Why do airlines get by with this???

[mom-from-missouri]

DD1, SIL and a mutual friend went on a trip together, out of the country. They were to leave on Friday. When they got to the airport, they were told their UA Airways flight was cancelled but they were being put on a midwest flight in exchange.
BUT, instead of flying into to Philadelphia and having a 2 hour layover before going on to Ireland, they were flown into New York and had a 36 hour layover (requiring a $90 taxi ride to another airport and a hotel bill for the night).
They are not being compensated for the taxi, hotel, meals or the fact that they lost 36 hours of their vacation and still have to pay for the first 2 days of hotel they had reserved in Ireland.
They were hurting, as they had little cash with them, having already changed most of it to EURO's at the bank.
A call to the airline failed to get any results.
How do the airlines get by with this????

[Exile]

Because they can. As I mentioned in a previous post, Airlines don't compete, they collude.

American Airlines has started charging for the first piece of check-in baggage. Soon the rest of the airlines will follow. BTW IMHO, an airline charging for just one piece of luggage is as brazen as a supermarket charging for the use of their shopping carts.

DD, SIL, and friend should scream bloody murder to the (ir)responsible parties all the way up to their CEO's if necessary and not let up until they are fully compensated--and then some and file complaints with the U.S. Department of Transportation
Aviation Consumers Protection Division , not to mention local and /or state consumer protection agencies.

[ScrimpAndSave]

I have no idea...but I feel your pain!