Booked in W, SWUs had cleared at booking for UA 905 IST-EWR on 12/24.
Trying to fly home on 12/24. Received an email on 12/23, around 22 hours in advance of original departure, stating that my flight had been cancelled and no other info. Got back to the hotel around 20 hours in advance and called 1K/Premier line via Skype.
They offered to book us on an emergency, previously non-existent, 12/25 re-do flight.
Bad news: Wife in economy for international; both of us in economy for the domestic leg; and, due to annoying split PNR issue, on separate domestic flights. Good news: Got us on the same flights. I also got the agent to get permission to force us into BusinessFirst international and domestic First for our connection to LAX (which at first he declined stating there was no R space).
I inquired about compensation and was told there was none. But I had to cover an extra day of hotel+meals in Istanbul. (As an aside, despite having lots of notice and confirming with the agent, the flight attendants had my name but special meal didn't board, so I was not happy across the Atlantic.)
Flight cancellation was due to mechanical on 12/24 UA904 EWR-IST which had to divert. They then sent replacement plane to IST.
There are worse places to be stuck than Istanbul. And we were informed enough in advance that we could figure things out without getting trapped at the airport. Overall, I'm not complaining since it was all dealt with a day in advance.
That said: What should I ask for or expect? Was the agent correct that there is no compensation due? If I had shown up at the airport, wouldn't they have to put me up in a hotel and feed me? Is best avenue to email 1K desk?
Trying to fly home on 12/24. Received an email on 12/23, around 22 hours in advance of original departure, stating that my flight had been cancelled and no other info. Got back to the hotel around 20 hours in advance and called 1K/Premier line via Skype.
They offered to book us on an emergency, previously non-existent, 12/25 re-do flight.
Bad news: Wife in economy for international; both of us in economy for the domestic leg; and, due to annoying split PNR issue, on separate domestic flights. Good news: Got us on the same flights. I also got the agent to get permission to force us into BusinessFirst international and domestic First for our connection to LAX (which at first he declined stating there was no R space).
I inquired about compensation and was told there was none. But I had to cover an extra day of hotel+meals in Istanbul. (As an aside, despite having lots of notice and confirming with the agent, the flight attendants had my name but special meal didn't board, so I was not happy across the Atlantic.)
Flight cancellation was due to mechanical on 12/24 UA904 EWR-IST which had to divert. They then sent replacement plane to IST.
There are worse places to be stuck than Istanbul. And we were informed enough in advance that we could figure things out without getting trapped at the airport. Overall, I'm not complaining since it was all dealt with a day in advance.
That said: What should I ask for or expect? Was the agent correct that there is no compensation due? If I had shown up at the airport, wouldn't they have to put me up in a hotel and feed me? Is best avenue to email 1K desk?