Airline Compensation Master Thread

[sky121]

For the second time this month flew business with United and they didn't have my kosher meal. First time was from ICN to SFO and now from FRA - ORD..

First time they gave me an appreciation card which I couldn't get to work so I emailed them and got 10k miles. This time the appreciation card works offering me 7k or $150 voucher..

What do you think? fair?

Very fair IMHO.

[eliteflyer]

For the second time this month flew business with United and they didn't have my kosher meal. First time was from ICN to SFO and now from FRA - ORD..

First time they gave me an appreciation card which I couldn't get to work so I emailed them and got 10k miles. This time the appreciation card works offering me 7k or $150 voucher..

What do you think? fair?

I just flew from ORD-AMS in BF. There was no kosher meal and the FA offered me an appreciation card which provided for a $50 e-cert or 10% off my next United flight. When I spoke to customer care to seek further compensation, they said that 'no special meal is offered on that flight, which is why there was no request for one." Oddly, my check-in reminder for  the flight which came by e-mail indeed said 'no special meal offered.'

Therefore, the agent told me that she could only offer 2,000 miles as a good-will gesture, but that no compensation was due because no special meal was meant to be offered. She said that if it would have been offered, she would have given me more points.  She said that it must be that ORD is not equipped with a "rabbi to bless the food" and therefore no special meal is offered. Pretty funny.

[MosheP]

Can't they refund you the money by means of a Voucher?

You're not being greedy for asking for 2 vouchers. You should ask for a refund for the entire trip in airline credits, an upgrade on the return and at least 1 free ticket in business/first anywhere they fly as compensation and dont budge.

You're not being greedy for asking for 2 vouchers. You should ask for a refund for the entire trip in airline credits, an upgrade on the return and at least 1 free ticket in business/first anywhere they fly as compensation and dont budge.

Will a US Airways issued voucher work across all Star Alliance? Or only on US Airways metal? I once received a voucher from Air France, it only worked on AF KLM and Delta.

[Dan]

I just flew from ORD-AMS in BF. There was no kosher meal and the FA offered me an appreciation card which provided for a $50 e-cert or 10% off my next United flight. When I spoke to customer care to seek further compensation, they said that 'no special meal is offered on that flight, which is why there was no request for one." Oddly, my check-in reminder for  the flight which came by e-mail indeed said 'no special meal offered.'

Therefore, the agent told me that she could only offer 2,000 miles as a good-will gesture, but that no compensation was due because no special meal was meant to be offered. She said that if it would have been offered, she would have given me more points.  She said that it must be that ORD is not equipped with a "rabbi to bless the food" and therefore no special meal is offered. Pretty funny.

"Special meals are available on all international trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific, intra-Asia and Micronesia flights. Special meals are also available on South American flights to Argentina and Brazil.


Special meals are available in premium cabins on flights with meal service between:

    New York (JFK) and San Francisco (SFO) or Los Angeles (LAX)
    Newark (EWR) and San Francisco (SFO) or Los Angeles (LAX)
    The continental U.S. and Hawaii"

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/dining/special/default.aspx?camp=virtual_expert

[MosheP]

You're not being greedy for asking for 2 vouchers. You should ask for a refund for the entire trip in airline credits, an upgrade on the return and at least 1 free ticket in business/first anywhere they fly as compensation and dont budge.

While it may be preferable to getting the money back a voucher in the same amount isn't half bad if you ever plan to fly with them again and you're NOT going to see the refund if it's done back to the CC.

They do not offer vouchers, the credit for the outbound flight would be a check, so that solves the credit card issue. I am waiting for the COO to finish his meeting and his assistant will get back to me with a better offer.

[eliteflyer]

"Special meals are available on all international trans-Atlantic, trans-Pacific, intra-Asia and Micronesia flights. Special meals are also available on South American flights to Argentina and Brazil.


Special meals are available in premium cabins on flights with meal service between:

    New York (JFK) and San Francisco (SFO) or Los Angeles (LAX)
    Newark (EWR) and San Francisco (SFO) or Los Angeles (LAX)
    The continental U.S. and Hawaii"

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/dining/special/default.aspx?camp=virtual_expert

I pointed this exact language out to the customer care rep who said that it must be mistaken and that the info in my check in reminder supersedes it. In fact, she chided me for expecting a kosher meal after seeing 'no special meal offered' in the flight status in the check in reminder. I told her that this language concerned me and I thus reconfirmed a kosher meal over the phone again before the flight. She finally retorted that even where they offer special meals, they are merely requests, and that I was not entitled to one, so I shouldn't be complaining.

I love the new UA   

[MoYS]

if theyre not going to give special meals - why advertise it - it doesnt help a companys pr  to get angry phone calls/emails

I love the new UA   

+1

[MosheP]

Final
Airline: US Airways
Flight: PHL-ATH
Class: Economy (paid)
Incident: "crappy" flight
Compensation Upgrade to Envoy on return ATH-PHL, and refund for outbound leg of $563. Total of $600 (cost of paid upgrade) +$563= $1,163

Perhaps we should all start flying  with one of these

[MoYS]

<off topic> but I am also the 99% 

with one of these

[outinstyle]

Just flew Delta this past Sunday from JFK-LAS. Boarding pass says "Special Meal Requested". No meals were served (even non kosher). Shot them an email got 15,000 miles  (7,500x2 tickets) redeposited back into my account.
I'm sure I could do better - sent another letter - this time via US Mail. Will advise.

[sky121]

Just flew Delta this past Sunday from JFK-LAS. Boarding pass says "Special Meal Requested". No meals were served (even non kosher). Shot them an email got 15,000 miles  (7,500x2 tickets) redeposited back into my account.
I'm sure I could do better - sent another letter - this time via US Mail. Will advise.

7,500 seems nice to me! Any status with them?

[Ergel]

7,500 seems nice to me! Any status with them?

+1, seems a little greedy to ask for more

[outinstyle]

No status. The letter was mailed the same time as e-mail was sent.

[Jkhein]

otal of $600 (cost of paid upgrade) +$563= $1,163

Leshitoschu, most times I fly I get a compensation of $600 plus. (comp upgrade - status)
I guess it makes you feel good when you see high numbers...

[Drago]

Looking for advice. I flew biz class on Royal Jordanian from TLV to AMM to BKK. The food on the AMM to BKK segment was terrible. The snack was 4 months old and I threw it out after a bite. And the meal was 1.5 months old, and I ate a portion, and threw it out once the 'omelet' came.

Worth requesting something, or is that just the downside of kosher food?
(My 2.5 hr Cathay Pacific return leg had good food, and the El Al leg had great food, so it made me feel even more annoyed after returning.)

[Drago]

Leshitoschu, most times I fly I get a compensation of $600 plus. (comp upgrade - status)
I guess it makes you feel good when you see high numbers...

How? You find s/t to complain about?

[Jkhein]

You find s/t to complain about?

also + high status + ob +many over scenarios that happen.

[MosheP]

Leshitoschu, most times I fly I get a compensation of $600 plus. (comp upgrade - status)
I guess it makes you feel good when you see high numbers...

For what I went through on that flight, I want to see as high a number as I can. Also, it was my first time flying business, and although not worth $600 to me personally, business was full and I can hope that they lost out on a customer willing to pay $600 for the upgrade, making my compensation a loss of $1,160 for the airline. I especially like the refund of $560 in cash (as opposed to a voucher for future travel). For me the upgrade to business was a pretty big "cherry on top".

[MosheP]

also + high status + ob +many over scenarios that happen.

What is "ob"?

[Jkhein]

What is "ob"?

overbooking.