United Flight Cancellations

[TerriJ]

I have been watching the United website as we are flying to Hawaii on Friday. The 6:00 am Des Moines to Chicago flight has been cancelled quite a bit recently. I just read about the pilot shortage and that it gets worse at the end of the month. We catch our Kona flight in Chicago and I'm worried about making it to Chicago.

I do have Premier status and I thought about calling today to see if I have any other options. We upgraded to first class to Kona with ff miles so I really want to make that flight.

Any suggestions? If they cancel my Friday morning flight what options will we have?

Thank you.

[camachinist]

Here's your DSM-ORD options on UA for Friday:

 Flight Availability - DSM to ORD - 07/28/06
Airline 	Flight 	Stops 	Departure 	Arrival 	Aircraft 	Meal 	Available Classes 	 
8 Flights Returned
0 Connections
  	UA 	7112 	0 	DSM
07/28/06 06:00AM 	ORD
07/28/06 07:10AM 	CRJ 		Y9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 Q9 V8 W7 S5 T4 K9 L3 G0 	
0 Connections
  	UA 	7254 	0 	DSM
07/28/06 07:20AM 	ORD
07/28/06 08:30AM 	CRJ 		Y9 B9 M9 E9 U9 H9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T8 K9 L7 G2 	
0 Connections
  	UA 	6954 	0 	DSM
07/28/06 08:47AM 	ORD
07/28/06 09:57AM 	CRJ 		Y7 B7 M7 E5 U5 H4 Q3 V2 W0 S0 T0 K3 L0 G0

Here's the tracking for UA7254, the 7:20 am flight...

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/ASH7254

If the earlier flight cancels, this might be an option; still legal cx to ORD-OGG-KOA (UA 3).

For options, see below:

 Flight Availability - DSM to HNL - 07/28/06
Airline 	Flight 	Stops 	Departure 	Arrival 	Aircraft 	Meal 	Available Classes 	 
2 Flights Returned
1 Connection
  	UA 	237 	0 	DSM
07/28/06 08:35AM 	DEN
07/28/06 09:19AM 	752 		F9 Y9 B9 M9 E9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T4 K9 L0 G0 P9 A9 H9 U9 	
UA 	43 	0 	DEN
07/28/06 11:45AM 	HNL
07/28/06 02:47PM 	777 	LS 	F6 Y9 B9 M9 E9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T4 K9 L0 G0 P4 A4 H9 U9 	
1 Connection
  	UA 	389 	0 	DSM
07/28/06 06:30AM 	DEN
07/28/06 07:20AM 	735 		F6 Y9 B9 M9 E9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T4 K9 L0 G0 P6 A6 H9 U9 	
UA 	43 	0 	DEN
07/28/06 11:45AM 	HNL
07/28/06 02:47PM 	777 	LS 	F6 Y9 B9 M9 E9 Q9 V9 W9 S9 T4 K9 L0 G0 P4 A4 H9 U9

 Flight Availability - HNL to KOA - 07/28/06
Airline 	Flight 	Stops 	Departure 	Arrival 	Aircraft 	Meal 	Available Classes 	 
12 Flights Returned
0 Connections
  	WP 	70 	0 	HNL
07/28/06 03:40PM 	KOA
07/28/06 04:35PM 	DH8 		Y4 B4 T4 N4 M4 V4 L0 U0 S0 X0 	
0 Connections
  	YV 	1031 	0 	HNL
07/28/06 04:30PM 	KOA
07/28/06 05:10PM 	CRJ 		Y7 B7 Q5 L5 H0 M0 V0 	
0 Connections
  	YV 	1005 	0 	HNL
07/28/06 03:30PM 	KOA
07/28/06 04:10PM 	CRJ 		Y3 B3 Q0 L0 H0 M0 V0 	
0 Connections
  	HA 	388 	0 	HNL
07/28/06 04:35PM 	KOA
07/28/06 05:18PM 	717 		F4 P4 Y7 X7 V7 W3 Q3 S3 U0 I0 B0 G0 N0 T0 H0 L0 K0 M0 O0 Z0 	
0 Connections
  	UA (AQ) 	4934 	0 	HNL
07/28/06 04:35PM 	KOA
07/28/06 05:16PM 	737 		Y7 B7 M7 E0 Q0 V0 W0 S0 T0 K0 L0 G0 H7 U0 	
0 Connections
  	AQ 	88 	0 	HNL




07/28/06 04:35PM 	KOA
07/28/06 05:16PM 	732 		Y2 B1 H1 M1 W0 L0 T0 N0 V0 Z0 U0 	
0 Connections
  	UA (AQ) 	4920 	0 	HNL
07/28/06 03:10PM 	KOA
07/28/06 03:51PM 	737 		Y7 B7 M7 E0 Q7 V7 W0 S0 T0 K0 L0 G0 H7 U0 	
0 Connections
  	AQ 	280 	0 	HNL
07/28/06 03:10PM 	KOA
07/28/06 03:51PM 	732 		Y9 B9 H9 M7 W0 L0 T0 N0 V0 Z0 U0 	
0 Connections

Personally, if the later DSM-ORD doesn't work, I'd push for a mainline reroute through DEN/HNL, connecting to AQ. Since AQ is a UA partner, I don't believe an endorsement is necessary, as some AQ flights operate as UA codeshares.

I understand your preference for First class on the long leg, and a good agent might be able to get you something if re-routed, but I'm assuming that getting there is more important. I don't believe they will protect your itin proactively, but, once the first flight cancels, the 1P desk can protect you on a number of re-routes, many of which I didn't publish, through SFO/LAX as well as DEN, to remain on UA metal and possibly preserve your ug's...

Good luck and hope you have a great trip!

Pat

[TerriJ]

Thank you very much for the helpful information. I didn't know there was at least one later flight that would still get us to Chicago in time. I know the flights have been full, but I can hope for the best.

Thanks!

[camachinist]

Seat map supports fare buckets on 7245, with 11 open seats (plus exit row). Doesn't look like an oversell to me, but don't dawdle if a cancellation comes through. Be sure to sign up for flight paging for 7112 and turn off the quiet time (middle of the night) option, so you'll hopefully have some advance warning.

Good luck!

Pat

[TerriJ]

Yes, I have the paging turned on during the night, and I will keep my phone next to the bed. Thanks again, and wish me luck. I fly all the time but my husband doesn't and I would like it to be nice for him. We'll have an adventure regardless.

[TerriJ]

Pat, because of your message, I checked my easy update settings and found that I had silent during the night. I fixed that!

My Chicago flight was delayed as I feared, but they put us on an American flight that will get us there in time. Very nerve wracking!

Thanks for the advice!

[camachinist]

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/EGF409

Posting the flight tracking of the likely interline endorsement....

Glad to hear things worked out. As an elite, you're more likely to get interlined/endorsed. This has happened to us in the past. It can also happen if a regional airline has contracts with multiple mainline carriers. For example, when our DX regional flight went mechanical out of BFL, SkyWest interlined us to UX (which they also operate there) and connected us through LAX to a UA mainline flight to ORD. They also protected our return, which would have zero'ed out since we weren't on the flight when it did leave 3 hours later.

Hope you're having a great flight and a safe trip!

Pat

[TerriJ]

We made it to the big island. There is free internet access here so I will be writing more. It looked like the United staff in Des Moines were going to have a long day as the Chicago flight was delayed and the Denver flight was cancelled.