a bill of rights that guarantees larger seats in economy, but most economy passengers' revealed preferences are for the cheapest possible fare. Remember AA removed MRTC when they found that passengers were not willing to pay.
I agree it's desirable for the airlines to do this from a customer service perspective, but it's not clear that it leads to systemic benefits that outweigh the costs to legislate it, just like people want a bill of rights that guarantees larger seats in economy, but most economy passengers' revealed preferences are for the cheapest possible fare. Remember AA removed MRTC when they found that passengers were not willing to pay.
Jan 14, 2024, 4:55 pm
#28
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,647
Jan 14, 2024, 7:21 pm
#30
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,152
Airlines seem to be an interesting outlier where people expect the carrier to put you on another airline subject to whatever desires the pax has at the time of rebooking. Is there another industry like this? If your account gets the flu is there a bill of rights that says he has to get the account of your choice from a third company on your file?
I agree it's desirable for the airlines to do this from a customer service perspective, but it's not clear that it leads to systemic benefits that outweigh the costs to legislate it, just like people want a bill of rights that guarantees larger seats in economy, but most economy passengers' revealed preferences are for the cheapest possible fare. Remember AA removed MRTC when they found that passengers were not willing to pay.
I agree it's desirable for the airlines to do this from a customer service perspective, but it's not clear that it leads to systemic benefits that outweigh the costs to legislate it, just like people want a bill of rights that guarantees larger seats in economy, but most economy passengers' revealed preferences are for the cheapest possible fare. Remember AA removed MRTC when they found that passengers were not willing to pay.