Return flight from China cancelled am i eligible

Horlock

My return flight from China was cancelled while I was in China.

I immediately requested a refund for my ticket and was told I was not eligible.
I requested an upgrade on a re-route and was told I was not eligibile.

I ended up having to end my stay in China a day early, to get their replacement flight.

I ended up having to stay in HongKong overnight to get their replacement flight.

I requested the airline at least put me up over night while in Hong Kong. They refused.

Do you think I'm eligible for compensation?

Incidentally - for the record the airline was Cathay - and the customer service was the worst I have experienced on any airline I can remember.

Just by way of comparison I would say the service was worse than what I can remember from my flights on:
BA
Korean
KLM
Kenyan
BMI
Lufthansa
Austrian Airlines
TAP (Portugal)
Easyjet
Air China
Air India
Bulgarian
Kingfisher
Bahamasair
(and a few budget asian airlines - whose names I have completely forgotton)

And to think I paid well above the odds to fly with Cathay - because I thought they had a reputation!!!

Vauban

Horlock wrote: »

My return flight from China was cancelled while I was in China.

I immediately requested a refund for my ticket and was told I was not eligible.
I requested an upgrade on a re-route and was told I was not eligibile.

I ended up having to end my stay in China a day early, to get their replacement flight.

I ended up having to stay in HongKong overnight to get their replacement flight.

I requested the airline at least put me up over night while in Hong Kong. They refused.

Do you think I'm eligible for compensation?

Incidentally - for the record the airline was Cathay - and the customer service was the worst I have experienced on any airline I can remember.

Just by way of comparison I would say the service was worse than what I can remember from my flights on:
BA
Korean
KLM
Kenyan
BMI
Lufthansa
Austrian Airlines
TAP (Portugal)
Easyjet
Air China
Air India
Bulgarian
Kingfisher
(and a couple of budget chinese airlines)

A non-EU airline flying from a non-EU airport means a non-EU claim. Sorry.

Horlock

Vauban wrote: »

A non-EU airline flying from a non-EU airport means a non-EU claim. Sorry.

Even though the flight originated in the UK?

Sorry I'm probably being stupid here, but does this mean if they had cancelled my outward journey then I would be entitled, but because they cancelled my return trip (the one that really matters) then I'm not.

This sounds obsurd - please note I'm not annoyed by your response - it just seems madness.

As long as the airline flies you out of Europe then they have no obligations to you in terms of getting you back!

Is that what this really means?

Caz3121

It is correct

If the airline is an EU airline, you are covered wherever your flight departs from
For a non-EU airline you are only covered if the affected flight departs from an EU country

Have you tried your travel insurance to see what they will cover?

Horlock

Caz3121 wrote: »

It is correct

If the airline is an EU airline, you are covered wherever your flight departs from
For a non-EU airline you are only covered if the affected flight departs from an EU country

Have you tried your travel insurance to see what they will cover?

Wow,

Thanks again. I didn't have any travel insurance except what may have come for booking flight on credit card. Hum. Thinks on.