Family members booked through Expedia, flights into RDU for the Thanksgiving weekend. In on American, tickets out last night through United (using U.S. Airways flights.) Their flight out of RDU was supposed to be 6:20 pm, did not get out until almost 9:00 p.m. because La Guardia wouldn't let the flight in until then because of congestion. By the time they got to NY, their connecting flight to Boston had left an hour before, and they could not get on another until this morning at six a.m. So they had to get a hotel for the night. The airline said it would not re-imburse because of the "ticket code", that the flights were delayed due to air traffic control problems, not the weather, so they were not responsible. So who is responsible here? Doesn't sound right to me ... They had a young child with them, so they couldn't sit in the airport all night.

Would YOU hold an airline responsible for a delayed flight if the ATC system forbid the pilot from taking off?

It's called "flexibility' when flying just about anywhere these days.

Yes, I know it is anger-provoking and yes I agree the airlines aren't always cooperative but you cannot blame them for everything.

I once saw a reality show here on Belgian TV and some folks had the same problem: Missing their connection because their first flight has been delayed. If those people wanted to stay in a hotel, they had to pay themselves.

I'm not certain 100%, but I think if you book a cheap ticket, airlines tend to avoid to take responsability for delays. With full fare tickets, it's a different story. But no, I think the airline won't pay back the hotel, even though there was a small child. Doesn't change a thing for them.

ATC delays = you pay for your own hotel. Some airlines may have discount vouchers for certain hotels near the airport, but that's just a courtesy.

Agree with everyone, in particular rkkwan. My son had to layover in Chicago last year due to weather delays. He got the airline to pay for his hotel (not just a voucher/discount)after they initially refused only because he had initially told them in Washington that if missing his connection was a possibility to just tell him and he'd stay overnight in Washington (where he could stay for free). They told him "no no no....you'll make your connection". He argued, successfully, that it was therefore their fault, not his or the weather's or the ATC's.

Thanks for all your replies. Still doesn't seem right to me... I think the airline should be responsible. I guess the best way is to make sure you get on a non-stop flight, huh, so you don't get hung out somewhere? Thanks again!

Maybe this is irrelevant, but to me it seems very similar to what happened to us in Paris. We missed an Air France flt from CDG to BOS b/c our flt from Italy that was connecting to Paris(also Air France) took off an hour late. There was another later flt to Boston that same day. We--who had bought our tkts directly from AF--were put on that next flt. The people next to us in line who had bought thru Expedia had to wait till the next day.

We were able to leave the same day and were only slightly inconvenienced. I may be completely mistaken, but I believe having bought our tkts directly from the airline gave us the advantage. Perhaps the airline would have been more accomodating to your relatives regarding the hotel if the tkts had not been purchased thru Expedia.

Elsie, I'm really not trying to be argumentative, but I am curious WHY you think the airline should be responsible if it was not their choice not to land on time?

socialworker, I think you're right about the Expedia factor. I've never dealt with them, but I'm assuming that getting tickets the cheaper way gets you the least service/consideration ... not a surprise.

dmlove, the ticket is a contract with the airline ... you'll get me to Boston, in this much time, for this much money ... If I have to spend more money for any reason, you should re-imburse me. MHO ... There are people who cannot afford a hotel & taxi(not in this case), and this policy just doesn't seem right to me. The airlines know the things that can affect their service, and should factor that into their business costs to some degree, IMHO.

That is one example of many reasons why I don't use Expedia and never book multiple carriers on the same trip.

Especially traveling with a child, I would have booked with a single carrier, directly thru their website or over the phone. You still might end up stuck due to weather, but the lines of responsibility are MUCH clearer then when you're all over the place on a ticket hooked together by you or by Expedia.

Where you buy your tickets from have little to do with how you're treated during a mis-connection or irregular operation.

There are limited numbers of alternatives, and the airlines often give preferential treatments to those with elite status or whose tickets are of a higher fare class.

Those are the deciding factors, not where you buy them from. At least for most airlines.

If my arriving flight and who I am connecting to are the same airline written on a single ticket, you don't believe I am better off than if I am switching carriers or on two separate tickets?

suze - Yes. I'm only saying where one buy your tickets often don't matter.

If one's on two tickets, in fact, he/she may have to buy a brand new ticket, as the connecting airline has no obligation to re-accommodate due to a no-show.

I mis-read the OP. I thought the two flights were on different tickets, different airlines.

elsiemoo~ under the Rights of Carriage (or something like that) fine print on each ticket says what airlines are and aren't responsible for in what situations. weather (or acts of god) doesn't force the airline to pay for a hotel either, only a failure of some sort on their part.

suze, the flight from RDU to La Guardia and the connecting flight from L G to Boston were both on U.S. Airways. (Flight into RDU last week was American.)

elsiemoo, I guess I just differ in what I believe the airline contracts for - I think it's we'll get you to Boston at this time for this much money, unless something out of our control prohibits us from doing so, and IMHO, weather and ATC matters are out of their control.

suze ... we posted at the same time!

Unfortunately what you believe doesn't matter ;-) Seriously, read all those paragraph after paragraph of teeny tiny print next time you book a ticket. It's all there what they are legal responsible for providing when you buy a ticket. And it's not a guarantee to take you anywhere on-time!

And all that teeny-tiny print constitutes PART OF the contract!

Guys, I know that what I think or wish has nothing to do with what the airlines are going to do! I just disagree with their policies!