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Experience 011 Show Notes. Flight delays, cancellations, diversions, and the airline's obligations. The Seat 1A Podcast.

The Seat 1A Podcast

Release Date: 02/04/2019

Recorded 27 January 2019

Written by: Geoff Dahl & Vinod Viswalingam

Listen to this experience wherever you download your podcasts - including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play and Overcast.

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In this episode experience big thank yous for your likes & support of our social media launch! We share a story from one of our followers about her cancelled JFK flight. We look at delays versus cancellations and diversions, and discuss the airline's obligations.

 Listener Isabel lets us know about her story about her cancelled late-night flight at JFK with American Airlines (AA) along with her husband and toddler. The journey to the closest available hotel and time for her next flight was extremely difficult for her – particularly with a toddler. She made sure to follow-up in writing with American Airlines after her experience – with a supporting photo! American to their credit responded quite well.

 We clarify the difference between delay and cancellation and what happens on the back end the moment an airline is notified – the race is on to find blocks of rooms. Sometimes it's a race against other airlines. You need to determine if it's worth it to take the airline's offer. Are your meal vouchers going to be accepted or do you have the time to use them to eat? Are you able to coordinate children or other travelers flying with you as well?

 The moral of the story – make sure you follow up with the airline after a cancellation – but make sure you ride the fine line of reasonability. Will you be reimbursed for a room if the airline has already offered one? Be ready to take what you get, but if you have a special situation (e.g. young children) you need to bring it to the airline's attention.

 Vinny shares a great delay story with a delayed package tour passenger at YEG.

 We look at some other delays – including delayed WestJet (WS) passengers that were delivered to a hotel in CUN but were told that the hotel wasn't expecting them and requested payment up front. This highlights the relationship between the airline and the ground handler – these are two different things. Many airlines use a third-party ground handler. Does the ground handler have relationships with local hotels?

 We review a diversion that happened at Goose Bay, Labrador (YYR) with United Airlines (UA), which then had a mechanical problem and was delayed for 17 hours. There are many things that happen after a plane is diverted – including ground handling, baggage, fuel issues and possibly customs. Will there be other mechanical issues or will the crew time out – preventing the plane from continuing on? Is the ground handler able to handle the logistics of putting people up and feeding them? There are numerous logistics to get a recovery aircraft to remote locations including replacement crew, plane types & flight planning. Vinny shares a diversion story with Sunwing Airlines (WG) when a CUN-YVR flight had to divert to DEN.

 The European Union has a long-standing set of passenger rights & compensation. Canada has recently started a similar set of rights. There was case in January 2019 of a UK family who were asked to sit on the floor of their charter flight.

 Don't expect magic with cancellations, delays and diversions, be as realistic as you can, but ensure that the airline is doing as much as they can with the situation.

 Vinny shares a story about an American Airlines (AA) flight diverted from YYC to YEG where the crew was not able to continue, and the plane had to park due to a crew issue. What happens to the inside of the plane when that happens?

 Diversions might also have passenger issues with customs which means that the flight can't be handled or won't be handled.

If you have a irregular operations story, question or experience that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/

 SELECTED LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE EXPERIENCE



NEWS ITEMS

 cbc.ca | WestJet passengers fuming after being 'abandoned' in Mexico (08 January 2019)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/westjet-ottawa-passengers-cancun-complaints-1.4968882
"...Some WestJet passengers say they felt 'abandoned' in downtown Cancun, Mexico, after their return flight was first delayed and then cancelled on the weekend.
...
They soon found themselves, along with more than 100 other stranded passengers, on a dark side street after a shuttle dropped them at a hotel that wasn't expecting them..."


flyertalk.com | United Passengers Frozen and Marooned for 17 Hours in Canada (21 January 2019)
https://www.flyertalk.com/articles/united-passengers-marooned-for-17-hours-at-goose-bay.html
"...A Hong Kong-bound flight from Newark was forced to make an emergency diversion to Canadian Forces Goose Bay when a passenger fell ill. However, due to a technical issue with a door of the aircraft, the 777 was unable to continue its journey to Hong Kong, leaving passengers stranded on the tarmac for a total of 17 hours..."


BBC | Family had to sit on floor of TUI plane (13 January 2019)
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-46858249

"...A family returning from holiday found they had no seats once they had boarded their plane and spent part of the flight sitting on the floor..."



PODCAST CORRECTIONS, CLARIFICATIONS, CONFIRMATIONS



 SHOW NOTES

  • Show Introduction, social media launch and thank you everyone! [00:00:48]
  • Shout-out to show listener Isabel and her story about a cancelled flight at JFK [00:03:00]
  • Clarification of what getting "stuck" with an airline can mean [00:04:16]
  • Isabel's written follow-up with American Airlines (AA) [00:10:14]
  • Cancellation versus delay [00:11:54]
  • What happens when an airline is notified of delay or cancellation? [00:13:38]
  • Moral of the story - make sure you follow up a cancellation experience! [00:17:43]
  • Vinny shares a delay story with a package tour passenger at YEG [00:22:36]
  • CUN-YOW passengers stranded - hotel didn't know they were coming [00:24:57]
  • The relationship of the airline and the ground handler [00:26:59]
  • United Airlines EWR-HKG flight 17-hour diversion in Labrador [00:31:29]
  • Vinny's diversion story CUN-DEN-YVR [00:34:08]
  • EU moved forward on passenger rights, Canada recently started a system as well [00:43:41]
  • Vinny shares a story of an AA flight that was diverted to YEG [00:44:59]
  • Show wrap-up [00:49:24]