What would you do?

[jote]

Would be interested to know how you think this situation is best resolved. Family have missed a returning BA flight to UK from Miami. The reason for them missing the departure is that the connecting (Obitz) aircraft developed an engine fault and returned to the Bahamas, also scarred the **** out of them. Seems that only 1st class is currently available on return flights at the moment so they have to either buy return 1st class tickets mucho £££££ or fend for themselves until who knows when?

2 female adults & 6yr girl.

What would you do?

[Antoninus]

That is an interesting racket..
Fend for themselves in the Bahamas may be as costly as a first class ticket..
Happened to a couple of friends of mine. It wasn't even engine trouble; their Swissair flight was just cancelled, period.
They finally grabbed a flight to Miami, then another to New York, then on to Zurich and finally Geneva. Grand total 27 hours from the Bahamas to Geneva.. I suggest trying to get to Miami anyways, hotels are cheaper there. However given the current hurricane situation.. I don't know..

[jote]

Thankyou for suggestions.

AA are flying them back tonight at their expense, that’s probably more than they are required to do so I would like to say thanks to them for helping out so generously.

[jote]

Sadly I have to report that my enthusiastic response to AA’s customer care and overall information management was premature. Upon arrival at Miami they were informed that there was not in fact any tickets and they had better pay up or wait for BA to sort it. For the Second time three very tired, & scarred ****less pax (from previous days engine failure on AA flight from Bahamas including a 6yr old girl, where about to be left to their own devices at a foreign airport. Following difficult and stressed conversations and phone calls one member of my family was summoned to a managers office and grilled about too whom she had spoken and where the luggage was kept the previous 24hrst! This was a last ditched effort by AA to get us to pay for new tickets, fortunately they underestimated her resolve and she did not give in.

As for AA I am totally disgusted and very disappointed with them and I will not permit my family to fly with this airline again, it’s my considered judgement that their performance in this matter is probably reflected throughout this organisation and I can no longer trust them with my families well being.

[RatherBeFlying]

I have a habit of buying cancellation insurance whenever I buy a restricted fare. It does cover hotel and meals as well as a regular airfare in cases of missed connection in such circumstances and others.

That said, if all the flights are covered under the same booking, the airline is generally required to make good and usually does so.

I was once delayed several hours for succession of technical reasons by Canadi>n Airlines so that the off-airport rental car office was closed as we had arrived well past midnight. Also we were unable to reach our prebooked accommodations an hour's drive away. The destination agent gave us a hotel and breakfast voucher on the spot:ok:

On my flight back to Toronto from Dayton, I checked in early with Continental and unknowingly went to the one restaurant where passenger pages were not broadcast:uhoh:

When I got to the gate, I was informed that they had been trying to send me via New Jersey because my booked flight was late and would not make the connection and made ominous noises that I might have to find a hotel for the night. Subsequent discussion resulted in their routing me via Chicago with AA -- roundabout and time-consuming, but I was home that night.

A polite persistent interest in finding a way to allow them to make good on their commitments has so far worked for me.

[PAXboy]

RBF A polite persistent interest in finding a way to allow them to make good on their commitments has so far worked for me. What excellent advice, it should be printed on every ticket - both for Pax and for staff! (Sorry about using the vile Lime Green but had to see what it looked like) :yuk:

[TightSlot]

Is there some problem with green??? :E :E :E