Should I try to get compensation? Continental or Delta?
 

I had a horrible experience last week while flying out for business. Our plane had an aborted takeoff due to a mechanical problem (we were speeding down the runway one second, then slamming on the brakes the next), and the resulting delay made me miss my connection at the next stop. I was not able to fly out until the next morning and the airline did not pay for my hotel that night, but offered me a "discount" coupon for a hotel.

I was flying on a Delta reservation, but the problem occurred on a Continental flight. I know that airlines are loathe to give compensation nowadays, but I think my situation was pretty darn awful and I would be happy with FF miles since I travel frequently on Continental. I have a feeling I'll get bounced between Continental and Delta, but should I try anyway? Any advice on how to go about it?

You are probably owed something. But what, and who should be giving you depends on:

- Paid ticket or FF award?
- Who issued the ticket, and is the flight number a CO one or a DL one on your ticket?
- If FF award, what miles were you using?
- Home airport or somewhere in the middle of the trip?

And have you started contacting the airlines yet? If so, who and what are they saying?

--Paid ticket, but my company paid since it was a business trip.

--The ticket was issued through Am Ex business services. It's "Delta operated by Continental."

--The delay happened at my home airport. I was actually a little miffed that they didn't check my connection so I could have just slept in my own bed that night. I had my husband check on flights out of my connecting airport to my destination while I was waiting (we weren't allowed to leave the plane, but we could use our phones) and he saw flights. Don't know what happened to those.

I haven't contacted anyone yet...I wanted some opinions from the experts around here first. When I was stuck in my gross hotel for the night, I called Delta's customer service to make sure I was on a flight the next day and the CSR was in India and not very helpful at all. I'm wondering if there are better numbers to call that aren't outsourced help.

I see. Well, looks like it's a DL ticket with a DL flight number. So, you should be dealing with DL for compensation.

And since the mechanical happened at your home airport, the airlines do not have to put you in a hotel. So, I don't think they really owe you anything in this case.

However, I'll still call DL about this. The least they can do is give you a few hundred Skymiles, and perhaps $50 or so of travel coupon.

Thank you for your help. I'll see what Delta says, but I'm not holding my breath.

I just wanted to update this post. I wrote to both Continental and Delta and received responses from both. Delta also gave me a $100 travel voucher.

I think that's fair.

Your business made the reservation, but YOU are the one to get a voucher? Very nice of the airline!

The person inconvenienced is always the person compensated.. no matter who paid for the ticket.