New! Flight Delay and Cancellation Compensation Board

neilsedaka

zak123, while you are waiting for other advice, have you read up on your travel insurance terms and conditions in case that covers this situation? Have you enquired whether it is possible to return a day earlier on the 18th?

Caz3121

zak123 wrote: »

Hello,
Seeking some urgent advice please!!!
Last week my sisters booked a flight at the last minute to a destination outside the EU as our grandmother had passed away.
We booked tickets on Etihad through a reputed travel agent. The outward journey was fine however 2 weeks before returning the travel agent has called us to say that due to an unknown reason Etihad have cancelled the bookings and are offering an alternative flight.
I'm not sure whether we have been bumped due to over-booking however I checked the Etihad website and it is still showing the return flight as being valid.
The original return flight was on 19th Sept departing at 04:00 and getting into London at 18:15. The new flight that is being offered is also departing on 19th Sept however at 17:00 and landing in London the following day (20th Sept) at 07:20.
The alternative would normally have been ok if it wasn't for the fact that on the same day (20th Sept) my sister needs to attend a course for which she has paid £1000's. It is imperative that they return to London on 19th Sept.
My question is two-fold:
1) What are our rights in terms of demanding that my sisters remain on the original flight given that the Etihad website clearly shows it is still planning to fly? Or that we are placed onto another flight/carrier on the same day?
2) If Etihad force us to take the alternative, does this situation qualify for compensation?

Yet another advert for booking flights direct with an airline and not through an agent....
If the flights are still showing for sale on the Etihad website then being bumped due to overbooking is not likely to be the issue...why bump people and sell more seats to more people to bump
1) Speak to your agent and insist you want to be put back on the original flights - they will then need to go and speak to Etihad Etihad will respond to agent who will advise you (the added step because you booked through agent)
2) No EU compensation (not EU-airline for flight departing outside EU) - even if it had been an EU airline, compensation would only apply is less than 14 days notice

JPears

Vauban wrote: »

Actually, I don't think it is a delay. If two planes were sent, and half the passengers were allowed on one plane and the second plane came later, that is denied boarding - for which there is a very limited defence.

Yes Professor of Lord Vauban, I think you are correct, I didn't read/understand thread correctly. Should make it an "easier"claim for OP.

JPears

Caz3121 wrote: »

Yet another advert for booking flights direct with an airline and not through an agent....
If the flights are still showing for sale on the Etihad website then being bumped due to overbooking is not likely to be the issue...why bump people and sell more seats to more people to bump
1) Speak to your agent and insist you want to be put back on the original flights - they will then need to go and speak to Etihad Etihad will respond to agent who will advise you (the added step because you booked through agent)
2) No EU compensation (not EU-airline for flight departing outside EU) - even if it had been an EU airline, compensation would only apply is less than 14 days notice

Are the still available flights on your original schedule ie daytime, more expensive than the new, later, nighttime flights? If so i suspect a case of bump to sell more expensive tickets, particularly if what you paid is less than the current asking price.
I am sure if the flight is still available then Etihad would find it very difficult to explain why you were rescheduled.
What date were you advised of the cancellation?

zak123_2

neilsedaka wrote: »

zak123, while you are waiting for other advice, have you read up on your travel insurance terms and conditions in case that covers this situation? Have you enquired whether it is possible to return a day earlier on the 18th?

Thanks Neilsedaka.

Given the flights were booked last minute following a bereavement we did not take out any travel insurance. In terms of flying back a day earlier on the 18th, the agent is claiming that there are no seats available and the 20th is therefore the earliest. I'll double check this against Etihad's website though so I appreciate the feedback.

Rgrds,
Zak123

neilsedaka

Zak123, you could also check what else is available on other airlines so that you have options to choose from. I usually use Opodo via Topcashback for comparing flights, then booking with Opodo or direct with the airline whichever works out the cheapest regarding cashback and using airmiles etc.

zak123_2

JPears wrote: »

Are the still available flights on your original schedule ie daytime, more expensive than the new, later, nighttime flights? If so i suspect a case of bump to sell more expensive tickets, particularly if what you paid is less than the current asking price.
I am sure if the flight is still available then Etihad would find it very difficult to explain why you were rescheduled.
What date were you advised of the cancellation?

Thanks JPears.

The seats they're still selling for our original flight (19th) are definately more expensive than the tickets that we bought. What's odd is that the seats on the flight the next day (20th) which is what they are offering, are almost twice as expensive on the Etihad website!

What's even more confusing is that I tried to book a seat on the original flight that my sisters should be on and it shows around 30 seats available to choose from on each of the two legs that make up the journey.

I've spoken to the agent again today and they're still claiming that Etihad have had a 'schedule change' and that the original flight is no more - but this is clearly not true as I am able to book onto this flight online.

Clearly something fishy going on! The agent has gone back to investigate.

Zak123

mkv67

Hiya,
We have just got back from holiday, our flight out was delayed, departure should have been 7.00am we did not take off until 10.30, I have just checked flight stats and as we landed at 2.29pm (instead of 11am which is what we were told it should have been!) This is an official delay of 179 minutes 1 minute short of the 3 hours?
Does this mean we are not entitled to nothing? Can we challenge this ?
Please help as £680 would make up for losing most of our first day of holiday!

JPears

mkv67 wrote: »

Hiya,
We have just got back from holiday, our flight out was delayed, departure should have been 7.00am we did not take off until 10.30, I have just checked flight stats and as we landed at 2.29pm (instead of 11am which is what we were told it should have been!) This is an official delay of 179 minutes 1 minute short of the 3 hours?
Does this mean we are not entitled to nothing? Can we challenge this ?
Please help as £680 would make up for losing most of our first day of holiday!

Erm, 11 am to 2.29pm is 3 hrs and 29 mins?

JPears

zak123 wrote: »

Thanks JPears.

The seats they're still selling for our original flight (19th) are definately more expensive than the tickets that we bought. What's odd is that the seats on the flight the next day (20th) which is what they are offering, are almost twice as expensive on the Etihad website!

What's even more confusing is that I tried to book a seat on the original flight that my sisters should be on and it shows around 30 seats available to choose from on each of the two legs that make up the journey.

I've spoken to the agent again today and they're still claiming that Etihad have had a 'schedule change' and that the original flight is no more - but this is clearly not true as I am able to book onto this flight online.

Clearly something fishy going on! The agent has gone back to investigate.

Zak123

Try telephoning Etihad and attempt to book on the original flight as an anonymous? See what happens? If you can book a seat then go back to agent and play merry hell.