Cancun Screw up...compensation help needed
Jan 11, 2010, 12:49 pm
#1
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Cancun Screw up...compensation help needed
So I'm sitting here in the Cancun airport after getting the boot from flight 960 to ORD. We (myself, wife, 5 year old son, 3 1/2 year old son, and 69 year old MIL and FIL) were assigned to row 27. We get on board and the plane ends at row 26....after being shoved in the back like cattle as the entire plane boards...we were escorted off and told we had no seats. B/C I'm in a bit of a rush, I'll post those wonderful details later...
My question is this...we're being put on the 2:55 flight in first class and told they can only offer us a $200/voucher...My wife is telling the guy it's not good enough...he has been telling her that his supervisor has informed him that she needs to sign and acknowledge the vouchers or he'll bump us back to economy for our flight home, and make us hash it out with UA customer service in the states...the gate agent is being very nice, but is playing the good cop (him) and bad cop (his supervisor...who has incidentally refused to come to the gate.)...he claims that normally we should be getting $400-$500 in vouchers...my wife signed the vouchers but wrote a note on them that she is not waiving her right to additional compensation as the voucher states.
Any advice on how to proceed from here and what the appropriate compensation should be?
My question is this...we're being put on the 2:55 flight in first class and told they can only offer us a $200/voucher...My wife is telling the guy it's not good enough...he has been telling her that his supervisor has informed him that she needs to sign and acknowledge the vouchers or he'll bump us back to economy for our flight home, and make us hash it out with UA customer service in the states...the gate agent is being very nice, but is playing the good cop (him) and bad cop (his supervisor...who has incidentally refused to come to the gate.)...he claims that normally we should be getting $400-$500 in vouchers...my wife signed the vouchers but wrote a note on them that she is not waiving her right to additional compensation as the voucher states.
Any advice on how to proceed from here and what the appropriate compensation should be?
Jan 11, 2010, 12:56 pm
#2
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When you have time to read this, you may find this helpful:
http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/S%2AUAL/DENIED-IDB
Was this due to an equipment swap?
I am not an expert in these situations, but honestly feel that F seats, a little over two hour delay and $200 (each correct?) in vouchers is above the expected compensation.
Sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.
http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/S%2AUAL/DENIED-IDB
Was this due to an equipment swap?
I am not an expert in these situations, but honestly feel that F seats, a little over two hour delay and $200 (each correct?) in vouchers is above the expected compensation.
Sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.
Jan 11, 2010, 12:58 pm
#3
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IDB rules from http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text...0.1.1.28.0.8.3 .
Inside 4 hours: Check. 1/2 of 200% is 100%. Is $200 equal to 1/2 of the round trip fare ORD/CUN? United.com quotes $460 AI for a round trip booked two weeks from now.
I'm guessing that $200 is in the right ball park. And you do get to fly in F. And you get $1200 in certs. Enjoy the ride and move on. Since you've signed the vouchers it is too late to hold your ground and take $1380 in cash.
(a) Subject to the exceptions provided in §250.6, a carrier to whom this part applies as described in §250.2 shall pay compensation to passengers denied boarding involuntarily from an oversold flight at the rate of 200 percent of the fare (including any surcharges and air transportation taxes) to the passenger's next stopover, or if none, to the passenger's final destination, with a maximum of $800. However, the compensation shall be one-half the amount described above, with a $400 maximum, if the carrier arranges for comparable air transportation [see §250.1], or other transportation used by the passenger that, at the time either such arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger's next stopover, or if none, the airport of the passenger's final destination, not later than 2 hours after the time the direct or connecting flight from which the passenger was denied boarding is planned to arrive in the case of interstate air transportation, or 4 hours after such time in the case of foreign air transportation.
(b) Carriers may offer free or reduced rate air transportation in lieu of the cash due under paragraph (a) of this section, if (1) the value of the transportation benefit offered is equal to or greater than the cash payment otherwise required, and (2) the carrier informs the passenger of the amount of cash compensation that would otherwise be due and that the passenger may decline the transportation benefit and receive the cash payment.
(b) Carriers may offer free or reduced rate air transportation in lieu of the cash due under paragraph (a) of this section, if (1) the value of the transportation benefit offered is equal to or greater than the cash payment otherwise required, and (2) the carrier informs the passenger of the amount of cash compensation that would otherwise be due and that the passenger may decline the transportation benefit and receive the cash payment.
I'm guessing that $200 is in the right ball park. And you do get to fly in F. And you get $1200 in certs. Enjoy the ride and move on. Since you've signed the vouchers it is too late to hold your ground and take $1380 in cash.
Last edited by mre5765; Jan 11, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Jan 11, 2010, 1:02 pm
#4
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Thanks for the quick responses...I think my wife is going to have a battle on her hands when we get home to get anything more...but we'll see.
Jan 11, 2010, 1:02 pm
#5
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For clarification, your IDB is from a flight leaving at 12:25 p.m. to one leaving at 2:51 p.m.?
This is a good place to ask and it looks like you've already gotten feedback as to your rights and reasonable expectations. My own hunch was that seats in F and $200 for a 2 1/2 hour delay isn't too shabby.
Safe travels,
Fredd
This is a good place to ask and it looks like you've already gotten feedback as to your rights and reasonable expectations. My own hunch was that seats in F and $200 for a 2 1/2 hour delay isn't too shabby.
Safe travels,
Fredd
Jan 11, 2010, 1:04 pm
#6
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F for all and $200 each for a small delay like that, I'd take it. Plus theres a solid bet those flights will book into F, so CoS bonus miles to boot.
Jan 11, 2010, 1:04 pm
#7
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I personally would love to have a "screw up" like that more often! No add'l comp necessary.
Jan 11, 2010, 1:07 pm
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Seems fair to me. Enjoy the FC service to ORD.
AD
AD
Jan 11, 2010, 1:12 pm
#9
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The only other complication is I had to move my flight to SAN back to the 8:30 which puts me in to SAN at 11pm and I have a 7 a.m. meeting on Tuesday.
Jan 11, 2010, 1:18 pm
#10
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thats not ideal but also far from the end of the world, so you get 5 or 6 hours of sleep. the big question is why on earth would you schedule a 7AM meeting the day after returning from a vacation.....I always plan an extra day off or work from home the day after returning from a vacation.
Jan 11, 2010, 1:19 pm
#11
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Please, United, screw my reservations like the OP's. I probably would have taken the F seats without any additional compensation, assuming that they gave me F all the way to my final destination.
It's amazing how we pay so little for air travel these days and get upset when we were inconvenienced by a couple of hours. Oh, yes, and the airline compensated us for the trip and upgraded us to F. It really takes guts to complain after that.
It's amazing how we pay so little for air travel these days and get upset when we were inconvenienced by a couple of hours. Oh, yes, and the airline compensated us for the trip and upgraded us to F. It really takes guts to complain after that.
Jan 11, 2010, 1:24 pm
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Jan 11, 2010, 1:25 pm
#13
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+1 I can't count how many times I've been delayed 2-3 hours and received ZILCH for the experience. The OP made some good bank (within COC rights) and scored the UG.
Jan 11, 2010, 1:26 pm
#14
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Looks like the UA A320 has two configurations, one with Y to row 26 and one with Y to row 27. It would be amusing to fight out whether an A320 --> A320 is a "swap" as defined in IDB rules! But hasn't anyone else wondered where UA is finding all this F space just 2 hours pre-departure?? Assuming that none of the OPs kids are laps, it looks like they are offering the OP 6 F seats, 50% of the A320 cabin, all miraculously open 2 hours preflight at peak vacation season. How did that happen??
Jan 11, 2010, 1:28 pm
#15
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Two hours? Think you got given compensation on a golden platter... whether or not you were entitled to more of a voucher - you were give FC upgrades.
Last Saturday due to a mechanical the 5:24PM IAD-DFW flight finally left at about 9PM and arrived around 11PM - just over three hours late in arrival and what was offered? Not a thing. Would not even let us rebook on the first flight of the next morning and go home at 6pm.
Last Saturday due to a mechanical the 5:24PM IAD-DFW flight finally left at about 9PM and arrived around 11PM - just over three hours late in arrival and what was offered? Not a thing. Would not even let us rebook on the first flight of the next morning and go home at 6pm.