airline cancels flight days ahead, what to do?
 

HI

A few months ago, 3 days before my return flight from Milwaukee to Santa Fe, where I live, American Airlines called me to say the flight was cancelled on that day. They were not able to get me another flight to Santa Fe and I ended up getting a flight to Alburquerque. I then had to arrange and pay for transportation from the airport to Santa Fe.

I paid $350 for a round trip ticket from Santa Fe to Milwaukee, instead of $194 for a flight from Alburquerque to Milwaukee. I was willing to pay more to fly out and into Santa Fe, and was instead given a cheaper flight to a town an hours drive away. They said they could refund part of what I'd paid but my refund wouldn't come for weeks or more and a last minute ticket would have been more expensive.

My family lives in Milwaukee so I travel there several times a year.

What can I do when that happens?

Make lemonade

If an airline cancels a flight you have thee right to a refund or rebooking. It sounds like there was no room on a flight to Santa Fe in the time frame you wanted so you took a flight to ABQ. You should have asked for compensation at that point for the extra expenses you would incur.

Your best option would have been to dispute the charge with your credit card issuer, assuming you paid with a credit card, and say they promised you a service and did not deliver. However, since this happened a few months ago, the time during which you could have done that has passed.

I think your best option now is to write them (don't call, don't email as snail mail makes it harder for them to lose your complaint), explain what happened, and ask to be reimbursed for your extra expenses, your lost time, and the aggravation they have caused you. If they make a reasonable offer in response, it is up to you whether or not to accept it. I would demand cash, not a voucher, as a voucher typically has an expiration date, and obligates you to use that airline, when you may very well prefer to try another, so I would want a bigger voucher.

If their offer is inadequate, try one of the ombudsmen who deal with such matters (that is free) or an attorney (that is not free).

First, the fare from ABQ has nothing to do with your claim, so don't even mention it.

And second, next time, before you accept the change, you should negotiate what the compensation is. Not after the fact.