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Call Kurtis: Couple Says Cancellation Leaves Parents Out Of Wedding

ANTELOPE (CBS13) - Bride-to-be Beatrice Aguilar says Alaska Airlines ruined her wedding when they canceled a flight keeping the grooms loved ones from attending.

Aguilar says the family members were on a flight two days before the big day, but Alaska couldn't get them there in time. That left the groom without key family members and hotel rooms that were paid for but never occupied.

"You live your whole life as a little girl thinking that day is going to be perfect," said Aguilar.

Missing from Aguilar's wedding in Cabo San Lucas were four key people, the groom's elderly parents, his daughter, and niece. All four were stranded in San Diego after Alaska Airline's canceled their flight for mechanical problems.

"He cried. I cried. But there was nothing we can do. We felt helpless," said Aguilar.

Alaska still had two days to get the four to the wedding on time, but daughter Victoria Ramos who was stuck in San Diego says Alaska said they couldn't.

"There's no flights to Cabo for the next five days," recalls Ramos.

Aguilar says it ruined the big day, "We want a do-over, but I know that's not going to happen."

Alaska refunded the cost of the tickets and gave the passenger vouchers for a future trip. But the bride and groom are out $1,244, the cost of the two hotel rooms in Cabo, no one stayed in

CBS Travel Editor Peter Greenberg says, "This is a perfect example of why you need to buy trip cancellation interruption insurance."

Travel experts want consumers to know, that by using certain credit cards, they may already have trip insurance.

George Hobica with Airfare Watchdog says, "90 percent of the people who have these credit cards have no idea they have built-in protections."

He says some cards will pay up to $10,000 for covered expenses if a trip is canceled or interrupted.

"Some cards have great protections; some don't," said Hobica, "You need to check."

Alaska Airlines confirmed the flight was canceled for mechanical reasons, and because it was a holiday weekend, there was no room on its flights to Cabo for the next two days.

Alaska told us, "While we know this cannot replace missing the wedding, we are trying to make this right."

After we got involved the airline reimbursed the family for the unused hotel rooms, a victory for the couple.

Alaska tells us it's looking closely at this incident, so it does not happen again.

"There's nothing they can do to bring back that day, or that memory we lost," said Aguilar.

SPOKESPERSON FOR ALASKA AIRLINES

"We have been in contact with the guests to apologize and provide compensation as well as refunded their tickets and paid the resort fees for the vacation they missed as a result of this mechanical that resulted in the cancellation of their flight. While we know this cannot replace missing the wedding, we are trying to make this right. In addition to safety, getting our guests to where they want to go, on-time is a top priority. We are looking closely as this incident to help ensure this does not occur in the future."

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