0815

On a recent trip US Airways removed my wife and myself from their plane which was delayed due to a minor technical problem at the airport our return trip was supposed to originate from (BUF). The sole reason for this expulsion was that US Airways could not ensure we would catch the connecting flight in PHL to MUC. US Airways ordered us off the plane, thereby separating us from our luggage, and told us to come back the next day and essentially try again.

They refused to help us in any way with finding a hotel or other accommodation, any transfers from/to the airport, or any additional costs. The reason, US Airways cited for this behaviour, was that their policy excludes any responsibility at the originating airport, even on the second leg of a round trip!

See "Overnight Amenities" in:
http://www.usairways.com/awa/content...rviceplan.aspx

The US Airways representative told us literally: "You are on your own."

Later I found out that the plane, we were ordered to leave, arrived in PHL 37 minutes before our connecting flight left. If you add the time it took us and some other passengers to leave the first plane one must come to the conclusion that we would have made our connection!

I am still speachless, because - as a *G member - I never expected to receive such treatment from a *A airline. I still think that their action is not covered even by their foul "rules" since the exclusions are cited only for flight cancellations, but our flight did take place! Needless to say I would not have been happier if the flight had been cancelled and US Airways had refused to provide accomodation (which would have been appropriate according to their thinking)!

Even though I posted a request for compensation to US Airways' "Contact Us" form I have so far not received any response - 3 days later.

I may be naive but my question is:

Why is an airline with rules like this allowed in *A?
What does it mean to have *G status if a *A airline can - for possible (not even likely) petty gain - cause a 24 hour delay to your itinerary?

AdamS

From the link to the usairways website:

Exceptions: Hotel accommodations will not be furnished:
To a customer whose trip is interrupted at a city which is his/her origin point, stopover point, or his/her permanent domicile.

So my question is where would hotel accomodations be provided? What is the definition of stopover point for this rule? Does stopover point include your destination? What is the reasoning behind excluding a stopover point?

BoeingBoy

Stopover: A stopover is a voluntary interruption in the customer’s journey at an intermediate city which may result in the collection of a higher fare based on the sum of the local fares. A stopover occurs when a customer arrives at an intermediate city and fails to depart from that city on the first flight (a) on which space is available, or (b) that will provide for the customer’s earliest arrival at another city or the customer’s destination. In no event will a stopover occur when the customer departs from the intermediate city on a flight scheduled to depart within four hours (24 hours international) after the customer’s arrival.

Per the terms of transportation, US is only liable for accommodations at a connecting point. However, since the OP's "stopover" was caused by US and not booked that way by the customer, I'd say they were playing fast and loose with the rules. Sounds like sufficient reason to complain to both US and the DOT.

Jim

ytjk

It looks like BUF was the OP's outbound destination, not a stopover point.

This is exactly the situation where US should be providing hotel service.

I really don't get this.

BoeingBoy

On rereading the OP, US may have been correct:

"On a recent trip US Airways removed my wife and myself from their plane which was delayed due to a minor technical problem at the airport our return trip was supposed to originate from (BUF)."

I now assume that the itinerary was MUC-connecting point-BUF-PHL-MUC, in which case BUF was the destination airport of the itinerary, where my initial misread was that BUF was just another connecting point.

If this read is correct - BUF was the destination airport on the outbound portion of the itinerary and the origination point of the return portion - no hotel accommodation would be provided per the terms of transportation.

Jim

ytjk

This person was refused boarding in the middle of an itinerary.

I understand, if travel has not commenced that they won't give you a hotel.

But, returning from your destination, every airline I've ever flown gives a hotel for a cancellation, because it's assumed that you don't live there and need a billet.

If US has rewritten their rules, they may be correct, but they are oh so wrong.

The first thing I'd do as the OP would be to seek compensation for involuntarily denied boarding-- as described at the link for US Air's contract of carraige.

http://www.usairways.com/common/reso...f_carriage.pdf

I think at a minimum the denied boarding rules should apply? But this is a weird case, they should have given you a hotel.

0815

BoeingBoy is 100% correct: BUF was the destination point of the itinerary. I think it is bad enough that US' terms of transportation exclude any financial responsibility when flights are canceled at the destination or a stopover point, but in our case the flight did take place. We were removed from the plane after boarding, and we still have our boarding passes to prove it!
I did not see anything in US' terms of transportation that deals with such a situation, and I don't see how US could not be liable to provide hotel/expenses.

However there is some light at the end of the tunnel :

Today I did receive an answer from US Airways which contains these very clear statements:

As for our policy with connecting flights regardless of International or Domestic travel, is to avoid passengers from being stranded in a connecting city. We make every attempt to be proactive in our actions when there is a possibility of misconnecting a flight.

and:

The Buffalo Airport followed US Airways policy and procedures.

There you have it!

In all fairness, US did offer us a travel voucher with an apology. However, they do insist they acted appropriately and we don't know if we should risk flying with US again.

Does anyone know a lawyer who would like to take that up with US Airways on our behalf?

pieper

[QUOTE=0815;8223596]BoeingBoy Today I did receive an answer from US Airways which contains these very clear statements:

As for our policy with connecting flights regardless of International or Domestic travel, is to avoid passengers from being stranded in a connecting city. We make every attempt to be proactive in our actions when there is a possibility of misconnecting a flight.

Ha, what a joke, I - and many other readers of this board - would have been pulled of flights multiple times because we, and US, knew in advance that we couln't make our connection. What a ...... argument. I wonder whether this attempt was made due to their recent mess-up in MUC, something US can't even ignore.

Sorry for the OP, 30 minutes is cutting it short in PHL and staying overnight there....I'd say count your blessings.

geckoflyer

I'm a bit confused by this situation as well. By chance, did you ask to be placed on another airline that could get you to your destination?

0815

After we had been removed from the plane, and actually after the plane had left the gate (with our checked luggage still in it) we did ask for alternative travel arrangements. Unfortunately, even the fastes alternative with any airline still let to a 24 hour delay, and yes, at that point we did ask to be placed on another airline, which was granted. The offered alternatives with US flights looked no more likely to succeed than our original itinerary, and we did not want to loose any more days since US could play the same game on the next day all over again if they pleased.

Spiff

You should have said, "Am I IDB?"

If you wanted to try for the connection in PHL, then you should have been permitted to do so. And if the misconnect was US Air's fault, then they should have reaccommodated you, on other carriers if necessary.

You should have also refused to be separated from your checked baggage.

McFlyPHL

It sounds like the OP WAS IDB. I'd request compensation accordingly and if not granted, take it to the DOT.

BoeingBoy

Not saying the policy is the correct way to treat customers, but page 11 of the Terms of Transport says:

"US Airways will provide a food voucher to customers whose flights have been canceled or delayed for four hours or more during normal meal times, when the delay is not due to Air Traffic Control, weather, or other circumstances beyond US Airways’ control."

"In the event of a delay or cancellation, overnight accommodations will be arranged by US Airways at their expense for customers at connecting points whose flights are delayed or canceled because of circumstances within US Airways’ control for whom no alternate transportation is available. Overnight accommodations will not be provided for customers whose flights are delayed or canceled due to circumstances beyond US Airways’ control such as Air Traffic Control or weather."

Now, where it gets interesting is if this is considered an IDB. Page 16 of the Terms of Transport says:

"Involuntary - US Airways will offer one of the following types of compensation to customers denied boarding involuntarily on flights within the continental United States:

- A transferable voucher for one free roundtrip coach class ticket on US Airways within the continental United States,
or,

- Cash compensation in the amount of 200% of the sum of the values of the customer’s remaining flight coupons of the ticket to the customer’s next stopover, or if none, to his/her destination, but not more than $400.00.
However, the compensation shall be 50% of the amount described above, but not more than $200.00, if US Airways arranges for comparable air transportation, or for other transportation acceptable to the customer, scheduled to arrive not later than two hours after the planned arrival, at the airport of the customer’s next stopover, or at the airport of the customer’s destination of the flight on which the customer holds a confirmed reservation."

On page 18, there are the customary exceptions:

"Denied boarding compensation payment may not be made if:

- The customer has not complied with the applicable time limit for presenting himself or herself at the boarding gate even if the customer has already checked in at another location.

- The customer is offered accommodations in a class of service on the aircraft other than that specified on his/her ticket (at no extra charge), except that a customer seated in a section for which a lower fare is charged shall be entitled to an appropriate refund.

- The flight for which the customer holds confirmed reserved space is unable to accommodate that customer because of the substitution of equipment of lesser capacity when required by operational or safety reasons.

- US Airways arranges comparable air transportation, or other transportation used by the customer at no extra cost to the customer, that at the time such arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the airport of the customer’s next stopover or, if none, at the airport of the final destination not later than one hour after the planned arrival time of the customer’s original flight or flight(s)."

Jim

tombyron

How could he be IDB?... when he in fact boarded the plane.

I can't see how Useless Air would expect people to have "free" places to stay at a destination city in most cases.

Spiff

Boarded plane: check.

Kicked off of plane: IDB.

Yup, I would have told them I am not local and that they are both paying me IDB and putting me up for the night if I cannot find another flight that day on a competitor. First/business class options will be used as part of the search in the latter case. Compensation will be cash, please.