Flight change consumer rights

FluffyBooBoo

Hi All,

I have an issue where I have booked a flight and the connection has changed. I booked through Booking.com on Qatar. Booking.com have moved a 50 minute layover to a 7 hour layover and not options they can see to change.

My issue is who is accountable? Booking.com says there are no options, they can refund but not sure on the amount but I can talk to the airline. I talk to Qatar who says all has to go through the travel agent and there are other seat options available.

Could anyone help on my rights on this? As I booked in May these are still the best option, but frustrating to be ping ponged around!

Ayr_Rage

What seat options are available to Booking.com at the discounted price you probably paid and what Qatar have are likely to be light years apart.

Qatar are correct, any changes are the responsibility of your travel agent.

Refund rights will be in your contract with Booking.com

bagand96

Booking.com haven't changed it, the airline have changed their schedule. There may be options with the airline in schedule change situations (usually not related to ticket class).

The airline are correct when they say you must go via your agent though, that's how it works with agent tickets. Explain to Booking.com that the airline are willing to amend the ticket and see if they'll do it for you. Whether they have to or not is another question. 

FluffyBooBoo

Thanks both, 
Qatar says there are seats, Booking.com says none and the ping pong continues. Booking.com also say they can't tell me how much a refund for the outbound only flight would be for me to look at if other options make any sense. All just very frustrating and not looking forward to 7 hours in Doha with a young child

mr_stripey

the original plan of a 50 minute layover sounds exceptionally tight and doesn't allow for much slippage at all.

7 hours is a bit on the long side, but maybe booking a lounge there would pass the time more easily

jimi_man

MCT at Doha is 45 minutes so 50 minutes is on the tight side. Having said that Doha is primarily a transfer hub and is designed for transiting and if it’s tight or you are running late then they’ll generally meet you at the plane and escort you to the next flight. 

Whilst QR say there are seats, there may not be seats in the correct fare bucket so Booking.com would have to incur an extra cost to book those seats hence why they won’t do it. As has been sad it’s down to Booking.com. 

Personally I wouldn’t go for a refund as it will leave you nothing. You may have to swallow the seven hour transit. 

And finally, whilst it doesn’t help you now, book direct with the airline in future. Makes life a lot easier. 

bagand96

jimi_man said:

Whilst QR say there are seats, there may not be seats in the correct fare bucket so Booking.com would have to incur an extra cost to book those seats hence why they won’t do it. As has been sad it’s down to Booking.com. 

Generally when there are schedule changes then fare buckets shouldn't matter for rebooking options, the airline will change the reservation due to the disruption.

It depends on the couple of things, do Qatar consider the change to a 7 hour connection a significant change triggering rebooking rights, and have Booking.com (Goto Gate?) understood this and asked the right questions of Qatar? Have they even bothered at all? 

jimi_man

bagand96 said:

jimi_man said:

Whilst QR say there are seats, there may not be seats in the correct fare bucket so Booking.com would have to incur an extra cost to book those seats hence why they won’t do it. As has been sad it’s down to Booking.com. 

Generally when there are schedule changes then fare buckets shouldn't matter for rebooking options, the airline will change the reservation due to the disruption.

It depends on the couple of things, do Qatar consider the change to a 7 hour connection a significant change triggering rebooking rights, and have Booking.com (Goto Gate?) understood this and asked the right questions of Qatar? Have they even bothered at all? 

Sure, but as I understand it an alternative has been offered and a rebooking has been done. The other alternative is a refund - the airline is legally obliged to rebook or refund. It’s just that the OP wants to change it again. 

If you book through an airline then you can go through them for different options. But a TA may have limitations in its T’s and Cs; there maybe further costs; there maybe more limitations on the type of ticket they purchased. 

There will always be more limitations with a TA otherwise no-one would ever book through an airline. 

DoboChopSueyBar

There's a very good in-terminal hotel at Hamad International, bookable by the hour. I've stayed there a few times during long stopovers and no complaints at all. Of course paying for lounge access is another option - HIA has some of the best lounges around. Both options would probably work out cheaper than cancelling and then rebooking flights.

https://oryxairporthotel.com/