Seeking advice on long delay
 

I had a flight from the US to New Zealand last month which suffered from delays on two different legs of the trip due to mechanical failures (one was a de-icing valve not working, and another was the radar not working). My arrival in New Zealand was delayed over 36 hours, and on top of that, my luggage was delayed for an additional two days. I also had a hotel reservation for the night of my original arrival which I couldn’t cancel on such short notice, and I had to book a new hotel for the night of my actual arrival.

United’s Customer Care, who as far as I can tell has no phone number and communicates only by email, issued me a $275 travel certificate, which seems ludicrously low, and seems unwilling to reimburse me for either hotel. They haven’t specified what the $275 is for (first flight?second flight? both?), but have referred to it as a “maximum.” I have replied to them, but their email communication is slow.

For reference, the two flights were UA 4312 on Jan 14, and UA 917 on Jan 15.

I’d love advice on both who I could contact and how I could contact them; and what the best approach is to get more compensation for these delays.

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

In general, UA will not reimburse for consequential damages such as a non-refundable hotel reservation. If you have trip delay insurance — generally from your credit card — I’d follow up with them. They’re also not going to reimburse you for a hotel for the night you actually arrived — why would they? They’d expect that you’d need accommodations that night anyway. If you had to make an extra overnight stay at your origin or the connection point due to the delays, and they didn’t already arrange for that, they will reimburse for that. Similarly, they’ll reimburse for ground transportation to/from that hotel, as well as meals.

Actual damages from the delayed luggage will be reimbursed up to the applicable treaty maximum — if you had to buy toiletries, clothes, etc. for the first two days of your trip, submit receipts for that and you should be reimbursed.

A $275 voucher — on top of reimbursement for your actual damages — doesn’t seem out of line with what UA routinely offers, particularly if you don’t have status with them.

Welcome to FT!, szwanger

The USA does not have mandatory compensation system for delays like this (no EU261). It is purely up to the carrier.
Any lodging and/or food during the delay should have been cover.
However, consequential damages, such as missed work, deposits, refundable lodging / tours, ... are explicitly (in the contract part of the ticket) are not covered.
And email is the only communication forum to customer support.
Having status or being in business class might get you extra leverage for more comp.
At this point if you have been told this was the final offer, you might try emailing a corporate executive (emails are easily googled) and their support trams might offer a bit more but not the hotels.

Thanks for the replies!

I have United Gold Status, and previously for many years had United Platinum status.

Your current status may be relevant, but they no doubt know that already. Your previous status means nothing to United.

That is speculation though - we don't know that.

I know all my years as 1K mean nothing. United's motto is "What have you done for me lately?"