Ok here is what happened. My gf is on her way back from Vegas and weather delayed their flight from Vegas to Denver. The weather delay caused her to miss the connecting flight to Austin. United is telling the passengers ahead of her in the ticket line that they are going to be forced to BUY ANOTHER TICKET! They are claiming it is not their fault that they missed the connecting flight due to weather. This doesn't even sound legal. She is stuck there until the morning and a friend suggested that I just get her to say she is going to call the police to have them work it out. Obviously, they can't do too much but at least the threat of negative publicity might get the airline to cave from their insane idea that the passengers need to buy another ticket. Any help here would be appreciated.
Upon further review she told me she got the tickets thru hotwire so this could be why everything is screwed up.
http://consumerist.com/consumer/rul...a-copy-of-rule-240-250368.php#United Airlines UNITED AIRLINES SCHEDULE IRREGULARITY Schedule Irregularity means any of the following irregularities occurring on the date of departure: Delay in scheduled departure or arrival of a United Airlines flight resulting in a misconnection, or Flight cancellation, omission of a schedule stop, or any other delay or interruption in the scheduled operation of a United Airlines flight, or Substitution of equipment of a different class of service, or Schedule changes which require rerouting of the passenger at departure time because prior notice of such schedule change had not been given such passenger prior to the passenger's arriving at the airport for check-in on the original flight. When a passenger will be delayed because of a schedule irregularity involving a United Airlines flight, which for the purposes of this rule ... flights exceeding 2 hours ... United Airlines will transport the passenger without stopover on its next flight on which space is available in the same class of service as the passenger's original outbound flight at no additional cost to the passenger. If United Airlines is unable to provide onward transportation acceptable to the passenger, United Airlines, with the concurrence of the passenger, will arrange for the transportation on another carrier or combination of carriers with whom United Airlines has agreements for such transportation. The passenger will be transported without stopover on its (their) next flight(s), in the same class of service as the passenger's original outbound flight at no additional cost to the passenger. If space is only available and used on a United flight(s) of a lower class of service acceptable to the passenger, United Airlines will provide a refund of the difference in fares pursuant to Rule 260 (Refunds-Involuntary). If United Airlines is unable to arrange alternate air transportation acceptable to the passenger, United Airlines shall refund the flight coupon(s) for the unflown portion(s) in accordance with Rule 260 (Refunds-Involuntary). FORCE MAJEURE EVENT As used in this rule "Force Majeure Event" means: Any condition beyond United Airlines' control (including, but without limitation, meteorological conditions, acts of God, riots, civil commotion, embargoes, wars, hostilities, disturbances, or unsettled international conditions), actual, threatened or reported or because of any delay, demand, circumstances or requirement due, directly or indirectly, to such condition; or Any strike, work stoppage, slowdown, lockout or any other labor-related dispute involving or affecting United Airlines' service, or Any government regulation, demand, or requirement; or Any shortage or labor, fuel, or facilities of United Airlines or others; or Any fact not reasonably foreseen, anticipated, or predicted. United Airlines may, in the event of a Force Majeure Event, without notice, cancel, terminate, divert, postpone, or delay any flight or the right of carriage or reservation of traffic accommodations and determine if any departure or landing should be made, without any liability except to refund in accordance with Rule 260 (Refunds-Involuntary) any unused portion of the ticket. AMENITIES / SERVICE FOR DELAYED PASSENGERS Lodging: The passenger will be provided one night's lodging, or a maximum allowance for one night's lodging as established by each location, when a United Airlines flight on which the passenger is being transported is diverted to an unscheduled point and the delay at such point is expected to exceed 4 hours during the period 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Exception: Hotel accommodations will not be furnished: To a passenger whose trip is interrupted at a city which is his/her origin point, stopover point, connecting point, or permanent domicile or a few listed exceptions when the carrier is diverted to a nearby airport.
yep, was gonna say if they got the tickets through priceline or any of those other online discount bookers, they say you can't miss your connection at all because its "super restricted"...
never heard of anything like this. doesn't matter where i've gotten my tickets...i've always been able to get another flight for free if it was canceled or missed due to weather. Sometimes you may have to wait on standby on multiple flights the entire next day depending on how full evrything is and stuff.. but I would never pay.
Amex, baby! I have flight insurance coverage so if something happens like this, Amex will take care of you and pay up to $150 a night for a hotel. Membership has its privlliages!
well cf.net karma changed everything....they are taking care of the hotel room and the flight. thank god.
