Here’s a situation where United Airlines said a passenger missed his flight and was considered a no-show. But the passenger said United involuntarily bumped him and that compensation is due.

Who’s right?

Let’s find out. The passenger received a text message from United that his flight from Quebec City to Chicago O’Hare would be delayed 50 minutes. He adjusted his schedule and arrived at the airport over an hour before his new departure time.

When he arrived, the United ticket counter was closed, and the kiosk would not allow him to print his boarding passes. There were no United representatives to assist him.

According to the passenger, “An airport employee, on my behalf, walked to the United Airlines gate to contact employees and alert them of my attendance at the airport.”  The message back was that he needed to rebook his flight for the following day. He was a no-show because he arrived too late for his original flight time.

However, the passenger believes he was the recipient of involuntary bumping. When he was checking in online, he was asked if he wanted to volunteer to be bumped, since the flight was oversold. He declined. The flight had a shortage of seats, so rather than helping him get on his flight, he thinks the airline assigned his seat to another passenger — without compensating him.

Flight delay notifications can cause confusion for passengers

In later correspondence from United, a representative informed this passenger that he was still required to arrive at the airport before his original flight time. “Even when a flight posts a delay time, sometimes the fix is easier than we expected, so we encourage everyone to arrive at the airport based on the original scheduled departure.”

If that is the case, the airline is contributing to the problem by confusing passengers. While writing this article, a similar United flight from Quebec City to Chicago O’Hare was delayed 240 minutes. If you were scheduled on that flight, would you go to the airport and wait or utilize the delay more productively?

According to United, you should plan on being at the airport.

United also confirmed that a representative remains at the ticket counter in Quebec City for at least one hour before the last United flight departs. Since the check-in counter was closed, and the passenger arrived at the airport over an hour early, it appears that his flight left on time, despite the expected delay.

I empathize with this passenger for missing his flight and for the added expenses he encountered. The revised departure time is the root of the problem. He was unaware that he was still required to arrive at the airport according to his original flight schedule. However, for an international flight, he was cutting it close and should have allotted more time. 

On a positive note, United rebooked his flight for the following day with no added fees or increase in airfare. 

If you’re a no-show, your flight will be canceled, and no refunds will be issued

In most instances, when a passenger is considered a no-show, the airline will typically cancel their flight (and all subsequent flights) and not issue a refund or reschedule them on another flight.  

What should you do if you get a message from the airline that your flight is delayed?

This situation highlights the misconception that may result when the airline sends a message about a flight delay. According to United, even if it issues a new departure time, that time can change if the repair or other circumstances are rectified sooner (or later) than anticipated. 

However, this creates a dilemma for passengers. Should you arrive at the airport according to the original departure time, in hopes the delay is remedied quickly, or risk going to the airport later and be considered a no-show?

What is a no-show?

Airlines classify a passenger as a no-show if they do not show up for their outbound flight. As mentioned, this will result in all subsequent flights, including their return flight, being canceled, and no refunds will be issued. 

Each airline has a set deadline for check-in, arrival at the departure gate, and checked baggage. If you miss one of those deadlines, you could lose your reservation and any rights to compensation. However, there will always be exceptions.

Contact the airline as soon as possible if you are unable to make your flight

You can reduce your risk of becoming a no-show by keeping the airline informed. Contact the airline right away if you know you are going to miss your outbound flight or if your arrival time may be cutting it close. Ask the airline to rebook you on another flight. 

If you have other connecting or return flights you plan on using, request a confirmation in writing that these flights will remain valid. Don’t take it for granted. As mentioned, missing an outbound flight typically results in all other flights on that itinerary being automatically canceled.

You can find more information on United’s policies on flight delays and no-shows on United.com. 

What is involuntary bumping?

If a flight is overbooked, the airline will ask for volunteers who are willing to take a later flight. If there are none, the airline will determine which passengers will not be allowed to board. That is considered involuntary bumping.  

Under the Airline Passenger Protection Regulations in Canada, passengers will receive monetary compensation based on the length of the flight delay or for involuntary bumping.

Compensation for involuntary bumping in Canada

According to the Canada Transportation Agency:

“Airlines must provide compensation for the inconvenience of denied boarding (bumping) if the disruption is within the control of the airline and not related to safety.

The amount of compensation will depend on how long a passenger’s arrival (at their final destination) has been delayed.”

The compensation amount is in CAD.

• from 0 to 6 hours, your compensation is $900.

• from 6 to 9 hours, your compensation is $1,800.

• over 9+ hours, your compensation is $2,400.

When the airline notifies you that you are being bumped, it must provide compensation immediately. If you cannot be paid before your new departure time, the airline must issue the payment within 48 hours.

Once you arrive at your final destination, if your delay was longer than originally expected, the airline must increase the compensation consistent with the requirements above.”

Compensation for flight delays or cancellations in Canada

According to the Canada Transportation Agency:

“Airlines should give passengers as much notice as possible that their flight will be delayed or cancelled. If an airline informs the passengers 14 days or less before their original departure time, they will have to compensate the passengers for the inconvenience of the disruption. The amount of compensation depends on how late the passenger arrives at their destination, compared to the arrival time indicated on their original ticket.

Large airlines must pay:

• $400 if the passenger arrives three or more hours late, but less than six hours;

• $700 if the passenger arrives six or more hours late, but less than nine hours; and

• $1,000 if the passenger arrives nine or more hours late.

Small airlines must pay:

• $125 if the passenger arrives three or more hours late, but less than six hours;

• $250 if the passenger arrives six or more hours late, but less than nine hours; and
• $500 if the passenger arrives nine or more hours late.”

Compensation for involuntary bumping in the U.S.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT):

In the United States, the airline must follow the requirements as set forth by the Department of Transportation regarding involuntary bumping. However, there are no current requirements for compensation on delayed flights. The airline will determine the type of compensation it is willing to offer.

When passengers experience involuntary bumping, they are entitled to compensation if their rescheduled flight will be arriving one to two hours after their original flight arrival time. 

They can expect to be paid 200 percent of their one-way ticket price, not to exceed $1,075. 

For arrival delays of more than two hours for a rescheduled flight, passengers should be paid 400 percent of their one-way ticket price, not to exceed $2,150. 

For international flights departing from the U.S., if the rescheduled flight will cause a delay from the original arrival time of one to four hours or over four hours, respectively, the compensation is the same as for domestic flights.

When passengers volunteer to get bumped, the airlines are not subject to the above requirements.

For flight delays, the U.S. Department of Transportation states on its website:

“Schedule Change/Significant Delay – A consumer is entitled to a refund if the airline made a significant schedule change and/or significantly delays a flight and the consumer chooses not to travel.

DOT has not specifically defined what constitutes a “significant delay.”  Whether you are entitled to a refund depends on many factors – including the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular circumstances.  DOT determines whether you are entitled to a refund following a significant delay on a case-by-case basis.

If your flight is delayed, try to find out how late it will be. But keep in mind that it is sometimes difficult for airlines to estimate the total duration of a delay during its early stages. In so-called “creeping delays,” developments occur that were not anticipated when the carrier made its initial estimate of the length of the delay. 

Weather that had been forecast to improve can instead deteriorate, or a mechanical problem can turn out to be more complex than initially evaluated. If the problem is with local weather or air traffic control, all flights will probably be late, and there’s not much you or the airline can do to speed up your departure.”

The bottom line

It’s understandable how this passenger believes he was bumped from an oversold flight. However, since he was not at the gate when the flight departed, he was considered a no-show, and no compensation is required.

According to most airlines, when you receive a delayed flight notification from the airline, you should still plan on arriving at your original scheduled departure time – or risk being a no-show.

Depending on your circumstances, if a substantial flight delay would make your travel unnecessary, contact the airline and ask if it would issue a refund.  There’s no guarantee you’ll receive one, but it’s worth an ask. I’ve known passengers who were turned down by one customer service agent, called back, and received a refund from the second agent. Being kind to the person at the other end goes a long way!