TritonFlyer

On LAX-CLT today... delayed 1.5 hours due to a medical issue, continued on with the passenger in question, but many (including myself) likely to miss connections in CLT (last of day).

What (if anything) should I expect as far as accommodation. I'm clear on mechanical (US takes care of meal/hotel) vs. weather (on my own)... but where does this fall?

Won't be out of pocket for long anyway, as my company covers travel disruptions, but a question.

Oh, and my first new thread...

Randyk47

My one and only medical diversion was bad. First of all the passenger passed away on the plane before it landed. Second we were flying transcon on DL and were forced down in Cleveland where DL had no presence at the time. I can't speak to the other passengers but I got jack other than a lousy night in the terminal and an eventual next morning flight to IAD.

Often1

The COC are clear on this point. US is not responsible for any acommodations as it had nothing to do with the underlying circumstances, e.g., the passenger's medical emergency.

That said, US may, as a customer service gesture, choose to take care of some or all passengers. Not sure what that may mean as an AA PLT.

Best thing here is to book what you want and have your travel interruption insurance deal with it. Better than being stuck with what US might have available.

kudzu

When such happens, US Customer Service Plan (scroll to bottom) calls for hotel accommodation ...(emphasis mine)

Hungry Dingo

I was on US 1818 yesterday as well. After pulling away from the gate and on our way to the runway, the pilot made an announcement that the plane would be returning to the gate for a medical emergency. After we got to the gate, we waited for paramedics to board, examine and take the passenger in question off the flight. And we waited and waited. And then the passenger was brought back onboard. Finally the plane took off well after any of us passengers with connecting flights could make the last connections out of Charlotte. However, what was doubly irritating, is that when we landed, a flight attendant made an announcement that due to a medical emergency, all passengers need to remain seated while paramedics boarded the plane to deal with a medical emergency. Wow, 2 med ems on the same flight. But wait! It was with the same passenger. So if any passengers had a snowball chance in hell of making their connections, all bets were now off. This is where it got interesting. There must have been some commotion during the flight regarding the passenger who was ill since the flight attendant said she was "disgusted and disappointed in the behavior of the passengers in the rear of the aircraft regarding their behavior of this passenger." She then went on to say that the police were called and if need be, she will point out the offensive passengers and they will be arrested. Flight 1818 had a lot of drama going for it, that's for sure. SO the paramedics and airport police came onboard, did their thing and the "ill" passenger was escorted off FIRST. Guess our flight attendant didn't point anyone out to the police since no one else was escorted off. (However, since I was sitting in Row 10, I did hear the traveling companion of the guy having medical issues come up to our area before the flight took off and tel the flight attendant that he was suffering from Crohn's disease. Glad I wasn't sitting in the back of the bus, since it did look like something was going on during the flight when I got up to use the FIRST CLASS lav). But as you probably know by now, USAIR put us up in various hotels around the airport, did not give out meal vouchers since they only do that for international flights that are delayed and handed out little amenity kits for passengers without toothbrushes or deodorant. After all, they want us to smell nice and clean on our new morning flights. If there's anything else they'll give to us in the way of a compensational "I'm sorry", I think it depends on status. I'm a plat on AA so I'm not expecting anything. Safe travels.

Often1

By its own terms, the provision only applies if there is a diversion to a station not served by US and no alternate transportation can be arranged without an overnight.

OP asks about a situation in which the flight was delayed at LAX. That is the origin of the flight and thus a US station. The termination is CLT which is a US station as well.

The CSP would cover the situation where OP's flight is diverted to some station between LAX and CLT, it is not a US station and an overnight is required at XXX because the aircraft or some alternate transportation cannot be arranged.

The US Customer Service Plan does not cover OP's question. Thus, what, if anything you get, is a pure matter of customer service.

GNRMatt

I'm very surprised that they removed the passenger in LAX for medical issues and allowed him to re-board. I would've thought standard practice would be for the plane to leave immediately after de-boarding the passenger and letting him get the next flight (if medically cleared).

Also, as someone who also suffers from Crohn's Disease, I can make a few guesses at the issues the passenger may have been having, which would be miserable for him/her to go through. I'm hoping everything worked out ok for him/her and their health issues.

escapefromphl

After having a few delays because of medical emergencies myself I have come
to the conclusion that the airline is responsible for the circumstances if it chooses to fly clearly sick passengers they should bear the consequences of rebooking and basically treat the situation the same as mechanical issues with compensation etc.

kudzu

Where, may I ask, is the US COC section on this?

The Customer Service Plan (CSP), while explicitly not a part of the COC, provides published guidance as to US policy for customer care in various scenarios. However, it cannot cover all imaginable situations. Where the CSP is silent, US would look at what established policy is for a similar situation, and proceed accordingly using an analogous interpretation.

As OP points out, his situation is definitely not MX or WX, so one wonders where does it best fit? The same set of circumstances (medical issues, inability to treat onboard) that would likely cause a diversion happened on OP's flight, luckily on the ground so only a delay (and not a diversion). The reasons are the same, though, and it's the best fit I know to pigeon-hole it as "similar to a diversion".

Anyway, I'm glad to read Hungry Dingo's post that US did provide hotel rooms for misconnecting pax in CLT on that flight. Customer goodwill, or other reason, I don't care ... they did the right thing.

TritonFlyer

Good summary... A few people actually did make connections, but at least 100 did not. Hotel rooms for all, and handled pretty quickly.

When I thanked the agent for the quick rebooking and hotel room, he pointed to my Chairman's indicator on the boarding pass and indicated I would have received it anyway.

Just glad to be home, really didn't need the extra (short) hotel night.

One thing I find interesting is that delay was in two parts, one from starting to board at our nominal departure time, and then the medical issue. If we had not had the late boarding, I (and many others) would have had 20-30 minutes, which while challenging, would have had many more of us home.

My own connecting flight left the gate early, and was out awaiting takeoff when we arrived, six minutes before scheduled departure of the connection.