Missed transit flight due to immigration queue (USA)

mameha

I missed a connecting flight in Chicago O Hare and wonder if I can get recompense for hotel cost.

This is the story.

I flew London - Chicago - Charlotte with US Airlines.

I had about 2 hours transit time in Chicago, which should be more than enough. The flight arrived in Chicago on time. But there were excessive queues at immigration and they would not fast track people who had a connection. I must have queued 90 mins or so. I then missed my connecting flight and had to stay overnight in a hotel at my own cost. It caused a lot of disruption, stress and cost.

When I tried to claim travel insurance, they refused to pay out.

When I tried to claim from the airline, they also refused citing the same reasons (immigrations fault not ours).

I then spoke to some colleagues and they told me Chicago O Hare is famous for this problem and you should never transit there. Some research on the internet backed this up.

Is there anything I can do to get recompense for the hotel cost and inconvenience?

Alan_Bowen

Airlines are not responsible for the action, or inaction, of immigration officers I am afraid. It is usual however for airlines to rebook connecting passengers on the next flight at no additional charge which is why it is always important not to be on the last connecting flight of the day as it appears you may have been. Two hours is the usual time allowed for connections at Chicago but as international flights arrive at Terminal 5 you have to take a transit to connect to another terminal. Unless you have a good insurance policy, I think you have to put it down to being one of the costs of buying connecting flights, they may be cheaper but they have their downsides as well.

mameha

There was another flight late in the night which I waited for on the waiting list but didn't get on it, which was additional inconvenience as it meant sitting around in the airport all night to no avail.

I was not the only one, in the free hotel shuttle bus area there must have been 100 or more people angry at missing their connections, everyone was whinging about it.

DON'T TRANSIT AT CHICAGO O HARE!

DrA_Harrogate

mameha wrote: »

DON'T TRANSIT AT CHICAGO O HARE!

We were on a flight Manchester to Ft Lauderdale connecting in Chicago. As we taxied out the pilot announced a stop in Maine to refuel. We considered our connection stuffed! However, a stewardess came round collecting details of onward connections, and when we landed staff were waiting for us giving out big stickers for us to wave. At the immigration queue we were directed to a 'special' desk where a guy stamped our passports biff biff and the Customs guy said 'Anything to declare - thought not' and off we whizzed. On a 45 minute turnround we had about half n hour for a glass of..


So do ask whilst on the inbound flight because it can help...