Flight sat on tarmac for an hour wife will miss connection, what now?

Question

My wife was lucky enough to go on a business trip to Savannah Ga. Trouble was there was no non stop direct fligts to that city. So she had to take a flight first to Cleveland then go on to Savannah. Her flight is still sitting on the tarmac waiting to take off so she will not make her connection. Her flight to Savannah is the last flight of the day (evening).

What will happen at the Cleveland Airport? Will they pay for her to go to a hotel for the evening and send her out tommorrow? Or will she have to pay for her own hotel or sleep at the airport?

I have never missed a flight connection myself and do not know the rules. There was no weather just an air traffic control delay according to the website.

I am going crazy trying to find out the rules! Help!

Answer 1

Unfortunately, there really aren't any rules.  It actually depends on the carrier she is flying with, because 'Rule 240' no longer exists =]  If she is flying with a full-service carrier (Delta, United, etc.) and not a budget airline (Spirit, Southwest, etc.) AND she bought her ticket through the airline directly and not a third party site (Expedia, Orbitz, etc.) AND both flights are with the same carrier, it is likely that the airline will provide her with a hotel voucher for the night and place her on the first flight the next morning.  However, if these factors are not all true, or if the airline has other important circumstances, she may not receive any sort of compensation for the price of her hotel.

Hope this helps, and best of luck to your wife!

Answer 2

If they won't pay for the hotel room, she should still ask for their hotel booking line number and confirmation that she is a "distressed passenger" (meaning a passenger stuck somewhere not at her own fault).

Most  airport hotels offer far lower rates for the airlines, but this has to be booked through their system.  

Found this out when United abandoned us in Wisconsin.  We drove to Chicago to make the connections early next morning....we were given USD 60 hotel vouchers, which didn't seem at all enough.  Stayed at a Marriot for USD 55 booked through United's distressed passenger system!

Answer 3

There are no consistencies with how airlines handle that.  Here's the best scenario.  The airlines have a list of connecting passengers.  If she will only miss the connection by a few minutes, there's a chance the airline will hold the plane for her, especially if it is the last one in the day and there are seats available (i.e. no standby list).

Worst case, many hotels have a "distressed passenger" rate if the airline doesn't pick up the tab.  These are usually the best hotel rates available and usually requires some kind of proof, like a boarding pass or a voucher from the airline.

There's not too much that you can do from your end.  Once she lands in Cleveland, her options will become more obvious.

Sorry about the frustration.  Been there many times.

Answer 4

if it was with the same airline then they should put her in a hotel but i would not bet on it  however if it isnt  with  the same airline they dont have to as it was outside the airlines controll

Answer 5

There are a lot of variables here.  Airlines will try anything to get out of spending any money.  If both her flights are with the same airline then, usually they will organize something for her.  

I have seen in the past, that if you book your connecting flights too close together (say within 1 hour of arriving on one, till departing on another), that they will say that you did not leave enough time between flights.  The time that each airline thinks is appropriate vary from airline to airline.

Why don't you try to call the airline and speak to someone there.  What the actual rules are to your particular airline can usually be found on their website.  

I hope she makes in Savannah tonight.  Good luck!

Answer 6

We flew back from mexico one time and our plane was delayed for the same reasons and missed our connecting flight. the airline provided us with rooms at a close by hotel for the night and we left on the first flight out in the morning. she just needs to talk to the ppl at the counter they will give her all the info she needs