A fine mess/what would you do?

Went to the Fox and Hound last night to send off a friend of mine to Thailand for some deep water soloing and scuba diving. A nice 2+ week getaway that he had to quit his job for.

His plane left this morning around 7am WITHOUT HIM!!! The dumb ass missed his plane. His pack made it to Chicago, alone.

After raising hell with the airline because "they didn't call the flight", he finds himself in Vegas because, he was told, it would be easier to get on standby from Vegas to Chicago than from Tucson. 7 flights, no openings. His flight to Bangcok leaves Monday morning.

What would you do?

I'd make a few more calls to customer service, and ask to speak with someone of authority; two or three different people if I have to, ask for their names, and explain the situation again, and again, then lastly ask for a credit. If still no results.... instead of sitting there stressed, and wasting time, I'd bite the bullet, and purchase the cheapest one way ticket available with another airline ASAP, stuff my face with a bag full of sour gummy worms, cashews, and Ethel M chocolates, and get en route to Chicago so I don't miss the most important flight. I'd enjoy myself on vacation, blocking out the ordeal, and when I return home to Tucson, I'd get rested up, then file a complaint; if I felt it was in fact any part of the airlines fault.

Good luck to your friend!

I'd do what gigette said. One time an airline accidently sent me to Michigan instead of Oklahoma from DC. How do you fvck that up? I mean seriously. I even asked several times while boarding the plane and getting my ticket "fixed" and was repeatedly assured, that the plane only stopped in Michigan. Took me freakin forever to get home and for the airline to explain why I was in Michigan. Airlines are all retarded.

Yeah, it was my suggestion that he try to swap the chicago ticket for one out of LAX and have his friend in Chicago grab the pack and meet in Bangcok.

BTW, has anyone ever heard of an airline NOT CALL A FLIGHT?

Concerning filing a complaint, your friend may want to mention to whomever he talks to that he's very frustrated and that he is considering filing a complaint with the FAA. On the one occasion when I had to do it, the big runaround they were giving me stopped immediately. Maybe just a coincidence, but it's worth a try. The apparent reason why the threat is effective is that the FAA does not act on the complaints, but compiles them into a report that goes to the industry analysts and thus ends up affecting the airline's stock.

Well, I'd say you hit the nail on the head with "dumb ass". I'm not friend of the airlines, but if you miss your flight and claim they didn't call you, well, a fool and his money should have never met in t he first place.
To answer your question... he's screwed.

Airlines are under no obligation to call a flight, and it is certainly possible they do call it and it isn't very audible because of other airport noise. If you aren't at the gate watching for the start of boarding, you are a dumbass and should beg the airline for mercy in hopes they will try to accommodate you later. This is especially true of international flights.

I'm not sure why your friend wasn't sitting at the gate while the plane boarded...

...but with the situation he's in, I think it would be in his best interests to talk REALLY NICELY to the service agents. I'm sure those employees get sick and tired of hearing people beotch at them 40 hrs/week. My ex got us upgraded to first class on more than one occasion; he would ask how they're doing, acknowledge how their job can be rough at times (esp when stepping up to the counter after some yelling guy just stormed off), then politely explain the predicament we were in and ask for their assistance.

If all flights are still full, then I'd go with Gigette's suggestion - a one way ticket and a ton of junk food.

*** wrote: If all flights are still full, then I'd go with Gigette's suggestion - a one way ticket and a ton of junk food.

I'd substitute the junk food for Valiums, like a PEZ dispenser in reverse. But that's just me.