What United and other airlines likely do not tell you

[rpannier]

From the Legal Information Institute at Cornell University

250.5 Amount of denied boarding compensation for passengers denied boarding involuntarily.

(a) Subject to the exceptions provided in § 250.6, a carrier to whom this part applies as described in § 250.2 shall pay compensation in interstate air transportation to passengers who are denied boarding involuntarily from an oversold flight as follows:

(1) No compensation is required if the carrier offers alternate transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger's first stopover, or if none, the airport of the passenger's final destination not later than one hour after the planned arrival time of the passenger's original flight;

(2) Compensation shall be 200% of the fare to the passenger's destination or first stopover, with a maximum of $675, if the carrier offers alternate transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger's first stopover, or if none, the airport of the passenger's final destination more than one hour but less than two hours after the planned arrival time of the passenger's original flight; and

(3) Compensation shall be 400% of the fare to the passenger's destination or first stopover, with a maximum of $1,350, if the carrier does not offer alternate transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger's first stopover, or if none, the airport of the passenger's final destination less than two hours after the planned arrival time of the passenger's original flight.

(b) Subject to the exceptions provided in § 250.6, a carrier to whom this part applies as described in § 250.2 shall pay compensation to passengers in foreign air transportation who are denied boarding involuntarily at a U.S. airport from an oversold flight as follows:

(1) No compensation is required if the carrier offers alternate transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger's first stopover, or if not, the airport of the passenger's final destination not later than one hour after the planned arrival time of the passenger's original flight;

(2) Compensation shall be 200% of the fare to the passenger's destination or first stopover, with a maximum of $675, if the carrier offers alternate transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger's first stopover, or if not, the airport of the passenger's final destination more than one hour but less than four hours after the planned arrival time of the passenger's original flight; and

(3) Compensation shall be 400% of the fare to the passenger's destination or first stopover, with a maximum of $1,350, if the carrier does not offer alternate transportation that, at the time the arrangement is made, is planned to arrive at the airport of the passenger's first stopover, or if not, the airport of the passenger's final destination less than four hours after the planned arrival time of the passenger's original flight.

(c) Carriers may offer free or reduced rate air transportation in lieu of the cash or check due under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, if -

(1) The value of the transportation benefit offered, excluding any fees or other mandatory charges applicable for using the free or reduced rate air transportation, is equal to or greater than the cash/check payment otherwise required;

(2) The carrier fully informs the passenger of the amount of cash/check compensation that would otherwise be due and that the passenger may decline the transportation benefit and receive the cash/check payment; and

(3) The carrier fully discloses all material restrictions, including but not limited to, administrative fees, advance purchase or capacity restrictions, and blackout dates applicable to the offer, on the use of such free or reduced rate transportation before the passenger decides to give up the cash/check payment in exchange for such transportation. (See also § 250.9(c)).

link
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/250.5

[C_U_L8R]

1. Apparently they misplaced Section 1.01.01

'There is nothing more important than the happiness, comfort and security of our customers'

[JenniferJuniper]

2. no airline these days gives a damn

about the happiness or comfort of their customers. Flying these days is hellish.

[C_U_L8R]

4. Beating up customers is a lousy strategy

They seem to forget, we're the ones with the money.
And boy do they and their stockholders love money.

Well United, you're never going to see a nickel from me.

[HAB911]

3. Exactly why I probably will never fly again

Flew for business for many years, mostly when it was not a cattle call. The last few years were pure hell. Never again if I can help it

[DFW]

5. United's lawyer will probably say the beaten passenger is entitled to no compensation

He was NOT denied boarding. They DID let him board the plane. They only beat the crap out of him AFTER letting board the plane, so they will argue that they are not liable under the "denied boarding" clause.

Sound crazy? Anyone hear what United told their staff? That their thugs acted properly? Anyone who takes United, knowing that beating a doctor to a bloody pulp for insisting he be allowed to fly to treat patients who have appointments is "acting properly," must do REALLY well at Las Vegas casinos.

[BobTheSubgenius]

6. One of the worst trips I ever took was on US Air.

It didn't even approach being knocked unconscious and bloodied, but it was still damned annoying. From the time I left the airport near Seattle and arrived in Buffalo, I had been through a complete ZOO at Las Vegas, and an all-night waffle house in Charlotte - an experience not to be missed, if it's ever available to you. I landed to find that, while the airline had not been able to get me to its own connecting flight on time, my luggage had reached Buffalo hours ahead of me and was in a locked office. That was 32.5 hours later.

I had to put my own experience in perspective, though. Another passenger who got stranded in Charlotte had spent the previous night on the floor of the airport in Philadelphia, and was expected to finally reach Arizona the afternoon following her overnight in NC. That would entail her being in transit for all or part of 3 consecutive days to get from Atlantic City to Albuquerque. At least the airline provided her one with of those compact, every-hiker-should-carry-one "space blankets" to keep her warm on the floor of the airport in PA, so there's that.

While waiting for someone to open the office to retrieve my luggage, I saw a woman standing next to me with her arms folded and a look that was a curious combination of exhaustion and fury. Her father, a disabled, diabetic veteran in a wheelchair, had been stranded in Charlotte as well, and he MIGHT have been on the connecting flight I had just been on, so she was waiting to find out. I don't remember seeing a person in a wheelchair on the flight, so I imagine her exhaustion and fury were going to suffer a serious uptick. However, my mental acuity was not at an all-time high at that point, so he might have been.

Not a nickel of compensation was offered to any of us, as far as I know. Apparently, 32.5 hours to travel a distance that, hypothetically, could involve a leisurely breakfast in Seattle and an early supper in Buffalo is no more than incidental.