Handle 'bumped' passengers with fairness and consistency

US Airways will handle “bumped” passengers with fairness and consistency in the case of oversales.

US Airways never intends to cause any inconvenience to a passenger in connection with his/her journey on US Airways. However, due to operational requirements, inventory control policies and a varying degree of no-show passengers, there will be times when passengers cannot be accommodated on the booked flight.

During a denied boarding situation, US Airways makes available the "Take Flight With US" brochure. The brochure explains US Airways' obligations and the passenger's rights in the case of an oversold flight in accordance with regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (14 CFR Part 250).

US Airways will first solicit volunteers to give up their reservations (seats), in exchange for compensation. It is always the goal to obtain 100% voluntary denied boardings.

When US Airways does not receive enough volunteers, US Airways may deny boarding involuntarily to passengers holding a confirmed reservation. US Airways may assign and release seats based upon special needs, time of check-in, product purchased, frequent flyer status and/or ease of re-accommodation.

Denied boarding procedures - passengers denied boarding involuntarily
Passengers are entitled to a payment of "denied boarding compensation" from US Airways, unless:

  • The passenger has not fully complied with the US Airways' ticketing and check-in requirements, or the passenger is not acceptable for transportation under US Airways' rules and practices.
  • Passengers are denied boarding because the flight is cancelled.
  • A smaller capacity aircraft was substituted for safety or operational reasons.
  • A flight operating with an aircraft having 60 or fewer seats has safety-related weight/balance restrictions that limit payload.
  • Passengers are offered accommodations in a section of the aircraft other than specified in their ticket, at no extra charge (a passenger seated in a section for which a lower fare is charged must be given an appropriate refund).
  • US Airways is able to place the passenger on another flight or flights that are planned to reach the final destination within one hour of the scheduled arrival of the original flight.

If the passenger has been subjected to involuntary denied boarding, the passenger is entitled to one of the following forms of compensation.

For domestic flights:

  • If the passenger's arrival at his or her final destination is greater than one hour but less than two hours past their original scheduled arrival, involuntary compensation is 200 percent of the sum of the values of the remaining flight coupons of the ticket to the next stopover, but not to exceed $650.
  • If the passenger's arrival at their final destination is two hours or more past their original scheduled arrival, involuntary compensation is 400 percent of the sum of the values of the remaining flight coupons of the ticket to the next stopover, but not to exceed $1,300.

For international flights:

  • If the passenger's arrival at his or her final destination is greater than one hour but less than four hours past their original scheduled arrival, involuntary compensation is 200 percent of the sum of the values of the remaining flight coupons of the ticket to the next stopover, but not to exceed $650.
  • If the passenger's arrival at their final destination is four hours or more past their original scheduled arrival, involuntary compensation is 400 percent of the sum of the values of the remaining flight coupons of the ticket to the next stopover, but not to exceed $1,300.

If a ticketed customer asks if the flight is overbooked, the employee responsible for such information in their day-to-day work activities would be expected to respond accurately if the information is available.

Disclose cancellation policies, frequent flyer rules, aircraft seating configuration and lavatory availability

Cancellation policies

All reservations (including those on continuing and return flights) are subject to cancellation without notice if the following occurs:

  1. The passenger has not purchased a validated ticket indicating confirmed seat(s) at least thirty (30) minutes prior to scheduled departure of the flight, or earlier if a greater time limit is specified.
  2. The passenger fails to fulfill the requirements of the fare type to which the reservation applies.
  3. The passenger does not use each flight coupon, uses flight coupons out of sequence or has an unused segment in the itinerary.
  4. If the passenger is not present at the boarding gate at least 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure time, even if the passenger has already checked in for the flight at a place designated for check-in (i.e., a ticket counter, web check-in, kiosk, etc.)
  5. If such action is necessary to comply with any governmental regulation, or to comply with any governmental request for emergency transportation in connection with the national defense, or whenever such action is necessary or advisable by reason of weather or other conditions beyond US Airways' control.
  6. If US Airways refuses to transport the passenger for any of the reasons stated in Rule 25 (Refusal to Transport) of the US Airways Tariff or paragraph 3.0 of the US Airway's Contract of Carriage.

Customers are advised to call US Airways to cancel a segment should their travel plans change.

Frequent flyer program (Dividend Miles)

The US Airways Dividend Miles membership guide outlines the rules, restrictions and redemption of miles. While there are black out dates and limited seats available at value award levels, top value award redemptions are always available as long as the flight is not completely sold out.

Find more information on the US Airways Dividend Miles program by calling the Dividend Miles Service Center, in e-Statement and Dividend Miles emails sent out each month, in the Dividend Miles section in the US Airways Magazine, in SEC filings on 10K Report (Dividend Miles travel Awards redeemed as a percent of total revenue passenger miles) and online:

Aircraft seating configuration

For information about aircraft seating configuration, please the map shown during the booking process on our website (usairways.com.) Customers may also request information regarding our general aircraft configuration at any time by calling US Airways Reservations at 800-428-4322. US Airways agents are able to provide information regarding exit row seating, seating for passengers with disabilities, seat configuration, average seat size and pitch. Telephone reservations agents, upon request, will provide the customer with seat information including the average seat size by class of service. The information is accessible in the Direct Reference System through the computer reservation system.

Lavatory availability

Notify consumers in a timely manner of changes in their travel itinerary

US Airways will notify all consumers in a timely manner of changes in their travel itinerary. In addition, US Airways’ reservations and ticket agents will provide verbal notification to those customers whose flights experience a change of aircraft when booked on a flight with a single flight number.

Be responsive to consumer problems

(a) US Airways shall designate an employee who shall be responsible for monitoring the effects of flight delays, flight cancellations, and lengthy tarmac delays on passengers.

(b) US Airways will acknowledge receipt of each customer complaint regarding its scheduled service to the complainant within 30 days of receiving it, and will send a substantive response to the complainant within 60 days of receiving the complaint.

All complaints should include the following information:

Ticket number/confirmation code
Full mailing address
Flight numbers, city pairs and dates of travel
Traveler names

Complaints sent via the US postal service should be sent to:

US Airways
Attention: Customer Relations
4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ 85034
Fax: 480-693-2300
Email: Customer.Relations@usairways.com
Future travel: 800-428-4322

*EU residents: US Airways processes all written customer feedback in our headquarters location in Tempe, Arizona, U.S.

Department of Transportation

Provide services to mitigate passenger inconvenience from cancellations and misconnections

Flight cancellation prior to the departure date

In the event of a flight cancellation prior to the departure date, US Airways agents make every attempt to contact customers. The Reservations Assistance Department rebooks customers and handles callbacks for customers prior to the day of departure. It is recommended that all customers reconfirm their itinerary 24 to 48 hours prior to departure.

Flight cancellations at the airport

In the event of a flight cancellation at the airport, US Airways will do everything possible to reaccommodate customers on the next US Airways flight, providing space is available. The reaccommodation will depend on the type of ticket purchased, the reason for the flight irregularity and availability. In most instances US Airways will also rebook customers on other airlines.

Non-diversion cancellations and missed connections

When a US Airways flight on which the customer is being transported is cancelled or causes a missed connection, due to reasons within the control of US Airways, creating an overnight stay for the customer, US Airways will provide one night's lodging. US Airways will pay for:

  • Hotel room (US Airways will not cover: room service, alcohol, or movies, laundry or other hotel services)
  • Ground transportation (if not provided by the hotel)
  • Passengers without baggage will be reimbursed upon presentation of receipts for reasonable incidentals such as toiletries needed until they are reunited with their baggage

US Airways will not provide hotel accommodations when a flight is cancelled or causes a missed connection due to circumstances beyond our control, such as weather or Air Traffic Control decisions. Additional exceptions where US Airways will not provide hotel accommodations include:

  • When a customer's trip is interrupted at a city which is his/her origin point, point of scheduled temporary stay or his/her permanent domicile.
  • When the destination designated on the customer's ticket, and the flight on which the customer is being transported, is diverted to another city or airport in the same metropolitan area due to weather or other causes beyond US Airways' control.

In cases where US Airways will not provide one night's lodging, US Airways will provide passengers a list of hotels/motels, which offer a distressed rate when flight(s) are cancelled.

Diversion

When a flight is diverted to an alternate airport and cancelled.

The pilots or flight attendants will advise the customers of the reason for the diversion. The customers may need to remain onboard. In accordance with the US Airways Contingency Plan for Lengthy Tarmac Delays, US Airways may provide a limited beverage service. In the cases when the customers must deplane, all carry-on baggage and personal property must be removed from the cabin.

Alternate airport operation:
Some irregular operations may require landing at alternate airports, with bus service to the final destination. It is acceptable to allow a customer to leave directly from an alternate airport without requiring him/her to travel to the final destination.

City served by US Airways:
When a flight (aircraft) is diverted to a city served by US Airways or codeshare partner, and canceled, the customer service representatives in that city will reaccommodate customers on either the next available US Airways flight or the next available flight via another carrier.

City not served by US Airways:
When a flight (aircraft) is diverted and then canceled in a city not served by US Airways or a codeshare partner, the customer service manager in US Airways' Operations Control Center will make arrangements with other carriers and/or hotel accommodations. Once the flight attendants receive word from the flight deck, they will communicate to the customers the reason for the diversion (if they are permitted to disclose), estimated time of departure and/or accommodations. If the flight is canceled, subject to availability, passengers will be reaccommodated via another airline. The flight attendants and flight crew will be the US Airways representatives for the customers.

Hotel accommodations & diversions to cities not served by US Airways or a codeshare partner:
When alternate transportation is unavailable until the following day and overnight accommodations are required, the flight attendants and flight crew will communicate to the passengers which expenses US Airways will pay. The following is a list of what US Airways will pay for providing the cancellation is due to anything other than weather:

  • Hotel room (US Airways will not cover room service, alcohol or movies)
  • Ground transportation (if not provided by the hotel)
  • Passengers without baggage will be reimbursed upon presentation of receipts for reasonable incidentals such as toiletries needed until they are reunited with their baggage.