[PHXFlyer]

May I just point out that the title of the thread was, "How United ruined my Thanksiving [sic] 2009" and not, "How Sam's Club ruined my Thanksiving 2009" or, "How Expedia ruined my Thanksiving [sic] 2009" or, "How US Airways ruined my Thanksiving [sic] 2009" or, "How Continental ruined my Thanksiving [sic] 2009." OP pretty clearly laid blame solely with United. Why? Because his daughter and ex-wife wasted so much time standing in the wrong line to check-in with United by the time they got to US Airways things were hopelessly messed up.

What most likely happened when the flight closed for check-in and the daughter wasn't at the US Airways counter in time to do so US Airways canceled her reservation. Because Continental issued the ticket and they had a return segment on Continental the canceled US Airways flight was transmitted to Continental who in turn canceled their return flight which locked the ticket from being accessed or changed by either United or US Airways. Even though the ticket was purchased through Sam's Club/Expedia because they were at the airport they should have gone to a Continental ticket counter (which Continental operates out of Terminal A @EWR as well) to get things sorted out.

My question to the OP is this. Any agent would have been able to tell you that the flight was actually a US Airways flight and not United and that the ticket was issued by Continental. Could your ex-wife be lying to you? Was this simply a veiled attempt to keep your daughter for herself over the holiday? You must consider that possibility as well because I can't believe that between United, US Airways, and Continental there was not a single agent able to help get your daughter on a flight to Charlotte that day. It's just a theory and I'm probably completely wrong but all possibilities must be explored.