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Comment by linker3000 | Hacker News Reader

Then there's the time United cancelled my early morning flight from SFO to LHR and rerouted me home via an 8pm flight to Dulles and refused to let me use the lounge when I suggested it would be a nice gesture ('some people have paid an annual fee for the lounge you know...') so I spent the whole day moving between restaurants and seats in the departure lounge.

That was the last time I flew with them.

/Not bitter..

//Hell, yes, I was sooo pissed.

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I pay $400/yr for United Club access specifically so that I can go there when there's a flight delay or cancelation. Like, that is specifically the reason I pay it. As a regular business traveler, it is worth it to have access to better and less busy agents, and a nicer place to sit, when something goes wrong. Letting in people for free when something goes wrong would eliminate the benefit in it (because the most important thing is the lack of lines/crowds).

United lounges are unfortunately pretty full already with their awards programs plus their "tens of dollars" upgrades. If they let every person they rerouted or canceled in, it'd be even worse. Though it doesn't mitigate how crappy it must have been for you.

TOD upgrades don't get lounge access since domestic F doesn't get lounge access.

There's plenty of light international travel that TOD applies to though. Not US-EU but CA/MX/Central America?

If you had flown BA and they cancelled your flight you'd have been in for a nice amount of cash in compensation due to EU law.

Entitled anyway. That delay compensation applies to all flights starting or ending in the EU.

Almost, but not quite. It does apply on all flights departing from the EU, but only on flights arriving in the EU if they are operated by a carrier from an EU country. It's a small but important distinction.

For example, if you were travelling from London to New York, it would always apply regardless of the airline. In the other direction, however, it would apply on BA but not on AA.

I don't see the problem. If you want lounge access pay for it. Flights get cancelled and delayed, especially in SFO.

There is no early morning flight from SFO to LHR. In fact there are no morning flights (on United) from SFO to LHR. It just doesn't make any sense in terms of timings.

And random flight cancellations happen on any airline (and rebooking options can be limited depending on time of year). Its part of flying, deal with it.

>deal with it

Why is his solution (suggesting the behavior is poor) a better implementation of "dealing with it" than your implied implementation (doing nothing)?

I'm just pointing out that disruptions are nothing unexpected if you travel often - you can't really expect extraordinary treatment. (Sure, in the EU at least you get food and lodging by law - but lounge access is a completely different beast.)

After all do you expect to be put in first class just because a weather or security issue caused your flight to be cancelled? You aren't the only person affected, airlines can't handle everyone like a snowflake.

Weather and security issue, maybe not, but otherwise, they're liable to pay 600€ in indemnity for a 3h+ delay on such a long flight. I think that should cover a few hours of lounge access.

No. They. Aren't. EU regulations only affect EU carriers, or flights departing the EU. (And also Switzerland, possibly Norway.) Not applicable here.

And if they had to pay that compensation (as explained they don't in this case), they definitely won't want to add bonus lounge access.

Right, I was talking about the EU rights, since you brought it up. Sorry for not being clear.

  > There is no early morning flight from SFO to LHR.

It took about 20 seconds to have Google Flights show me a 6:40am departure from SFO to LHR via ORD.

I assume OP meant that there are no early morning nonstop flights from SFO to LHR.

Fair play - I have just checked this out and my memory wasn't too accurate - it was UA901, which leaves around 12:55 (when it's not cancelled!), and I was probably basing my comment on the fact that I was getting to the airport around 9.30am to allow for returning the rental and security etc., so I would have been on the road to the airport around 8am.

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