Trouble with Cathay flight cancellation
Oct 27th 2005, 11:34 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 68
Trouble with Cathay flight cancellation
All,
Thought I'd post my experiences with a flight cancellation problem that we have.
We received our visa back in April and chose to validate in November. We booked with a large internet travel agency for a 21.55 flight Friday 4th November with Cathay Pacific.
We thought all was fine when we received a call today (8 days before the flight) from the agent saying that the flight was cancelled and could we take the 11.35 flight instead. This is not an option as my wife cannot take the extra day off due to workload and also as she is self employed we would lose out financially. The agency said the next available flight is on the 9th November. Totally unacceptable.
I then investigated the EU regulations which state that when a flight is cancelled less than 14 days before the flight date then unless a suitable alternative is found compensation must be paid to the amount of EUR 600 per person. I explained to the agency that I would be claiming the compensation from Cathay Pacific when they turned around and said that Cathay had informed them a long time before but that the agency had failed to inform me.
They said it was their mistake and they would try to find an alternative and foot the bill. I just hope we can get bulk head seats on whichever flight they find.
However this is where it gets interesting. On Monday (11 days before the flight) I phoned Cathay to check that we have the Bulkhead seats reserved as we are travelling with our baby and at NO time did they tell me that the flight was cancelled. I even asked how full the flight was.
I will ring Cathay tomorrow to make a reservation for the "cancelled flight" to check that it is cancelled. On the internet booking site the flight just shows as being full. It has gone through my mind that maybe we have been bumped or the flight was cancelled today. I am probably wrong and it's just a totally incompetent agency.
Sorry for rambling on but once you've gone through the visa stuff you would hope that things go a bit smoother.
Any thoughts or similar experiences????
D
Thought I'd post my experiences with a flight cancellation problem that we have.
We received our visa back in April and chose to validate in November. We booked with a large internet travel agency for a 21.55 flight Friday 4th November with Cathay Pacific.
We thought all was fine when we received a call today (8 days before the flight) from the agent saying that the flight was cancelled and could we take the 11.35 flight instead. This is not an option as my wife cannot take the extra day off due to workload and also as she is self employed we would lose out financially. The agency said the next available flight is on the 9th November. Totally unacceptable.
I then investigated the EU regulations which state that when a flight is cancelled less than 14 days before the flight date then unless a suitable alternative is found compensation must be paid to the amount of EUR 600 per person. I explained to the agency that I would be claiming the compensation from Cathay Pacific when they turned around and said that Cathay had informed them a long time before but that the agency had failed to inform me.
They said it was their mistake and they would try to find an alternative and foot the bill. I just hope we can get bulk head seats on whichever flight they find.
However this is where it gets interesting. On Monday (11 days before the flight) I phoned Cathay to check that we have the Bulkhead seats reserved as we are travelling with our baby and at NO time did they tell me that the flight was cancelled. I even asked how full the flight was.
I will ring Cathay tomorrow to make a reservation for the "cancelled flight" to check that it is cancelled. On the internet booking site the flight just shows as being full. It has gone through my mind that maybe we have been bumped or the flight was cancelled today. I am probably wrong and it's just a totally incompetent agency.
Sorry for rambling on but once you've gone through the visa stuff you would hope that things go a bit smoother.
Any thoughts or similar experiences????
D
Oct 27th 2005, 11:40 pm
#2
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Asia Pacific
Posts: 4,922
Re: Trouble with Cathay flight cancellation
Originally Posted by demigrate
All,
Thought I'd post my experiences with a flight cancellation problem that we have.
We received our visa back in April and chose to validate in November. We booked with a large internet travel agency for a 21.55 flight Friday 4th November with Cathay Pacific.
We thought all was fine when we received a call today (8 days before the flight) from the agent saying that the flight was cancelled and could we take the 11.35 flight instead. This is not an option as my wife cannot take the extra day off due to workload and also as she is self employed we would lose out financially. The agency said the next available flight is on the 9th November. Totally unacceptable.
I then investigated the EU regulations which state that when a flight is cancelled less than 14 days before the flight date then unless a suitable alternative is found compensation must be paid to the amount of EUR 600 per person. I explained to the agency that I would be claiming the compensation from Cathay Pacific when they turned around and said that Cathay had informed them a long time before but that the agency had failed to inform me.
They said it was their mistake and they would try to find an alternative and foot the bill. I just hope we can get bulk head seats on whichever flight they find.
However this is where it gets interesting. On Monday (11 days before the flight) I phoned Cathay to check that we have the Bulkhead seats reserved as we are travelling with our baby and at NO time did they tell me that the flight was cancelled. I even asked how full the flight was.
I will ring Cathay tomorrow to make a reservation for the "cancelled flight" to check that it is cancelled. On the internet booking site the flight just shows as being full. It has gone through my mind that maybe we have been bumped or the flight was cancelled today. I am probably wrong and it's just a totally incompetent agency.
Sorry for rambling on but once you've gone through the visa stuff you would hope that things go a bit smoother.
Any thoughts or similar experiences????
D
Thought I'd post my experiences with a flight cancellation problem that we have.
We received our visa back in April and chose to validate in November. We booked with a large internet travel agency for a 21.55 flight Friday 4th November with Cathay Pacific.
We thought all was fine when we received a call today (8 days before the flight) from the agent saying that the flight was cancelled and could we take the 11.35 flight instead. This is not an option as my wife cannot take the extra day off due to workload and also as she is self employed we would lose out financially. The agency said the next available flight is on the 9th November. Totally unacceptable.
I then investigated the EU regulations which state that when a flight is cancelled less than 14 days before the flight date then unless a suitable alternative is found compensation must be paid to the amount of EUR 600 per person. I explained to the agency that I would be claiming the compensation from Cathay Pacific when they turned around and said that Cathay had informed them a long time before but that the agency had failed to inform me.
They said it was their mistake and they would try to find an alternative and foot the bill. I just hope we can get bulk head seats on whichever flight they find.
However this is where it gets interesting. On Monday (11 days before the flight) I phoned Cathay to check that we have the Bulkhead seats reserved as we are travelling with our baby and at NO time did they tell me that the flight was cancelled. I even asked how full the flight was.
I will ring Cathay tomorrow to make a reservation for the "cancelled flight" to check that it is cancelled. On the internet booking site the flight just shows as being full. It has gone through my mind that maybe we have been bumped or the flight was cancelled today. I am probably wrong and it's just a totally incompetent agency.
Sorry for rambling on but once you've gone through the visa stuff you would hope that things go a bit smoother.
Any thoughts or similar experiences????
D
Oct 27th 2005, 11:45 pm
#3
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 68
Re: Trouble with Cathay flight cancellation
Originally Posted by Centurion
I think your agent is naff mate for what its worth and not the airline. Unlikely you have been bumped. I suspect that your agent is playing games and forgot to do something...:-(
Oct 28th 2005, 12:22 am
#4
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 582
Re: Trouble with Cathay flight cancellation
First ask them for something in writing, preferably fax or a letter to confirm flight is cancelled and the reason it has been cancelled.I'm not 100% sure whether emails have the same legal status. At least that way whatever happens with other flights they can't wriggle later and you can prove the flight wasn't cancelled.
Just out of interest are they a small independent agent or one of the bigger ones?
Just out of interest are they a small independent agent or one of the bigger ones?
Oct 28th 2005, 12:30 am
#5
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 68
Re: Trouble with Cathay flight cancellation
Originally Posted by Flying Banana
First ask them for something in writing, preferably fax or a letter to confirm flight is cancelled and the reason it has been cancelled.I'm not 100% sure whether emails have the same legal status. At least that way whatever happens with other flights they can't wriggle later and you can prove the flight wasn't cancelled.
Just out of interest are they a small independent agent or one of the bigger ones?
Just out of interest are they a small independent agent or one of the bigger ones?
Oct 28th 2005, 12:47 am
#6
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 582
Re: Trouble with Cathay flight cancellation
Originally Posted by demigrate
One of the big ones that advertises on TV, I'd rather not name it on here though just in case we need to take it further. I take your point and will request the letter in the morning.
You said you were going to ring Cathay Reservations to see if the cancelled flight was still going, have you done this yet, if not I'd ask to speak to a supervisor once you probably find out it's not cancelled, I'm sure the airline wouldn't be too happy to find out they are losing money from cockups like this. It gives them a bad name too.
Are the agents members of ABTA? If they are a big company I think it is mandatory, their website seems members only but lots of good info here, http://www.ilkestoncooptravel.co.uk/abta.aspx may be worth giving them a ring to see where you stand if it is one of their members you're dealing with.
Hope you get this sorted out, I think a suggestion to the agent of at least an upgrade to business class for your trouble would be appropriate
Oct 28th 2005, 1:14 am
#7
Gone Senile Member
Joined: Sep 2001
Location: Sydney
Posts: 3,014
Re: Trouble with Cathay flight cancellation
Originally Posted by demigrate
What do you think we can do? If they don't find a suitable flight that suits them and us can we claim compensation for another flight from the agency? I have no problem with booking another ticket and suing them for the difference, given that we can get our money back we originally paid.
I wouldn't raise suing them at this point, I would ask nicely to get them to pay for upgrades!!
Oct 28th 2005, 7:21 am
#8
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 68
Re: Trouble with Cathay flight cancellation
Originally Posted by Sandra
If the agency have admitted liability you need to work with them as much as possible to get another suitable flight - I would state up front and calmly to them if that the other flight is not suitable you will need them to fully finance the alternative that is.
I wouldn't raise suing them at this point, I would ask nicely to get them to pay for upgrades!!
I wouldn't raise suing them at this point, I would ask nicely to get them to pay for upgrades!!
I have spoken with Cathay this morning who have told me that the flight was rescheduled to 11.35 on the 24 June. They informed us that had the agents told us of this change at that time they could have rebooked us on another rescheduled flight which was leaving at 21.55 (2 flight numbers switched places). Unfortunately that 21.55 flight is now completely sold out now. The agent must take full responsibility for what the have done or not done as the case may be. I'll be speaking to them later this morning.
D
