AT From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 863 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 3 months 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 3137 times:
I was wondering when flights are cancelled, who gets priority for the next available flight- those that were on the earlier cancelled flight or those that were originally booked on the following flight?
I coudl see the argument going either way- on one hand, the people on the cancelled flight were scheduled to depart first, so they should get priority.
On the other hand, it would become a logistical nightmare if airlines adopted a "domino" policy.
KC135TopBoom From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 11705 posts, RR: 52 Reply 1, posted (7 years 3 months 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 3093 times:
Normally, those originally booked on the following flight have boarding priority, then the first class passengers from the cancelled flight. Everyone else is standby.
Birka340 From Denmark, joined Aug 2003, 166 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (7 years 3 months 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2944 times:
If you accept the passengers from the cancelled first flight on the second flight and the original booked passengers on the second flight can?t be accepted, you need to pay out a Denied Boarding Compensation regarding to new European Union (EU) regulations 2004/261 for all flights departing from an EU country. You don?t need to pay compensation to passengers on a cancelled flight. (exceptions exists)
The amount of Denied Boarding Compensation is depending on if it´s voluntary or involuntary basis and the new arrivaltime and length of flight.
Ckfred From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 4650 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (7 years 3 months 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 2901 times:
Confirmed passengers on the second flight have top priority. Then it's a combination of fare class, FF status, and check-in time.
Needless to say, a person with top FF status, who paid full-fair coach, and checked in early will probably be the first to get a seat, after all the passengers with confirmed seats for the second flight have checked in.
Jetdeltamsy From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 2984 posts, RR: 8 Reply 4, posted (7 years 3 months 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 2887 times:
Quoting AT (Thread starter): those that were on the earlier cancelled flight or those that were originally booked on the following flight?
folks are (almost) NEVER bumped from a flight if the one before is cancelled.
the only scenarios where this may happen is if the remaining flight is the last flight of the day and the situation involves (truly) disabled passengers, unaccompanied minors or crew members who must be repositioned. (there are probably more scenarios where it might happen, but i can't think of any)
Worked for too many airlines to list. Banktupcy after bankruptcy after bankruptcy.
Jetdeltamsy From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 2984 posts, RR: 8 Reply 5, posted (7 years 3 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 2838 times:
Quoting Ckfred (Reply 3): Then it's a combination of fare class, FF status, and check-in time.
I disagree (a little).
Airline "auto reaccomodation" systems will generally book people into the remaining available seats on the next flight(s),and Auto Reaccom systems DO take into consideration a person's FF status and fare paid. If the Auto Reaccom function has yet to be performed, however, seats on the later flights are confirmed to those whose requests are processed first. Once all remaining seats are booked to those who were processed first, everyone else goes onto the oversale (standby) list, regardless of status or fare paid. Standby lists ARE influenced by FF status and fare paid and top-tier frequent flyers and full Y or F customers go to the top of the list.
But if someone traveling on a deeply discounted ticket gets their reservation processed before someone on a full coach or first class ticket, that's the way it goes. Once a person is confirmed (HK status), the seat is never taken back to accommodate someone else in the same situation.
Some advise...if you are ever on a flight that cancels, GO TO THE PHONE (OR USE YOUR CELLPHONE) AND CALL RESERVATIONS. Do not wait in line for an agent at the ticket counter or gate counter. Reservations can do everything, in terms of reaccomodating someone from a cancelled flight, that a person at the airport can. You essentially are able to cut in line if you call reservations on the phone.
P.S....ALWAYS insist that you get a SEAT NUMBER assigned at the time the change is made. If you do not, you risk being bumped from the flight you have just confirmed.
[Edited 2006-02-15 02:39:29]
Worked for too many airlines to list. Banktupcy after bankruptcy after bankruptcy.
GoCOgo From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 701 posts, RR: 2 Reply 6, posted (7 years 3 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 2766 times:
Quoting Jetdeltamsy (Reply 5): , seats on the later flights are confirmed to those whose requests are processed first. Once all remaining seats are booked to those who were processed first, everyone else goes onto the oversale (standby) list, regardless of status or fare paid.
Interesting. I was wondering if my line position on that flight had something to do with this experience, but I also think there is more. Last October, I was on a cancelled flight DEN-CLE on UA (mechanical, the aircraft that was supposed to take us never left STL and by the time a new A/C was brought in, the crew timed out, and being very late, no other crew was available). Nobody left that night as just about no flights were leaving until morning, so they put us up for the night. But, here I was, flying on a highly discounted fare, with no FF status whatsoever (this was my first trip with UA), yet I was, after talking to some of my fellow passengers, on one of the earliest flights out they were booking people on. I was toward the front of the line that they had for rebooking, but oddly, some that were before me got later flights in Y. While waiting, it would seem there was a shift change, and new personnel staffed the positions. When I got up to the gate agent, he kept typing and grimacing, and eventually offered me an earlier flight, upgraded to first. So, then, it seemed to me that who accommodates you also makes a difference, as the first agent seemed unwilling to upgrade us to find us seats, while the second did it. When some of my fellow passengers discovered that I was put into confirmed first on an earlier flight, they were pissed, though.
Also, one neat thing was he said we could try to get an earlier flight on standby. He didn't specifically mention the next part, but if I read my new ticket correctly, he also changed my booking code to "F", which I imagine would put me at the front of the standby line. I wasn't in a hurry, so I took the confirmed F seat rather than stand around the airport all morning. Bit I think this would be a good practice for airlines in regard to those on cancelled flights (when the next flight is full, at least): upgrade booking codes so they go to the top of the standby list.
"Why you fly is your business, how you fly is ours"
Ctbarnes From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 3491 posts, RR: 52 Reply 7, posted (7 years 3 months 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2738 times:
Last month I was flying from SEA-OAK on AS. I arrived a couple hours early so I could re-connect with some people I know who work there. I was up on the North Satellite and discover my flight was cancelled due to a mechanical. I headed back to the customer service counter where I was about second or third on line and only had to wait about five minutes.
When I got to the agent, she told me I am protected (I'm guessing this means confirmed) on the 5:30 fligth to OAK. I asked if there was anything sooner, and she said there was another flight at 3:30 (the cancelled flight left at 2:00). She did some checking and managed to get me a confirmed seat. I was given a service recovery pack and a $5 food voucher which I used to buy a sandwich for the return flight.
It was quick, painless and the inconvenience was kept to a minimum. That, in my mind, is how it's supposed to work!
Another thing I'd suggest, be as nice as you can to the agents doing the rebooking. It's not their fault the flight is cancelled, or there's a blizzard in the Northeast. I've also talked to a lot of CSA's who have said if someone is polite and friendly, they'll move heaven and earth to get you re-booked and out as soon as possible.
Save the grousing and frustration for when you see the chaplain
Charles, SJ
The customer isn't a moron, she is your wife -David Ogilvy
Jetdeltamsy From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 2984 posts, RR: 8 Reply 8, posted (7 years 3 months 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 2519 times:
Quoting GoCOgo (Reply 6): after talking to some of my fellow passengers, on one of the earliest flights out they were booking people on. I was toward the front of the line that they had for rebooking, but oddly, some that were before me got later flights in Y.
My guess is your arrangements were made by the Automated Reaccomodation application.
Quoting GoCOgo (Reply 6): So, then, it seemed to me that who accommodates you also makes a difference, as the first agent seemed unwilling to upgrade
At my airline, upgrades to protect customers are generally restricted to the class of service that is paid for. Rarely a supervisor may allow folks to be protected in F, but it's a very unusual situation. I know of people who have had to spend the night rather than the company putting them up front.
Quoting GoCOgo (Reply 6): which I imagine would put me at the front of the standby line.
The Auto Reaccom application "judges" customers by the fare the they paid, not the cabin they are listed for.
Worked for too many airlines to list. Banktupcy after bankruptcy after bankruptcy.
Uswyjer From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (7 years 3 months 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 2472 times:
Ran into this exact problem last weekend here in CLT. My mom flew down from BDL for a visit, but with the snow storm her flight back on Sunday wound up being cancelled. We tried calling US Airways reservations but it was either a busy tone from being overloaded, or the hold time was going to be 30+ mins, so we decided to haul to the airport. They had a half of the check in lines devoted to rebookings, and within 30 mins she was rebooked on a flight on Monday evening, with a free upgrade to First no less! It seemed like they were doing the rebookings first come, first serve, over any other pattern or method.
ABpositive From Australia, joined Nov 2005, 221 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (7 years 3 months 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 2438 times:
From my experience, airlines try to inconvenience as few passangers as possible. This means that if your flight gets cancelled, they would rather inconvenience you again than another passanger. But that's just from my bitter experience.
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