Last Minute Flight Cancellation - Stranded in Buckeye, AZ for 2 days

Zephir-1

Hey all.

I have a query. Back in July, my flight home from Buckeye, AZ, USA was cancelled last minute. I had no means to get home, and had to sleep rough for 2 days, until my mom came to the rescue with a new return ticket.

I was just wondering if I was entitled to compensation; or at the very least my money back from the return ticket where I could only use it one way. Please find below some detailed information from an email I sent to my ticket provider (of whom did not call back).

I was hoping that someone would be able to read the email I sent below and confirm if I am entitled to anything:

EMAIL:

My name is -. I sent an email on the 18/07/2016 in regards to a last minute (I was already on the plane) cancelled flight, from Phoenix, AZ to Boston.

Airport: Phoenix Skyharbor International Airport

The flight was due to be boarded at 22:22, however we were not allowed onto the flight until past 23:30. At approximately 01:30am, whilst waiting for the plane to take off, the Captain mentioned an issue with the Oil Sensor. He called the mechanics, who found far worse faults with the engine, and so the flight was cancelled.

Like everyone else, I left the plane, returned to the airport. Due to the early hours, there was no one available at the Customer Services desk. Most of the fellow passengers went their seperate ways, annoyed and some talking on phones, etc. I had no means of contact with the outside world, as the WiFi would not grant me Internet access, and I had no o2 mobile network coverage, due to it being a UK mobile network.

Security personnel told me to contact either you, or the airline Aer Lingus. As mentioned above, this was impossible for me within the airport. So I left the airport in search for WiFi that granted Internet access.

I eventually managed to contact you, and Aer Lingus, using WiFi at a McDonalds in Buckeye, AZ (where I had previously been staying). You told me to contact the airline, and vice versa. After being passed around for quite some time, the airline apologized but there was nothing that they could do regarding my cancelled flight!

You eventually contacted me but I was already on a flight - due to leave Phoenix and bound for Philadelphia. The problem here is, my mother had to purchase a brand new ticket, last minute, in order to get me home to the UK safely, and promptly. This ticket should have been issued by either yourself, or the airline Aer Lingus, however none of those parties were willing to help me whilst stranded in Buckeye, Arizona, which was an emotional experience for me.

I kindly ask that you contact my mother (the person who had to spend a lot of money on a brand new ticket) regarding this issue, on the below phone numbers:
Telephone: -
Mobile: -

Thank you very much for your time

Caz3121

The problem you have is any claim for the the delay is not down to your agent it is down to the airline. As this was a non-EU carrier on a flight outside the EU, EU261 does not apply and I am not aware of a US equivalent.
I assume Aer Lingus was your airline for the BOS to the UK but they were not the airline for the delayed/cancelled flight. (I am guessing AA) they were the ones responsible to sort this out for you and get you rerouted but it appears you contacted your agent and Aer Lingus and not AA - is that correct?
You would need to check AA's conditions of carriage re cancelled flights and contact them, I would expect they will decline to reimburse the new ticket if they were not given the opportunity to resolve first.

Justice13075

Take out your name and phone numbers.

Zephir-1

@Caz3121 - I wasn't too sure who I should have contacted at the time; I was mostly panicking about being stranded tbh! I contacted both Travel Trolley (where I bought the ticket) and Aer Lingus. They both claimed the other was responsible.

@Justice13075 - I didn't mind leaving my contact details and name within the details, but I removed them as requested

Caz3121

Zephir-1 wrote: »

I contacted both Travel Trolley (where I bought the ticket) and Aer Lingus.

which airline should have operated the cancelled PHX to BOS flight?

Zephir-1

I believe it was Aer Lingus, detailed information on that particular flight below:

Phoenix Sky Harbour Intl , USA to Boston Logan Intl , USA (BOS)
Mon 18 Jul 16
25hr 08min

2 Stops
Departing:
22:22, Mon
Phoenix Sky Harbour Intl , USA (PHX) Arriving:
06:18, Tue
Boston Logan Intl , USA (BOS) Economy Class Aircraft:
Aer Lingus Limited (EI) 5211 | Airbus A320
(Operated By B6)

Thanks,
Damien

leylandsunaddict

Zephir-1 wrote: »

I believe it was Aer Lingus, detailed information on that particular flight below:

Phoenix Sky Harbour Intl , USA to Boston Logan Intl , USA (BOS)
Mon 18 Jul 16
25hr 08min

2 Stops
Departing:
22:22, Mon
Phoenix Sky Harbour Intl , USA (PHX) Arriving:
06:18, Tue
Boston Logan Intl , USA (BOS) Economy Class Aircraft:
Aer Lingus Limited (EI) 5211 | Airbus A320
(Operated By B6)

Thanks,
Damien

Aer Lingus don't operate domestic flights in the US. It says operated by B6 which is JetBlue. It was them you should have contacted to see about re-routing

Zephir-1

Oh I see. Thanks for the help. Is it too late to contact them? It's been 5 months.

Justice13075

From Jet Blue web site Cancellations
All customers whose flight is cancelled by JetBlue will, at the customer's option:
Receive a full refund
Re-accommodation on the next available JetBlue flight at no additional charge or fare.
If JetBlue cancels a flight within 4 hours of scheduled departure and the cancellation is due to a Controllable Irregularity, JetBlue will also issue the customer a $50 Credit good for future travel on JetBlue. Go to there web site and see how you go about contacting them

Timothea

Unfortunately, you have no practical recourse in law. Your only chance is to complain to JetBlue and see what they offer as a goodwill gesture. However, as it's been several months since the event, I expect you will get nothing.

The only other possibility is to claim on your travel insurance. However, typical travel insurance policies won't cover this, but contact them just in case yours does.

Zephir-1

Brilliant, thanks for all the help guys. I'll contact them now, and see how far I get.
For future reference, given the details I provided in my original post, i.e. lack of internet, no one to ask due to time of events, foreign country, what would have been my best course of action in this situation?

Is there a way to secure a hotel with the airline just in case this happens, or are we just supposed to deal with it as it happens? I'm not a frequent flyer so I wouldn't know.