neo_781

I have an interesting situation that happened to me this morning and I am wondering if I should do anything.

This morning, I went to check-in for my usua Monday morning flight. Most weeks this flight is oversold and they are eager to accept volunteers. (Last night I checked UA.COM and the flight was sold out). Well 20 minutes before boarding time NO gate agent showed up so I hustled over to the RCC to see if I could volunteer (did not want to miss the opportunity this week).

Since I was flying to a city where there is more than 1 airport to fly to, I asked the Concierge if I could volunteer and be sent to the alternate city, thus departing at the same time but arriving at a different aiport (the next flight to my original destintation is 2 hours later and I didn't want to be that late). So the great agent, printed out my new boarding pass and said have a nice flight. Sensing something was wrong, I then asked, "Oh don't you need me to sign something for the bump compensation?" To my dismay, she then became startled? Well it turns out she thought she was making an exception to help me out to the alternate city when what I really wanted was the VDB. It was then too late to put me on the original flight as that seat was immedieatly taken.

Eventually a Service Director/Supervisor came over (actually she left the club to track him down cause there still was no one at the gate 30 minutes before departure). He came over and we re-explained the situation and all I got was something like an "Oh Jeez" response. He then said the best thing to do was take the alternate flight and that if he could do anything for me in the future to ask. Upon his departure he quietly said to the very nice Concierge, "We'll talk later."

Now besides a handshake all I got was a re-route to the less convienent destination which caused me an hour delay, plus tolls and did I mention that the ticket to the original destination was more expensive too? Also I may be wrong but UA benefited by getting another person on the over-sold flight.

So should I do anything? Ask for anything? I was defienetly put out. I do take some responsibility for the miscommunication (I should have been more clear). I'm a 1K too.

Help!

SFO 1K

I'd leave it alone and be more careful next time. Since you're someone who flys quite a lot, I'm surprised you weren't very clear about how much of a VDB voucher you were expecting before this all took place. Having done so would have avoided this entirely.

As it is, they did make an error, but you and I both know there's far more to go back and fix only minutes before the flight is due to leave, and it would have been a complete mess for several folks. Others here are sure to disagree with me, but that's the beauty of this forum.

wharvey

Personally, I am not sure why you would do anything.

I do not believe United did anything wrong. They gave you a routing that you requested... without making you wait until they decided whether or not they even needed volunteers. It is not their fault that they could not read your mind about the real reason you were asking to be re-routed.

Chalk it up to experience... ask up front for what you want before accepting a change. You cannot blame them for giving up your seat after giving you a routing you asked for.

Just my two cents.

William

cordelli

I think the key was that yo uvolunteered to fly to the other airport, not to be bumpped and asked for that as an alternative routing. I don't think you were clear in what you were asking for if your wording here is what you asked.

I'd let it go and next time settle the bumped vs how about the other airport first, then offer.

There are lots of places that a question like "I'm on the Kennedy flight, can I get the Newark one instead?" and they will think they are doing you a favor by giving you a seat on the other flight, as most times they are.

FullFare

I'd let it go.

------------------
AAExecPlat; Lifetime AAirpass; 3MillMiles; UApremier-PassPlus

iluv2fly

Take him up on it.

IndustrialPatent

If I were you, I'd let the issue drop. Since you asked to go to an alternate city, your compensation would've been smaller - if anything at all - anyway... if I'm not mistaken, according to the (CoC, DOT, whoever - I don't really know), the rule is that if UA can get you to your destination within something like an hour, you're not owed anything. So if UA put you on a flight, to say EWR instead of LGA, and gave you cash for transportation to LGA, you wouldn't be owed anything.

1KChinito

I would leave it alone. Life is too short. After all, UA did give you what you asked for.

Would you do anything in this case which actually did happen to me about two years ago? I was given an op-up to NC TPE/SFO which was very common during the summer peak season. After I boarded, GA announced overhead that they needed volunteers. They offered $600 VDB travel credits which I jumped immediately. We were told to take our carryons and wait at the boarding gate. A few minutes went by, GA thanked us for giving up our seats. I wanted to confirm the compensation of $600 VDB travel credits. He informed us that they were doing UG to NC on CI in lieu of VDB. I then demanded my seat back since this was not the same as announced earlier. To my surprise, they already gave away my seat. Since NC was a lateral move for me, I demanded the $600 VDB as originally offered. GA then agreed to give me NF on CI instead of NC. Which was not what I wanted to hear but reluctantly accepted. Adding salt to the injury, when we were waiting for our luggage at YVR, I overheard several PAX received not only the UG, they also received the $600 VDB as well. Of course, it was too late for me to demand equal treatment. My original 12-hour non-stop flight ended up being 16 hours with a connection at YVR. I arrived SFO 4 hours after the original UA flight. So I promised myself I would never volunteer this route again. Instead of enjoying my NF on CI, I was fuming the entire 10+ hours, which was really stupid. UA did give me op-up NF YVR/SFO which made it more palatable. The lesson learned here was if I did not know exactly what I would get in return for volunteering, I would stay put. I had much better experiences with other UA VDB since the TPE incident.


[This message has been edited by ecmt (edited 07-28-2003).]

SAT Lawyer

Yes, but that rule applies to an involuntary denied boarding situation, right? Here we have a bizarre voluntary denied boarding scenario. But I share the consensus opinion that, under the circumstances, neo_781 has no justification for seeking compensation.

[This message has been edited by cAAl (edited 07-28-2003).]

Jim Phillips

Nothing personal, but I could just hear the two UA associates cursing you during their "talk with you later" chat for grubbing about compensation when clearly you've already gotten what you specifically asked for with the re-routing.

"Give them an inch, they'll always want to take a mile," is what I can imagine them saying, cause that's what I thought myself.

That does not exactly encourage the staffers to be more accomodating or to 'think outside of the box' for the next passenger who may have just as good or better reason for re-routing or acommodation otherwise.

Sure, the law says you're entitled, but by the same token, do you turn yourself in every time you exceed the speed limit on the highway?

iluv2fly

No, I'm too busy ratting on passengers who self-upgrade.

*HighFlyah*

Common sense would have it that if you volunteer to go to an alternate airport that is a co-terminal, and the fare exists and/or the agent is nice to let you do that, it shouldn't really matter to UA as long as you give up a seat on the original flight. That IS the purpose of the whole matter isn't it?

Also, it would seem to be a mutually beneficial situation for both UA and the travelling passenger. However, common sense does not work in the airline industry. This is a direct quote from a UA check-in agent at ORD!



------------------
When once you have experienced being a 1K, you will forever fly the friendly skies with your eyes set on 100% mileage bonus and SWUs, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return, every year!

Jim Phillips

And if you don't, who are you cheating?

neo_781

While they may be exactly what they talked about, at NOtime did I ask for compensation or even get mad/angry/upset with anyway. If anything, I went out of my way to smile and be friendly. The reactions from the two employees was mutually friendly. This was not a confrontation. The only time I mentioned "compensation" was when I asked about the bump voucher. When the agent and I realized what had happend the only actions taken was an unsuccessful attempt to get me back on my original flight.

My hope was the maybe the supervisor would recognize that I was not an adversary, but a loyal customer in a messed up situation and offer something (remember I didn't ask).

Finally, the reason why I brought this up was to get some feedback. Also remember that most people that post on this board know more about the system than your average traveler and that Joe Average might have a right to be upset. UA asks for volunteers, Joe volunteers but recieves no compensation for his volunteerism.


[This message has been edited by neo_781 (edited 07-29-2003).]

neo_781

Great idea but I also thought on the other hand it may be a good idea for them to forget my name!