Diversion from PHL to BWI

[wnbubbleboy]

Q:
My husband and I traveled to Philadelphia recently to visit my granddaughter for her sixth birthday. Our Southwest Airlines flight was supposed to arrive in Philadelphia at 10:45 a.m., but our plane couldn’t land because of a storm. Instead, we were diverted to Baltimore
Everyone was confused because Southwest had no flights from Baltimore to Philadelphia. Our only option was to take the train to Philadelphia, which cost $118. A Southwest employee in Baltimore told us that we would be reimbursed for our trip if we called the airline’s 1-800 number and explained that our plane had been diverted.

After I arrived in Philadelphia, I called Southwest and asked for a reimbursement. The airline refused to pay for our train ticket. I think that if an airline makes a promise, it should keep it. Don’t you? — Saundra Shepherd, Wendell, N.C.

A: I do. But talk is cheap, and what really matters is what’s in Southwest Airlines’ written contract.......





http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19918425/

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Q:
My husband and I traveled to Philadelphia recently to visit my granddaughter for her sixth birthday. Our Southwest Airlines flight was supposed to arrive in Philadelphia at 10:45 a.m., but our plane couldn’t land because of a storm. Instead, we were diverted to Baltimore
Everyone was confused because Southwest had no flights from Baltimore to Philadelphia. Our only option was to take the train to Philadelphia, which cost $118. A Southwest employee in Baltimore told us that we would be reimbursed for our trip if we called the airline’s 1-800 number and explained that our plane had been diverted.

After I arrived in Philadelphia, I called Southwest and asked for a reimbursement. The airline refused to pay for our train ticket. I think that if an airline makes a promise, it should keep it. Don’t you? — Saundra Shepherd, Wendell, N.C.

A: I do. But talk is cheap, and what really matters is what’s in Southwest Airlines’ written contract.......
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19918425/

Sounds like a US move.

 

[lowfareair]

Q:
My husband and I traveled to Philadelphia recently to visit my granddaughter for her sixth birthday. Our Southwest Airlines flight was supposed to arrive in Philadelphia at 10:45 a.m., but our plane couldn’t land because of a storm. Instead, we were diverted to Baltimore
Everyone was confused because Southwest had no flights from Baltimore to Philadelphia. Our only option was to take the train to Philadelphia, which cost $118. A Southwest employee in Baltimore told us that we would be reimbursed for our trip if we called the airline’s 1-800 number and explained that our plane had been diverted.

After I arrived in Philadelphia, I called Southwest and asked for a reimbursement. The airline refused to pay for our train ticket. I think that if an airline makes a promise, it should keep it. Don’t you? — Saundra Shepherd, Wendell, N.C.

A: I do. But talk is cheap, and what really matters is what’s in Southwest Airlines’ written contract.......
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19918425/

This is only one side of the story. After hearing many of these from customers in all sorts of retail settings, then from the employees over the years, I'm guessing the true story is halfway between that and this:

GA: "Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the inconvenience. We'll have a plane ready to take you to Philadelphia in approximately 90 minutes. Alternatively, there is a train that goes from BWI into Philadelphia's 30th Street Station. "

Couple: (walking up) "Will Southwest reimburse us for the train travel?"

GA: "I don't know; you will have to call the 800-number and it could go either way"

 

[JS]

Q:
My husband and I traveled to Philadelphia recently to visit my granddaughter for her sixth birthday. Our Southwest Airlines flight was supposed to arrive in Philadelphia at 10:45 a.m., but our plane couldn’t land because of a storm. Instead, we were diverted to Baltimore
Everyone was confused because Southwest had no SCHEDULED flights from Baltimore to Philadelphia. Our only option was to take the train to Philadelphia, which cost $118. A Southwest employee in Baltimore told us that we would be reimbursed for our trip if we called the airline’s 1-800 number and explained that our plane had been diverted.

After I arrived in Philadelphia, I called Southwest and asked for a reimbursement. The airline refused to pay for our train ticket. I think that if an airline makes a promise, it should keep it. Don’t you? — Saundra Shepherd, Wendell, N.C.

A: I do. But talk is cheap, and what really matters is what’s in Southwest Airlines’ written contract.......
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19918425/

note edit above

There has got to be something missing here. Not even US Airways would divert and then tell people they're on their own. I've been on two diverted US flights. On one, we flew to the destination after the storm passed, and on the other, they didn't even try, and put everyone in a taxi (SAV-HHH, not too far).

 

[JS]

I hate MSNBC and I hate Christopher Elliott, but like a train wreck, I couldn't look away and I read the article linked in the first post. Was it edited, because what it says is the polar opposite!

Here's the end:

You received a letter from the airline apologizing for the inconvenience of being diverted and reimbursing you for the train fare to Philadelphia. It also enclosed a $200 voucher for a future flight.

Kudos, for no other airline would do this!

And a BIG GIANT thumbs down :down: to MSNBC for making the title "broken promise".

 

[wnbubbleboy]

PDF verson of Contract of Carrage:


http://southwest.com/travel_center/coc.pdf

 

[jimntx]

It's easy after the fact to claim that "some employee told me A,B, and C." May or may not have happened.

 

[tadjr]

It's easy after the fact to claim that "some employee told me A,B, and C." May or may not have happened.

That is why I would ask for the employee to document the record and give me a copy to see. If the agent wont give a copy (some agents wont give out records), at least you can see that it was documented for you to do whatever the agent advised you. Otherwise, its he said she said.