Cancelled flight but Opodo won't refund

Caz3121

I guess Oktoberfest will not help availability but depending on departure airport there must be flights on other airlines

jpsartre

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Regardless of strict legal liability, a reputable airline would at least look at ways to reroute a passenger in this situation.

It has nothing to do with legal liabilites or the airline being reputable or disreputable. The legal responsibility is with AF as richardw says and they may well be willing to re-route the OP but the change has to be made through the agent (until 24 hours before departure anyway after which control of the booking usually passes over to the airline). It's no different than any other change a passenger may wish to make on a ticket bought from a 3rd party. With a decent agency it's usually not a problem (I've done it before with Expedia) but with Opodo who knows if they'll be able/willing to help.

Heliflyguy

Sorry but in my experience an airline can take control of a booking in their system any time they want, the agent then loses control of the ticket, a reason they might not want to is that there may be an endorsement saying refer changes to issuing office/agent.

If an airline took control of a ticket 24 hours prior to departure an agency would never be able to service that ticket up to 24 hours prior to or after departure and I can assure you that is not the case.

Anyway if the OP's ticket (and they have probably sorted it by now) is a fairly standard ticket that has been cancelled due to the pilots strike so subject to that policy then:

http://www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/local/information/news/news-air-traffic-air-france.htm

It says a refund can be obtained via AF or the agency, this option is confirmed in AF agents website although this is to cover 15/09 - 22/09 but I imagine will be pretty much the same now the strike has been extended to 30/09.

Refund
a - Flight is cancelled or delayed for more than 5 hours
Refund the full value of unused flight ticket using the following guidelines:
- Penalties waived.
- Ticketing fees are not refundable.
- For customers at connecting point who refuse the re routing proposed, return to the point of origin is at AF expenses. In the refund, include the amount of the coupon used to travel to the connecting station
- Travel agents can process refunds for fully unused tickets directly in their GDS. Refunds for partially used tickets may be requested via BSP link.
- Award tickets: in the case of journey cancellation, total re-credit of the miles (or half reward at point of turnaround) in after sales. Refund unused taxes (AF agents only).

jpsartre

AF can rent a private jet for the OP if they should so desire but chances are they will refer him back to the agent. I can't count the number of times I've seen somebody complain that they've tried to make changes to a 3rd party booking with the airline only to be sent back to the agent they booked from.

Heliflyguy

Indeed and why should an airline have to deal with bookings made through an agency especially when your dealing with a mass of cancelled flights.

That does not detract from the fact that they can if they choose and the change doesn't have to be made by the agency or as you stated that control of a booking passes to the airline when it does not.

Hopefully the OP has had the refund they wanted as it appears they are entitled to it.

jpsartre

Control was perhaps too strong a word. I've seen the term ownership being used instead which may be more accurate. Whatever the term used, the result is the same for passengers.

PeteDoff

Unlike in the past where massive savings were possible by booking through an agent, today (USUALLY) just book direct, it saves all the hassle when things do change, as they do.