Even with all our travel savvy, sometimes unexpected situations can throw a wrench in our plans. This was the case for Alesandra Dubin when she found herself stranded in Hawaii due to the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX 9. While she was fortunate enough to wait it out at the luxurious Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, the experience was still a potentially costly ordeal. In this article, we will explore Dubin’s journey to get her family home and the compensation she received for her out-of-pocket expenses.
Dubin’s trip to Hawaii with her husband and 9-year-old twins was meant to be a short and sweet adventure, a last hurrah before returning to work and school. However, news of a midair incident involving an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 jet changed their plans. They were scheduled to fly home from Maui to Los Angeles the next day on the same airline and aircraft type.
As news of the grounding continued to unfold, Dubin and her family made the strategic decision to check in for their flight as normal, hoping that Alaska Airlines would resolve the issue and rebook them on another flight. Unfortunately, their flight was eventually canceled, leaving them with no viable solutions for getting home.
Dubin and her family explored alternative flights on other airlines, but by that time, most available options had already been filled by displaced Alaska 737 MAX 9 passengers. With no immediate solution in sight, they decided to wait it out in Lanai, potentially taking a ferry back to Maui if a flight became available.
Dubin reached out to a professional contact at the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea, who offered them two complimentary nights and two more at a discounted rate. They accepted the offer, thinking it would only be a matter of days before they could return home. Unfortunately, it took four days before they were able to secure tickets on a Hawaiian Airlines flight back to Los Angeles.
Throughout their extended stay in Hawaii, Dubin searched for new flights and eventually secured tickets on a nonstop flight home. They paid extra for refundable tickets in case something else became available sooner. Finally, the day came to leave Hawaii, and they made their way to the airport. Their flight departed on time and arrived in Los Angeles ahead of schedule, marking the end of their unexpected adventure.
Now that they were back home, Dubin began the process of pursuing compensation for their ordeal. She expected Alaska Airlines to provide a full refund for their tickets and potentially additional compensation. She had also put her expenses in Maui on her Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, which offers travel protections. Additionally, she had an Allianz travel insurance policy and planned to file a claim for the extra expenses incurred during the delay.
While Dubin had never filed a travel insurance claim before, she was determined to understand what she was entitled to and how to proceed. She sought help from The Points Guy’s ombudsman, Michelle Couch-Friedman, who guided her through the process and ensured she received the compensation she deserved.
In the end, Dubin’s experience of being stranded in Hawaii due to the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX 9 was a challenging one, but she was able to navigate the situation with the help of experts and secure compensation for her out-of-pocket expenses. This serves as a reminder that even the most seasoned travelers can encounter unexpected obstacles, but with the right resources and assistance, they can overcome them.