What's the standard process?

halesowenmum

Hi.

Booked flights through Gotogate (before anyone says "Idiot!!" I know, I know...). Flights LHR to Mexico City, Mexico City to Cozumel (12 April).

Informed flight cancelled. "Pay £30 to get possibility of going LHR to Paris, Paris to Mexico City, Mexico City to Cozumel instead on the same date and you'll still make your Mexico City to Cozumel connection [fantastic]" (still Aeromexico flight but serviced by Air Chance (France)). "We will let you know in 3 - 5 days". Ace.

9 days pass, we phone the (incredibly weird 'helpline' which usually takes 50 minutes or more. The guy doesn't seem to know his wotsit from his elbow or what he's talking about, anyhoo, he says "still waiting to hear back from the airline, I'll chase them". a further 3 days go by and I contact them through their website saying, how long are we supposed to wait to hear, AND, checking the via Paris flight online, it's showing as full, so what exactly are you waiting for to happen - someone cancels their ticket, is it down to that?

I don't understand what it is they're waiting for Aeromexico to say to them that will enable them to tell us my daughter can catch this flight, plus, what can we do (if anything) because - how long could this waiting go on for? She's handed in notice at work as we had confirmed flights, she's got a course starting in Cozumel the day after she'd scheduled to arrive, deposit paid for all of that. What are the options that Gotogate / ticket sellers are able to do - if we can find a flight with another airline and book that and cancel this one or can they offer us a flight with another airline? 

It's difficult for me to know what to ask them to do or understand the timelines or financial implications as I genuinely don't know what the options are so any help on this would be incredibly helpful. 

halesowenmum

Just to update, just spoke to Gotogate (painful, painful experience let me tell you). 

They asked me to wait another 3 - 5 days for a response from the airline around the alternative 1st leg of the journey...

Asked them what were the refund options - they are adamant they can only refund the LHR to Mexico City leg - but if the inability to fly us on that first leg represents a major change (it prevents getting to Cozumel and they haven't successfully provided and alternative), aren't they obligated to refund the WHOLE journey???? Does anyone know?

I asked about vouchers - they didn't seem to have a clue how they worked and said 'we'd only know if the airline was going to be offered vouchers at the point in time when the airline confirms if they can or can't get us on the proposed Paris flight' - they would not confirm how vouchers worked (but they did kindly confirm that the refund has 'no timeline' and is open-ended in terms of how long it would take to get that money back - could be 1 day, could be 1 year. It's useless though, without the ability to get to Mexico City, the whole thing would need refunding. 

In terms of people's experience of waiting for alternative flights following an airline cancellation, at that point, do they book you straight onto the alternative you were considering, or do you get opportunity to say "no thanks, I'll have a refund/vouchers"?

And what is a reasonable period of time to wait for an alternative flight??

There are direct flights I could be booking now but I just don't know what to do and I don't have the information to be able to quote to them about my belief that they should be refunding the whole lot... The flights were booked as a complete journey via their site, first leg with Aeromexico, 2nd leg with Volaris (but my understanding is, it could be any airline, that's not really relevant). They said it's not 'their policy' to refund anything but the leg that was cancelled  .

Westin

@heatherw_01 might be able to move to the correct forum.

heatherw_01

Hi, we move threads if we think they’ll get more help elsewhere (please read the forum rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board. If you have any questions about this policy please email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.

Sandtree

It will depend on if you have bought a through ticket or two separate tickets... these types of sites often sell "hack fares" and such so its not a continuous ticket and so you are at risk of cancellations or delays etc because of it. 

Why fly via MEX to get to CZM? Why not fly direct to CUN where Cozumel is a 45 minute taxi and 30 minute ferry?

halesowenmum

Hi Sandtree - we did look at possibly doing that route but Mexico City was good from the POV of relaxed' entry requirements (certainly compared to going thru a US transfer). Plus, where my daughter's going is really really close to Cozumel airport.

How do I know if the tickets are the hack type you describe? We bought LHR to Coz via Mexico City, two legs to the journey very much meant to work together - I just don't quite know where I stand. 

Thanks heatherw_01 for moving the thread - sincere apologies for whacking it in the wrong spot  . 

Caz3121

halesowenmum said:

 We bought LHR to Coz via Mexico City, two legs to the journey very much meant to work together - I just don't quite know where I stand. 

when you looked on the Aeromexico site for your original booking did it show all your flights or just the flights to Mexico City?
do you have one airline reference number or two? (forget that you have one gotogate reference)
I am guessing the Mexico City to Cozumel flights are with Volaris which is a low cost carrier so may well be two separate tickets

Sandtree

halesowenmum said:

Hi Sandtree - we did look at possibly doing that route but Mexico City was good from the POV of relaxed' entry requirements (certainly compared to going thru a US transfer). Plus, where my daughter's going is really really close to Cozumel airport.

How do I know if the tickets are the hack type you describe? We bought LHR to Coz via Mexico City, two legs to the journey very much meant to work together - I just don't quite know where I stand. 

Thanks heatherw_01 for moving the thread - sincere apologies for whacking it in the wrong spot  . 

MEX and CUN are both Mexico and have the same entry requirements, flown to/from both several times.

If you look at the booking it'll have a ticket number, if its a continuous booking it'll have a single ticket number for both legs, if its two separate bookings they'll have different ticket numbers. Having just checked Aeromexico website however they don't fly MEX-CZM... are you sure the internal flight isn't something like Volaris? (an easyJet style local operator) Assuming it is a different airline then it will be a separate ticket.

halesowenmum

Yes, it's two separate ticket numbers and the one going to Cozumel is with Volaris. 

Guess I'll have to ask them what I'll get back and see if taking the hit on the Cozumel flight is worth it to get possibly a direct flight instead...

Sandtree

If you book directly with them they are fairly good, certainly more easyJet than Ryanair, but you say you've booked with GoToGate so you'll need to speak to them.

Unfortunately this is the risk of buying non-continuous tickets, if anything happens to one leg its your problem to deal with the others. Similarly if you do fly it you go through immigration, get your bags and recheck in rather than follow the transfer signs. Savings can make it tempting though at times.

Cozumel is a bit of an odd airport and almost all flights are to the US, small number to Mexico City and that's about it. There are private flights from CUN but its only 38 miles so as a cost per mile rather pricy. We tend to stay in Playa and just have day trips to Cozumel for which there are two ferry companies operating on alternate hours... I send the mrs to the more basic one booking window and half the time they mistake her for a local and charge her that rate rather than the tourist (an official different price for residents than tourists rather than the taxi style ripping off the gringos) 

halesowenmum

I just checked and you can only get a refund from Volaris for this flight if you cancel with 24 hours of booking it. Having looked though, it's only about a £90 flight from what I can see so I'll just have to take that one on the chin but it could be worse.

We've booked directly with TUI Airlines now on a direct flight to Cancun and my daughter will get the bus and ferry over to Coz. So, we're all sorted and I think everyone for all their help including yourself. 

Handy sort of missus to have Sandtree!!

How did you find Cozumel? Daughter will be there for about 8 weeks training to become a PADI Divemaster.