Flight cancellation...why not put people on another airline?M
Dec 27, 2010, 2:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA lifetime Gold, United Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Spire, Hertz Gold
Posts: 410
Flight cancellation...why not put people on another airline?M
My flight UA7026 from SPI to ORD, a 38 minute feeder flight on an RJ, was cancelled due to mechanical. It is a small plane, but it is taking hours to get people re booked. UA is also paying for hotels and meals, and they are generating a lot of bad will. The agents are friendly and trying their best, which mitigates the situation.
The frustrating part is that as they were cancelling our flight, another RJ on AA was starting to board. The flight was surprisingly empty.
Why wouldn't UA put people on the AA flight to ORD? Everyone on that plane would have made their connections. At least they could have put people on there who did not have bags checked. Can't common sense ever prevail?
Is this foolishness common with UA? I fly US, which has a worse reputation. But my firs hand experiences have been much worse with AA.
The frustrating part is that as they were cancelling our flight, another RJ on AA was starting to board. The flight was surprisingly empty.
Why wouldn't UA put people on the AA flight to ORD? Everyone on that plane would have made their connections. At least they could have put people on there who did not have bags checked. Can't common sense ever prevail?
Is this foolishness common with UA? I fly US, which has a worse reputation. But my firs hand experiences have been much worse with AA.
Dec 27, 2010, 2:32 pm
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,164
The default is not to use another airline because of the expense, but they will do it if you ask (especially if you have status). I also suspect that if that AA flight were leaving an hour later instead of already boarding, it would have been easier.
Dec 27, 2010, 2:34 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
They most definitely do rebook people on other airlines... with some exceptions like those booked on award tickets. How do you know the AA flight was empty? Perhaps it was weight restricted and AA had no more seats for sale... there could be any number of reasons. In that situation I would definitely ask the gate agent if I could go on the AA flight.. or if they were busy I'd call rservations and see if they could re-book me.
Dec 27, 2010, 2:36 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sacramento
Programs: UA 2MM/GS; SPG Lifetime Plat; MHC Lifetime; Tar Heel forever; and I "Dig the Pig" at Piggly Wiggly
Posts: 12,152
It's not as easy as it sounds.
If the dAArk flight were leaving later, instead of already boarding, it might have been easier. If you had asked, they might have. But they also had to consider connection times AA ==> UA in ORD. They might have already loaded the bags on your RJ and maybe AA did not want to wait to unload and reload. Maybe with storms, there were weight issues for the dAArk plane.
Obviously, a lot to consider!
If the dAArk flight were leaving later, instead of already boarding, it might have been easier. If you had asked, they might have. But they also had to consider connection times AA ==> UA in ORD. They might have already loaded the bags on your RJ and maybe AA did not want to wait to unload and reload. Maybe with storms, there were weight issues for the dAArk plane.
Obviously, a lot to consider!