Help please - airline cancelled tickets!

Hanchwinz

Hi,

Thanks in advance for taking time to read, I've posted this query here in the hope someone can help me as I can't seem to get much joy from either the booking agent or the airline and it isn't a 'usual query' so I'm finding it hard to get any help!

I booked a multi-city flight with Qatar from London to Singapore (via Doha) and returning from Langkawi->Kuala Lumpur->Doha->London via an online travel agency.

Upon arriving at check-in with Malaysia Airlines in Langkawi (operating the flight for Qatar) we were told that our e-ticket had an incorrect flight time and flight number on it and they would not accept it. They could not find our booking. They advised to contact the travel agent; due to the time difference, the travel agent in the UK was not open. On advice from Malaysian Airlines check-in staff, I purchased a new flight with an alternative airline to enable us to get to Kuala Lumpur to avoid missing our connection.

Upon arriving at check in with Qatar Airlines in Kuala Lumpur, we were told that we had 'missed' our flight from Langkawi and that we would not be permitted to check-in as our tickets had been cancelled. I showed our e-ticket and explained what had happened. Qatar Airlines staff told me the flight had gone at a different flight time and a different flight number but that we had been 'booked on one' so there was nothing they could do (we had no details of the change in flight time/flight number)

I telephoned the travel agency who told me they would arrange for the flights to be transferred. So far, not so bad. We waited. And waited. And waited. I made many phone calls and they told me they were dealing with it. Eventually I received an email from Qatar Airlines at 2am (8 hours after my first phone call) confirming our flights had been transferred to 9:15am. When we approached check in, I presented the email. I was informed that our flights had not been transferred correctly, that we had only been transferred to Doha, not to London.

They advised us to contact our booking agent. I explained that due to the time difference (we were 8 hours ahead and it was 6:30am) this would leave us waiting for at least 10 hours before we would be able to speak to anyone. They said there was nothing they could do. I suggested we board the plane to Doha, in the mean time I would email the agent and it would become UK office hours while we were flying and hopefully they could make arrangements for us from Doha. Check-in staff refused our boarding to Doha saying the ticket 'must be transferred in full'. They sent us away from the check in desk.

At this point, having been in the airport for approximately 14 hours and with no idea what was happening we took the difficult decision to contact a family member to borrow some money to enable us to purchase new tickets to return home. We have animals and the family member sitting for them had flown home to Ireland already, anticipating our return. It seemed to me that we could be waiting a further 24 hours given a 10 hour wait for UK office hours, that it had taken the agent 8 hours to re-arrange the previous day and also taking into account the flight times etc. We booked the next available flight we could get on which happened to be with an alternative airline. We checked in our bags and hoped that as there was clearly a fault, this should be covered by our travel insurance.

I then received a phone call from Qatar Airlines staff at Kuala Lumpur airport advising us to go to the check in. When I arrived they told me they had 'found' our booking and were very keen to get us checked in - I pointed out the flight was due to leave in just under an hour, they told me 'it's fine, we've found your booking'. I explained I had now purchased new flights and asked for their advice, they told me that as we had checked in, we should travel with our new tickets. I suggested I would be seeking a refund and they replied 'you can't have a refund, we are offering you a seat'.

Having spoken to my travel insurance, they have told me I am not covered as it is the airline's fault. The travel company have responded saying it is the airline's fault. The airline.....hasn't responded at all. I have used the 'resolver' tool but haven't heard anything yet.

In total we have spent almost £1200 on new flights and borrowed the money to do so, not to mention arriving back in the UK almost a day later than planned, with no support while we were stuck at the airport e.g. refreshments etc.


I am hoping someone might be able to offer me some advice on what to do if my complaints are unsuccessful? I find it so hard to believe that although we were not at fault and followed the advice of airport staff every step, we are still so out of pocket and all of them refusing to acknowledge my complaint. I am so upset with the whole process it seems very unfair.


I would be so grateful if anyone has any advice or experience they can share! Thank you in advance

richardw

So was the problem that the travel agent had not made sure your itinerary was up to date and they hadn't passed on flight change details to you?

Hanchwinz

Qatar Airlines did not seem to think this was the problem, they acknowledged it was an entirely incorrect flight number on the e-ticket. According to the Malaysia Airlines staff at Langkawi it had been booked according to an old schedule so no 'update' required as it were.

leylandsunaddict

If the flight didn't exist at the time and with the flight number you were booked for the travel agent couldn't have booked it.

Didn't you once log into your booking on the airlines website to check it? You would have soon seen if there was a problem with it, or the schedule had changed. Not all airlines send notifications of flight changes, and when you choose to put a third party in between you and the airline you can't rely on them to forward it even if they get one. Emails can and do go astray as well. You should always check your bookings regularly.

richardw

What exactly was the problem at Langkawi?
Had the wrong itinerary not been ticketed?
Were all the flights on the same ticket number?
Was there more than one itineary with different booking references?

Hanchwinz

leylandsunaddict wrote: »

If the flight didn't exist at the time and with the flight number you were booked for the travel agent couldn't have booked it.

Didn't you once log into your booking on the airlines website to check it? You would have soon seen if there was a problem with it, or the schedule had changed. Not all airlines send notifications of flight changes, and when you choose to put a third party in between you and the airline you can't rely on them to forward it even if they get one. Emails can and do go astray as well. You should always check your bookings regularly.

It was a codeshare hence the incorrect flight time, according to the Malaysia Airlines staff the schedule had been changed.


I didn't have a log in with the airline. Of course I checked the flights on the way there but only checked on the way back when we were travelling. Whilst I appreciate your advice, I can't go back and do that and I have found out the hard way; I had requested an updated e-ticket before I left but the travel agency did not send one so I used the original.

Hanchwinz

richardw wrote: »

What exactly was the problem at Langkawi?
The Malaysian Airlines staff told us no such flight existed and could not find our booking or accept our e-ticket.

Had the wrong itinerary not been ticketed?
The whole trip had been ticketed.

Were all the flights on the same ticket number?
All flights were on one ticket, under the same booking number but different flight numbers for each one.

Was there more than one itineary with different booking references?
No it was one ticket.

I hope that makes sense - they were all on one e-ticket.

richardw

It's not clear what exactly the root of the problem is.
The travel agent will blame the airline, the airlines will blame the travel agent or the other airline.

Hanchwinz

richardw wrote: »

It's not clear what exactly the root of the problem is.
The travel agent will blame the airline, the airlines will blame the travel agent or the other airline.

I agree, I'm not sure who has responsibility either

At the very least I believe the airline to have accepted some responsibility otherwise I do not know why they then agreed to transfer us for no extra cost, even if they did then refuse us boarding. Thank you anyway!