Two friends from BOS flew in last night for a long weekend in TUS. Their experiance seems far to common today (almost the same as what happened on my return trip on the same route with diff carriers last March) Up at 3am, Logan airport checkin and security etc for 5.30am flight on NorthWest BOS/MSP (Minneapolis)/Tucson with 1030am arrival. BOS MSP flight cxld due "mechanical" (why didnt they notice/fix it the night before-acft sitting there overnight) Rebooked on NW BOS to MEM (memphis) to DENver and UAL DEN /TUC arr 1130am (sounds good right???) HA HA Arr DEN and UA flight is delayed 3 hours (UA cxld flight DEN to LasVegas/Phoenix and rebooked all their psgrs onto the TUS flight=appears thats why acft was held 3 hours) My friends were denied boarding ( UA says they have to take care of their own customers first) Rebooked on UAL flight DEN TUC arr 835pm (but delayed another almost 2 hours) With final arrival in Tucson at 1030pm ---- 22 and 1/2 hours travel time. No meals, no vouchers, nothing -- airlines claim not responsible for anything. (ps all flights 100+ % overbooked, airline staff very scarce everywhere, and long lines) Seems all to often this is what airtravel has become in America. Dennis