Who Should Pay For Hotel Bill? (Flights gone awry ...)
Nov 26th, 2007, 12:25 PM
#22
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Just one more bit of 2 cents--and worth every penny! 
---but when you buy a ticket on one airline, directly from them and you are a FF member, you just have a better chance of being treated better, IMO, b/c you represent repeat business. When you buy from Expedia--or others--and you are on multiple carriers, no one knows if you will ever fly their particular airline ever again.
---but when you buy a ticket on one airline, directly from them and you are a FF member, you just have a better chance of being treated better, IMO, b/c you represent repeat business. When you buy from Expedia--or others--and you are on multiple carriers, no one knows if you will ever fly their particular airline ever again.
Nov 26th, 2007, 12:39 PM
#23
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Airlines will always find a way to avoid paying for hotels. Last Christmas season, American Airlines offered me a voluntary bump to go through Phoenix instead of Chicago; they claimed to put me on a US Air flight on to Philadelphia. When I got to PHX USAir claimed I wasn't on their flight and it was about to leave anyway. I wound up stuck in Phoenix overnight and of course, AA refused to pay for a hotel or even offer a discount. (They acted like it was somehow my fault. When I asked for a hotel discount, the agent on the phone sarcastically said she could offer me the phone number for Hotels.com.) I was told to use part of my voucher to pay for the hotel. So much for the incentive to get a voucher in the first place!
In your case, though, it sounds like it wasn't the airline's fault. They should have offered you a discount hotel, though.
In your case, though, it sounds like it wasn't the airline's fault. They should have offered you a discount hotel, though.
Nov 26th, 2007, 01:00 PM
#24
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If they missed the connecting flight by 1 hour because they left almost 3 hours late, didn't they know when boarding the RDU - LGA flight that there was no hope of making it? Or were they stuck in the plane on the tarmac for 3 hours?
If they knew ahead of time then they should have just stayed put in RDU. Last time I flew out of RDU, delayed flight connecting in Atlanta, I asked right before walking down the gangplank what my chances were of making the ATL - LGA connection. The gate agent said slim to none. I asked if I can bail out, crash with friends in RDU, and take the morning flight out instead. She said 'no problem' and bumped me into business class for both legs the next day.
Point being, act friendly to the gate agents and ask for honest advice ahead of time and they might help you out. Never assume you'll make the connection when it's tight.
With that said, I would have been mad also and asked for compensation. Similar thing happened to me with Southwest, missed the last flight northbound out of BWI because of a blizzard, and got them to put me on the last flight down to Orlando, spent the night and most of the next day down there with friends instead of finding a hotel in Baltimore.
Maybe instead of giving them $100 to crash in a hotel, they would have flown them to Honolulu.
OK, that's enough delayed flight stories...
If they knew ahead of time then they should have just stayed put in RDU. Last time I flew out of RDU, delayed flight connecting in Atlanta, I asked right before walking down the gangplank what my chances were of making the ATL - LGA connection. The gate agent said slim to none. I asked if I can bail out, crash with friends in RDU, and take the morning flight out instead. She said 'no problem' and bumped me into business class for both legs the next day.
Point being, act friendly to the gate agents and ask for honest advice ahead of time and they might help you out. Never assume you'll make the connection when it's tight.
With that said, I would have been mad also and asked for compensation. Similar thing happened to me with Southwest, missed the last flight northbound out of BWI because of a blizzard, and got them to put me on the last flight down to Orlando, spent the night and most of the next day down there with friends instead of finding a hotel in Baltimore.
Maybe instead of giving them $100 to crash in a hotel, they would have flown them to Honolulu.
OK, that's enough delayed flight stories...
Nov 26th, 2007, 01:17 PM
#25
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act friendly to the gate agents and ask for honest advice ahead of time and they might help you out. Never assume you'll make the connection when it's tight.
That was exactly my point about my son's missed connection. He asked for an honest assessment of his chances of making the connection and they assured him it wouldn't be a problem. Then when he didn't make it, they tried to make it his fault, but he convinced them otherwise.
That was exactly my point about my son's missed connection. He asked for an honest assessment of his chances of making the connection and they assured him it wouldn't be a problem. Then when he didn't make it, they tried to make it his fault, but he convinced them otherwise.
Nov 26th, 2007, 01:50 PM
#26
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Loki, they were on the tarmac all that time!!! They would have opted out of the flight, knowing they'd missed their connection, and stayed in town until the next day if they'd had that option ...
Nov 26th, 2007, 02:05 PM
#27
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Elsie, with all the Thanksgiving travel, my son and I were just talking last week about how once you are on the tarmac, you are a "hostage". On one of my recent flts to LA, we pulled away from the gate and then sat!! By the time we actually left, I had been on that plane for significantly longer than a typical 9-5 workday.
Nov 26th, 2007, 02:46 PM
#29
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I am Platinum on AA (and an ex-employee) and can tell you it's mostly in the timing.
Getting seats before someone else does.
Generally if you are waiting in a huge line, you will not be lucky.
Call the 800 or your travel agent as soon as you hear of a possible problem, even while standing in line.
If you are a 'Club" member, head there and get the desk to help you.
I have seen many Expedia/Priceline people get the seat because they were fastest to call/get in line.
Getting seats before someone else does.
Generally if you are waiting in a huge line, you will not be lucky.
Call the 800 or your travel agent as soon as you hear of a possible problem, even while standing in line.
If you are a 'Club" member, head there and get the desk to help you.
I have seen many Expedia/Priceline people get the seat because they were fastest to call/get in line.
Nov 26th, 2007, 02:51 PM
#31
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PS... once, a few years back, an ice storm caused massive electrical outages in the small rural area where we lived. We were without electricity for 4 days while they repaired all the lines that had fallen due to the weight of the ice.
We lost stuff in our fridge and were highly inconvenienced.
Is the electric company liable?
Using your logic, they would be.
We lost stuff in our fridge and were highly inconvenienced.
Is the electric company liable?
Using your logic, they would be.
Nov 26th, 2007, 02:55 PM
#33
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Oh, re available seats on later flights - it absolutely pays to get on the phone immediately (as soon as you know you will miss your connection). I once had to stay over in Detroit due to a hurricane in NY (I KNEW I'd get stuck in Detroit, but that was better than getting stuck in CA since I needed to get to NY sooner rather than later). By the time I got off the plane, my husband had booked me a hotel and a new flight for the next morning. Everyone else was waiting in long lines for either the airline agent or the pay phone to do the same!
Nov 26th, 2007, 03:15 PM
#34
elsiemoo~ If my disagreeing with policy could change anything in this world, boy oh boy would credit card companies and banks be a-changin' their tune pronto!
dmlove~ Don't I know it. That's why I often bring it up on these kinds of questions, people seem to think that "teeny tiny print" is something somehow optional, not worth reading.
dmlove~ Don't I know it. That's why I often bring it up on these kinds of questions, people seem to think that "teeny tiny print" is something somehow optional, not worth reading.
Nov 26th, 2007, 04:09 PM
#35
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I was watching a program yesterday on the Fine Living channel and the talking heads said to know your rights under Rule 240--tell the airline clerk to "240 me." That was an FAA rule that said that if the airline delay was caused by the airline's own fault (such as mechanical problems or not having a crew available), the airline had to give you a voucher for a hotel room. If the delay was caused by weather or a major disaster, the rule doesn't apply.
However, since deregulation there is no longer a Rule 240--something the TV heads should have known. Each airline has its own rules under its Contract of Carriage. The legacy airlines usually will provide a voucher if you push it, but many of the smaller airlines will not. As they say, always print out the Contract of Carriage and have it with you when you travel.
For more information:
http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/08/rule-240.html
Also:
http://www.theairlineinsider.com/?p=35
However, since deregulation there is no longer a Rule 240--something the TV heads should have known. Each airline has its own rules under its Contract of Carriage. The legacy airlines usually will provide a voucher if you push it, but many of the smaller airlines will not. As they say, always print out the Contract of Carriage and have it with you when you travel.
For more information:
http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/08/rule-240.html
Also:
http://www.theairlineinsider.com/?p=35
