Paolo01

There have been a number of threads recently about canceled flights and such and I just went through a canceled flight myself after hours of delay. Of course it was not when I was traveling by myself, but while toting my family along on vacation. Any problems flight delays and cancellations would normally cause are doubled or tripled if you have family traveling with you who are not used to the intricacies of air travel. The following are a few things that I feel are critical to FF flexibility during delays and cancellations.

1. Obviously, status counts. Even 2P will get you separated from the 'masses.'

2. Sign up for mobile updates. I was continually finding out about delays a few minutes before they were announced or posted on the monitors or by the gate personnel. These minutes will allow you to be on the phone calling the 1K line or 1P or 2P before others to get those last few seats on tomorrows flight, or whatever next routing you desire.

3. Add unitedcargo.com to your favorites on your mobile phone. United cargo always has more accurate information than is being relayed by the GA's.

4. As much as I hate to admit it, a Red Carpet Club membership can be a sanity saver. When the flight finally gets canceled, everybody is going to get sent to the Customer Service Desk. The line will take hours, literally. If you are a RCC member, skip the desk and go to the nearest RCC. They can do everything there and "I think" are more amenable to sending you to 'nicer' hotels.

5. You really need a laptop available for cancellations. I can't get all of the information I need on my phones and I need them for voice con anyway. A laptop will help you engage the CS rep on the phone with solutions. I have found that they will often meet you when you offer solutions. If you just say, get me from A to B, their options are limited. But if you say that you can see a route from IAD to MIA through IAH, they will accommodate.

6. Once vouchers have been received, double check them all. If your family is on the same PNR, they may try and stick you all in one room or not give you all meal credits. Check them and have them call a supervisor if necessary.

7. Never take the first compensation offer provided into your delay. It will not get less if you do it online later, but it may get better as the day drags on. Also, your 'appreciation' may be better if you use 1K Voice instead of the appreciation website which is automated and pre programmed.

8. Finally, a small three outlet power strip in your computer bag can make you a hero as outlets dwindle and tempers shorten.

Caveat: There are some airports as a UA flyer where your RCC is nowhere near your gate. Example, IAD if you have pulled into the A gates with your broken plane, you are nowhere near D or C terminal RCC's. Some other internet access may prove invaluable for planning your alternate routes. Or go to C/D and notify the club attendant that you are there from your flight so that you will get announcements. Otherwise you may miss your flight or other information.

mahasamatman

As far as I've always been told, if you take a compensation offer, and later on they give someone a better offer, they are obliged to increase your compensation to match the higher offer. This applies to human offers, though, and not what you get online.

FriendlySkies

+1

There have been times that DEN will have hundreds of people in line for the customer service counter after a wave of UX cancellations. I enjoy the ability to wander into the RCC and have flights changed, and only have to wait for two or three people in line, instead of 200! In addition, you can pull out your laptop, iPad, etc... and go over flight options with the RCC matron.

Akulashark

I have some extra food (trail mix), an alternate method of accessing the Internet (tether via phone), ipod, RCC Membership card (for when there is another reciprocal club) and I tend to be ontop of making phone calls or asking questions for items I need to. If you are taking a mechanical on a UX flight you should call the 1K desk as you walk the miles to the main airport, stuff like that. Knowledge of charging cell phones is a must, charging via the laptop USB port means you need to have the phone off in most cases.

tmm1012

This is certainly true - I helped out a girl a few weeks ago in a misconnect situation where everyone on our LAS-IAD missed their connections at 10 pm, so the last connections of the day. So the IAD-XXX connections in the morning were filling up, and I'm guessing were being filled according to status. I got in line with her at our arrival gate, where they already had accommodation vouchers and new boarding passes for the morning printed.

After she got hers, I took a look and they had her booked out of DCA, with no transportation to DCA. Since they were processing an entire 757 worth of misconnects, I'm guessing the agents just didn't notice the new connection, and as an infrequent traveler, she had no idea that it was a different airport. Fortunately, we got it straightened out and got her in the only F seat remaining on IAD-RDU in the morning. It can definitely pay off to double-check the vouchers!

ORDflyr

Fantastic idea!

First

Nice post. I would just add that before going anywhere near the Customer Service Line or to see someone in the RCC, try using an in-terminal Easy Chicken unit to move your itinerary around (if there's one available). There's a decent chance you may have already been set up with a somewhat desirable outcome and can print DM card/boarding pass, or change your itinerary some more by yourself without talking to anybody...

la2jax

I make sure that I have my 1K card for entry into Star Gold lounges when no RCC nearby.

kevanyalowitz

Expertflyer mobile is key...

flyswim

Agree with all of these points - RCC membership has been my lifesaver - and easy update on the phone has been helpful too.

Akulashark

I wish United would rename the easy update service to "Your day is about to suck" when its a change and "upgrade approved".

jgsx

-correct phone # on reservations (GS often calls with good news during irrops)
-cell phone with GS on speed dial, 1K baggage # in phone book
-ipad (formerly laptop + data card) w/ all the good book marks
-extra juice (battery powered usb charger)
-travel wallet with RCC card, Priority Pass, *G, elite cards, etc
-some travel vouchers just in case

vkng

I keep a second battery and/or a second phone in my bag with appropriate USB charging cable after I got stuck in SFO for 12+ hours with a low battery, you never know when you need the juice.

Timetables are key, or just knowing the different routings to your destination. For example I know where each *A carrier flies to RDU from so if I misconnect I can look into all the possible routings to get home. The same goes for nearby airports (GSO, FAY for me)

Though my fiancee hates it I stick by the gate to keep up to date as EasyUpdate isn't always timely.

Don't be picky. If it gets you to where you need to go, take it. Some of my more interesting trips have been last available seat reroutes. PEK-NRT-SFO-IAD bus/subway to DCA-BUF was a fun one.

As stated before, being nice to the agents is a huge one. Same time at SFO the agent who did everything she could to get me to BUF so I could spend Memorial Day weekend at Niagara Falls instead of at an airport sought me out later at the US Air desk while on her break to make sure everything had worked as we had discussed, apologized she couldn't help me with the US Air change fee and made sure I knew to contact UA after I got home to request compensation.

A print-out of your original itinerary - I've forgotten which flight I was on before...

StingWest

All really good suggestions - thanks!

The one about the 3-outlet strip is a gem.

The only caveat to your caveat is that I wouldn't depend on the RCC people to announce any particular flight, no matter where you are or when the flight is leaving.

N515CR

+1

My aircard has saved my tail on more than one occasion.