Flight Cancellation Trouble

Pbell24

A friend and I had booked a one way Thai Airways flight via LastMinute.com from Bangkok back to Manchester. 15 days before the flight they had informed us that the airline has cancelled the flight and have offered us a refund. 

If we were to book a similar flight back now, the prices have more than doubled and are very expensive. We have asked LM.com if a similar flight can be arranged for us as there is a near identical one with the same airline leaving an hour before the one we booked. LM.com have advised us that they have contacted the airline and that the only alternative offered is a refund. 

This doesn’t seem right, as the sensible option would be to offer us a similar flight without us having to each pay at least around £500 more for another flight home. Is our contract with LM.com and if so, should they be doing more to try and arrange us an alternative flight? We are unsure of our rights and want to make sure that we aren’t getting forced into paying more for something that we don’t need to.

eskbanker

Unfortunately the UK/EU regulations that offer flight delay/cancellation protection don't cover a flight from Bangkok on Thai Airways, so unless there is equivalent protection available in Thailand you're in LM's hands.

Having said that, what's the significance of 'near' in "there is a near identical one with the same airline leaving an hour before the one we booked"?  If there's a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok to Manchester an hour before your booked one then that sounds more like a minor reschedule than a genuine cancellation, unless there were originally two very close together?

eDicky

What are the flight numbers of the flight you originally 'booked' with LM and the one an hour earlier..?

Alan_Bowen

I don't think Thai Airways has ever flown to Manchester Airport which makes it even  more confusing