We booked a round trip on United. Our flight home was cancelled as it was a 737 Max 900 plane. Only United option was to wait two days before another flight home, which was not an option with kids, sitters, work, etc. so I booked very expensive one ways on another airline to get home that night.

They are balking at refunding at least the return flight home.

I plan to read through their refund policy but just looking for any quick suggestions or comments on this situation?

Trash them on Twitter and link their account. Call your local tv station and report the story to the local community story person, they love that kind of story.

Under DOT regulations, they are required to give you a refund of the unused portion if they cancel your flight. Make sure you refer to this in all communication with them.

If that still doesn't work, you can file a complaint with DOT.

Seems like Boeing should be on the hook for these types of situations.

How long does this last do you all think? I have a flight in 30 days on United with the family and it's on a Max 9 so wondering should I try find a new flight on a different plane.

Not saying that you aren't due a refund, you are, and the responses above all address that. I assume they at least offered you a credit for the canceled portion, my question is this, is that the last time you're going to fly United this year? If not, just take the credit and move on. Is it really worth the hassle if you're going to turn around and give them money again in a couple months? Now, if you're saying they won't even give you a credit, that a whole different conversation.

FAA doesn't move fast…

Yep. When I heard that only 40 planes had been inspected by the FAA I went ahead and moved the flight to a different plane type with United.

Edit - I just saw who I was replying to. We're flying up to Breck to your part of the world.

Crazy Ag 97 said:

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Not saying that you aren't due a refund, you are, and the responses above all address that. I assume they at least offered you a credit for the canceled portion, my question is this, is that the last time you're going to fly United this year? If not, just take the credit and move on. Is it really worth the hassle if you're going to turn around and give them money again in a couple months? Now, if you're saying they won't even give you a credit, that a whole different conversation.

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When you get effed into the price difference between booking a last minute one-way flight vs one leg of credit for a flight booked months ahead of time, I'd be fighting too vs just grabbing my ankles

This exact same thing happened to me when I was coming back from Europe last summer. Flight cancelled, nothing else available for days, and they couldn't book me on another airline. Found a flight back on American via O'Hare. Requested refund, they denied and said it was nonrefundable. I raised hell and filed an internal complaint and they eventually did refund. When a flight is cancelled you are ENTITLED to a refund. I think one exception is if they have alternative flights available within a few hours but that's obviously not the case.

I'm not sure if it was a mistake or if they hoped I wouldn't fight them on it. Either way I dont understand why they dont automatically issue refunds for passengers who don't book alternate flights. Infuriating how they make it an ordeal like that.

I filed a DOT complaint.