Help - Direct flight cancelled and rebooked as indirect

cigar_2

Hi,

I have seen other posts where a similar question has been asked, but can see no answer....

I have booked some flights for next April which includes a direct flight back from New York to Manchester. I have now been told that KLM/Delta have cancelled the direct flight and booked me onto an indirect flight back via Atlanta.

I'm not happy with this as I specifically booked this flight because it is direct (7 hours 20 mins) and the new indirect flight is 2h 45m to Atlanta and 8h 20m to Manchester, or 12 hours 30 minutes total including transfer time.

What are my rights here? Can I demand to be moved to another direct flight (different airline)? I am told that I can get a refund, but I have a good deal on other flights as part of the whole trip so not very keen to cancel it all.

Thanks for any help.

Cigar

richardw

Ask for the direct flight on the other airline vie e mail and wait for the answer.

cigar_2

richardw wrote: »

Ask for the direct flight on the other airline vie e mail and wait for the answer.

Thanks richardw - I have already filled in the online form on KLM's website and will see what they come back with. Just thought it would be useful to see what experience other MSE users have had.

richardw

I doubt very much that you will get the other airline's direct flight back to MAN.
Klm are well known for not complying, without a fight, with Regulations such as EC 261/2004 and am not sure what rights you exactly might have.
If there is a better routing back to MAN via LHR or AMS or CDG on AF/DL/KLM then I'd ask for the better alternative before arguing.
BTW AF may have flights on their double decker A380 aircraft from JFk-CDG.

HXDave

sorry, but since when did KLM offer a direct flight New York - Manchester? The only direct flights KLM offer from manchester are to / from Amsterdam.

As far as any contracts are concerned, they have an agreement to get you from A (in this case New York) to B (in this case to manchester). If they are not charging you any extra to get you from A - B, then what is your problem?

HXDave

Westin

HXDave - OP is referring I think to Delta's DL154 JFK/MAN and not KLM as the operating airline.

HXDave

Westin, exactly, he may be referring to DL 154, however he booked with a company (ie KLM) that does not offer a direct flight. at the end of the day, he is being offer a flight from A - B, so cannot see what his problem is.

Dave

ferf1223

I can see why someone would be upset if a direct flight was replaced with an indirect alternative...for various reasons. I would personally be fuming if it happened to me...I've no real idea what the options are, but I can absolutely see why it would be upsetting.

blindman

HXDave wrote: »

Westin, exactly, he may be referring to DL 154, however he booked with a company (ie KLM) that does not offer a direct flight. at the end of the day, he is being offer a flight from A - B, so cannot see what his problem is.

Dave

And you wonder why people don't trust\like Travel agents anymore. Bunch of comi$$ion grabbing unsympathic morons IMHO.

OP

Airlines do change schedules quite often, so far ahead bookings can change.

Best thing to do is RING KLM and talk to an agent who can probably work out a better route with you on the 'phone.

I had this problem a couple of years back with - Yes [STRIKE]KLM![/STRIKE] Oops it was Air France
My direct flight LAX-LHR was cancelled and I had been routed via CDG. Extra flight time\journey with 4 hour stop over in CDG :cool:

I rang AF and got the flight times changed so I had a 24 hr layover in Paris as there truly was no direct flight due to schedule changes.

Best option for me.

Good luck.

Alan_Bowen

DL have simply cancelled the route from Manchester as it wasn't making money, unfortunately US carriers do this with some considerable regularity. As such they have put you on the only route they are going to operate which is to Atlanta. They will not move you to another airline, EU261 doesn't apply as they have cancelled well ahead of departure date, the best you can hope for is a refund but before you accept it check to see what other airlines are charging for the same journey, if it is a lot more, you need to weigh up the options, As others have said they might offer KLM through Amsterdam which considering how poor Delta are might be a better bet but it is still not a direct flight.

whatyadoinsucka

It's only 4-5 hours does it make such a difference, most people waste that a night on rubbish tv.
you have to make the best of the situation the free stopover suggestion is good, if the flight was cancelled
altogether it would be far more hassle
Trust me easyjet cancelled my flight and it cost me an extra £200 but I got to see another place enroute..