Travel Troubleshooter: Airline changes international flight, causing an impossibly short layover

Q: My family and I booked a flight from Berlin to Seattle on Lufthansa using United Airlines miles. Our itinerary had us flying from Berlin to Munich to Seattle. Lufthansa canceled the Munich-to-Seattle leg, rebooking us from Berlin to Frankfurt, then to Seattle, with a layover of only 1 hour and 25 minutes.

My daughter requires a powered wheelchair and a ventilator. This was not enough time to make our flight, so United rebooked us from Berlin to Frankfurt, with an overnight stay in Frankfurt to ensure that we had enough time for our connecting flight to Seattle.

But then United changed the flight, this time rebooking us from Berlin to Frankfurt to Washington Dulles to Seattle. This is at least five hours longer than the direct flight and adds an extra connection, which would be difficult for my daughter.

When I contacted United, I learned an agent had mistakenly canceled the Lufthansa flight, and because there were no more award seats available, United rebooked us on the connecting flights. The airline only offered us a $75 voucher per person, which is unacceptable.

We need United to either book us on the direct Lufthansa flight or provide us with adequate compensation.

A: When an airline makes a mistake, the airline must fix it, not you. This was quite a mistake — and an insensitive one. I couldn’t make an international connection in Frankfurt in less than 1½ hours, the last time I tried. How do they expect someone in a wheelchair to make it?

Are you considered a second-class citizen if you are redeeming miles for your flight? You probably felt this way, but the opposite should be true. Your airline should be treating you better because of your loyalty. Someone should have ensured that you were booked on flights with reasonable connection times; after all, you’re one of United’s best customers.

I contacted United. After reviewing your case, the airline agreed to rebook you from Berlin to Newark, N.J., with a two-night layover, followed by a direct flight from Newark to Seattle. This new itinerary allows enough time for your daughter to transfer between flights. The airline also issued you a $350 voucher per person as compensation for the inconvenience caused. While the new itinerary may not be perfect, it allows your family to travel comfortably and safely.