[Leo]

Last month I used miles to get a ticket for my mother to visit. After I paid for the ticket, I discovered that it was not really a ticket but one of the "scam tickets" that USAirs sells customers. I had one of these scam tickets last Christmas. If you are unaware of what these are - USAir sells you a "ticket" but actually there is no seat and when you get to the airport the people at the check-in desk are incredibly rude to you and tell you that you don't have a seat and maybe will get on the plane and maybe won't. I didn't get on, although not for that reason, but because according to folks at the airport (although not the official USAir line) there was no crew to fly the plane because US Air overbooked their crews (they officially said it was due to technical problems, but airline workers at the airport said - no crew).

Anyway, I am now wise to the fake tickets. I called up customer service when I realized that I had been sold a fake ticket and they said they would refund my money immediately. I asked twice if that meant ALL of my money ($80) and they said it did, but it did not. Today I got my bill and all that was refunded was $5.

It is hard to understand how USAir will have any customers left if they keep going on like this.

[azstar]

First of all, I think that what you are saying is that you did not have a specific seat assignment (e.g. a seat number) when you got to the airport. If the flight were overbooked, there are federal guidelines that apply about who is denied boarding and the compensation involved. If the flight were overbooked they are not allowed to deny boarding simply because someone does not have an assigned seat. US Air is notorious for doing this, and frankly, that is against the federal guideline. First, airlines must ask for volunteers. If they get no volunteers, they must deny boarding to the last person(s) who checked in. You should file a complaint with the Department of Transportation.

[countrynewsman]

OK..but what is an "overbooked" crew? That's a new one to me!

[azstar]

It could mean that if the crew were scheduled to fly two, three, or four trips that day, one of the trips could have been delayed, or cancelled, causing crew shortage on the affected flight.

[jimworcs]

but, I suspect the clue is in the phrase "I used my miles". Was the booking on a standby basis?

[abutterfinger25]

Originally Posted by azstar

First of all, I think that what you are saying is that you did not have a specific seat assignment (e.g. a seat number) when you got to the airport. If the flight were overbooked, there are federal guidelines that apply about who is denied boarding and the compensation involved. If the flight were overbooked they are not allowed to deny boarding simply because someone does not have an assigned seat. US Air is notorious for doing this, and frankly, that is against the federal guideline. First, airlines must ask for volunteers. If they get no volunteers, they must deny boarding to the last person(s) who checked in. You should file a complaint with the Department of Transportation.

Azstar:

The carrier can deny boarding to passengers based on its established criteria. And it is not allwats the last person who checked in.

[azstar]

Originally Posted by abutterfinger25

Azstar:

The carrier can deny boarding to passengers based on its established criteria. And it is not allwats the last person who checked in.

You're correct. The airline chooses the priority. Here's the D.O.T. definition:

If a flight is oversold (more passengers hold confirmed reservations than there are seats available), no one may be denied boarding against his or her will until airline personnel first ask for volunteers who will give up their reservation willingly, in exchange for a payment of the airline's choosing. If there are not enough volunteers, other passengers may be denied boarding involuntarily in accordance with the following boarding priority of (name of air carrier): (In this space carrier inserts its boarding priority rules or a summary thereof, in a manner to be understandable to the average passenger.)

In any event, the airline is required to provide each passenger who does not get a seat assignment at checkin with a copy of their rules.