US Airways!

I just hope the flights are better than the service on the ground.

Don’t expect too much…

According to J.D. Power and Associates’s 2009 North America Airline Satisfaction Study:

Airline JDP Score

1. Continental Airlines 669
2. Delta Air Lines 641
3. American Airlines 618
4. Northwest Airlines 614
5. United Airlines 604
6. US Airways 559 – sorry be the bearer of bad news!:(

http://www.jdpower.com/travel/ratings/airline-ratings/traditional-network

I have been back on the phone this afternoon, and Mark – they told me the same thing, that the are “loads” of empty seats on the PHL-LHR flight.

So have they rebooked you for the original date then, or not? BTW, LHR and LGW are co-terminals, so US Airways won’t pay for your travel from LHR to LGW if you end up flying into LHR.

Anyways, this is the document you need:

http://www.usairways.com/common/resources/_downloads/aboutus/US_contract_of_carriage.pdf

I put forward the option of maybe flying back into another UK airport with them and perhaps doing a connecting flight with a partner airline, or even using UA instead… “No we don’t do that unless we cannot operate the flight on the day and we will then find an alternate routing for you” was the answer I got on that front.

Page 18 of the document – actually page 22 of the PDF:

9.0 DELAYED AND CANCELLED FLIGHTS

9.4 REBOOKING
When a ticketed customer holding confirmed reservations on a flight will be delayed because of a schedule irregularity (whether a missed connection, flight cancellation, omission of a scheduled stop, substitution of equipment or a different class of service, or schedule change), US Airways will rebook
the customer on its next available flight to the customer’s ticketed destination without additional charge. If US Airways is unable to provide onward transportation, US Airways may attempt to rebook the customer on the next available flight of another airline with which US Airways has an agreement allowing the acceptance of each other’s tickets.

You need to start pushing the position that they have cancelled the flight (they may argue that its a schedule change, not a cancellation, but that’s covered too), and that their terms and conditions state that when a flight is cancelled they will rebook you on the next available flight (note, it doesn’t say anything about that flight needing to have availability in a specific booking class) – which seems to be to LHR the same day, and because LHR is a co-terminal with LGW that’s within rights whereas expecting them to fly you to MAN or BHX is rather more at their discretion – or if US Airways won’t book you on their flight you are indeed entitled to ask them to book you on another airline.

Andy

Thanks for your comments everyone.

I have been back on the phone this afternoon, and Mark – they told me the same thing, that the are “loads” of empty seats on the PHL-LHR flight. Though only last Firday was i was told by 2 members of staff that there wasn’t any at all until the 1st November!

I have actually booked a hotel off my own back over the weekend to cover me for the 2 extra days i’m there, which set me back a further £159. The airline has also refused to send me written confirmation of the flight changes.

I just hope the flights are better than the service on the ground. I will be persuing this further thats for sure.

I put forward the option of maybe flying back into another UK airport with them and perhaps doing a connecting flight with a partner airline, or even using UA instead… “No we don’t do that unless we cannot operate the flight on the day and we will then find an alternate routing for you” was the answer I got on that front.

They have given me the customer relations email address for any complaints, and their phone number also, which happens to be a US number…. so MORE exspense!!! Grr.

Will let you know how I get on.

On the 30th October 2009 flight US728 from PHL to LHR still has plenty of seats available. It is not sold out at all. Go on usairways.com and try and buy a flight from LHR to MCO on the dates you want. Funnily enough they are prepared to sell you a new ticket.

I’d get back on the phone and ask them what they’re playing at.

Flights don’t ordinarily sell out this far in advance, October is still a long way away.

According to the rules, if the airline notifies passengers that the route will no longer operate (known as a schedule/route change!) more than 7 weeks in advance of the departure date of the flight, then they can offer to get you to your destination using their own services as best as they possibly can (in this case, they offered you a flight from LHR!) or a refund because they would much rather give you the money back rather than re-routing you on another airline as its less hassle for them in terms of administration/paperwork. This of course works in your favour too as you then have more of a choice as to who you can fly with.

As for the return journey, I would assume that the same would apply, however, as you say the flights are full. The only thing I think they can do is to re-route you using another airline (maybe you could ask them to put you on United as they are Star Alliance members too!) or give you a refund. Like I said before, they are likely to offer a refund rather than re-route you for the same reason mentioned above.

If they are not prepared to re-route or offer you a refund, then why not ask them to go on stand-by, as there is always a chance that someone might not turn up for the flight that you are originally booked on. Either that or you can ask them to accomodate you in a hotel for whenever they can get you on the next available flight, however, your only solution to this problem would be to pay for it yourself, keep all your reciepts for any reasonable costs that you had to pay out for and then write a letter to their customer services department and enclose all the receipts that you want them to pay.

As this is the fault of the airline – for the extra two days, should they not put me and my mates up in a hotel

They absolutely should!

If I were you, I’d look for the T&C’s for your flight. There should be stuff about cancellations with more than a few weeks notice like this.

This is a real pain. I hope you can still make it!

What about travel insurance? Of course, extra expense is likely to be incurred if you are forced to re-book with another airline, which should be covered by any travel insurance you have.

I don’t know what US Airways charged you for flights to Orlando but the cheapest I can find is with Continental Airlines and they have lots of availability on for your preferred dates – 23rd to 30th October – but the fare is £359. If that is more than you have paid, then suggest that US Airways cough up the difference. It is unlikely that they will but you might as well try!

Also, if you go for the refund option, check how long a refund is likely to take. Most of us know that Virgin Atlantic are cutting flights and Hong Kong and Chicago are both affected. I know somebody who is (or was) booked onto a now cancelled flight and the airline is expecting him to wait up to 30 days for a refund.

They also fly PHL-MAN daily. See if they will stump up a shuttle ticket.

Rgds Cking