Involuntarily forced from business to economy

[Mark3000]

A warning for those flying Emirates from Europe to Australia.
My friend was forced to travel from DXB-BNE in economy, despite purchasing a full fare business ticket months ago. The way they treated him at the gate was appalling.
We all checked in and got both of our boarding passes in Copenhagen, had a nice J class A380 flight, then spent 3 hours in the Business lounge in Dubai and when we arrived at the boarding gate he was told, sorry business and first are full, you have to travel in economy, sorry sir there are no other options !

I think this is appalling as there are so many other options and ways they could have handled this better.
Why was he not told earlier?
Why could they have not put him in business to SYD, MEL, ADL and then flown him domestically back to BNE?
Why did they not offer to fly him in business class to BNE via SIN or HKG ?

Why didn't they ask everyone else checking in if there was someone who would be happy to accept a voucher to travel on a later flight. There is almost always someone willing to do this for a voucher.

He was travelling on a full fare business class ticket, purchased months ago. QF flight number, on EK metal.
He doesn't have any status, so I guess that's why they picked him, the rest of us are platinum, gold & silver, but still, they way they treated him was appalling.
It really makes me question travelling emirates.

 

[BAM1748]

Fail 101. If she/he purchased a full fare business I doubt status had anything to do with being downgraded.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Was you friend refunded the entire purchase price for their flight or only the difference between business and economy?

 

[pjm99au]

His contract is with Qantas. Has he approached them for an explanation and compensation?

 

[Mark3000]

His contract is with Qantas. Has he approached them for an explanation and compensation?

Not yet, we're still on the flight (I'm using OnAir wifi)

I'd be very grateful for advice on the best way to handle it.

Emirates offered him a voucher at the gate, but he was not interested in a voucher and kept saying I don't want a voucher, I just want to fly home in the business seat I paid for.
I'm not sure of how much the voucher was going to be for.

The most upsetting thing is that we spent 3 hours in the lounge in Dubai, where there would have been heaps of time to make plans to get him home via SYD, MEL, ADL or even via Asia, but they just left it until the gate and gave him no options and no respect.

 

[Quickstatus]

By sitting in economy he has (unfortunately) accepted the downgrade.

As this was a QF ticket he will be refunded the balance between the business class ticket and the price of the economy ticket as if he bought it at the last minute before he stepped onto the aircraft. So his refund will be a lot less than he would expect it to be and especially when the refund is coming out of one sector of a multisector ticket.

He would have come out ahead if he took the voucher and flew another flight.

But totally agree this is never a way to treat your premium passengers.
And agree they should have asked for volunteers first.

I baulked a few seconds too long last year when there was an offer of $1000 delta dollars for each passenger to give up their seat from LGA to DEN on Christmas Day. They wanted 5. We were 5 but when I pulled the trigger they only needed 4. $5k to stay in NYC an extra day could have gone toward next years intra US Delta flights very nicely

 

[Pushka]

Qantas have done this also but did offer an alternative flight in the same class but the next day.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Your friend should have refused to board and asked to be rebooked with hotel provided at EK expense. Not good enough at all.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Not yet, we're still on the flight (I'm using OnAir wifi)

I'd be very grateful for advice on the best way to handle it.

Emirates offered him a voucher at the gate, but he was not interested in a voucher and kept saying I don't want a voucher, I just want to fly home in the business seat I paid for.
I'm not sure of how much the voucher was going to be for.

The most upsetting thing is that we spent 3 hours in the lounge in Dubai, where there would have been heaps of time to make plans to get him home via SYD, MEL, ADL or even via Asia, but they just left it until the gate and gave him no options and no respect.

This probably doesn't really help now but I think they may well have been offering your friend an EK Options voucher.
It's for a return flight in the class booked. He should have taken it before boarding the flight, or not taken it and not boarded.

This is going to be really messy to get anything sorted I fear. Options Voucher

EDIT If either you or your mate are on Flyertalk I would suggest posting something on there jackiedada, m3red etc. will know a lot more about this

 

[Quickstatus]

Maybe EK were over enthusiastic about upgrading QF status passengers they overdid it?

 

[samh004]

Qantas have done this also but did offer an alternative flight in the same class but the next day.

Your friend should have refused to board and asked to be rebooked with hotel provided at EK expense. Not good enough at all.

No help to the OP, but this is the knowledge I'll always remember.

I would refuse to board.

 

[Mark3000]

No help to the OP, but this is the knowledge I'll always remember.

I would refuse to board.

Yes, I agree, that would be the best thing to do if you were on holidays.
He is a doctor though and has a busy day of work ahead. He needs to be there for his patients, and he paid the extra for business class so he could be fresh for work.

For a holiday though it would be fine, a nice night in a hotel and fly the next day, but for him, not getting on the plane was not an option unfortunately.

 

[Quickstatus]

Yes, I agree, that would be the best thing to do if you were on holidays.
He is a doctor though and has a busy day of work ahead. He needs to be there for his patients, and he paid the extra for business class so he could be fresh for work.

For a holiday though it would be fine, a nice night in a hotel and fly the next day, but for him, not getting on the plane was not an option unfortunately.

True.

Whenever ai buy a premium ticket I also take a screen shot of the Discounted economy price for the same flight itinerary. If I ever get Treated like this there will be a letter of demand via lawyers for the difference between price paid and cheapest economy At the time of purchase

 

[Caversham04]

Whenever ai buy a premium ticket I also take a screen shot of the Discounted economy price for the same flight itinerary. If I ever get Treated like this there will be a letter of demand via lawyers for the difference between price paid and cheapest economy At the time of purchase

Sounds like a wise move. I guess there are two success-case outcomes; either the airline would settle out-of-court to avoid setting a precedent, or it could go in front of a judge. Can any lawyers on here comment on the perceived likelihood of the judge ordering that the discount economy cost at the time of purchase be used as the basis for the refund / compensation (versus the "standard" compensation calculated using the walk-up flexible economy price on the day when calculating the alleged fare difference)? For example, would this trump any stated T&C's - I assume that it would win out over unstated "policies"?

 

[samh004]

Sounds like a wise move. I guess there are two success-case outcomes; either the airline would settle out-of-court to avoid setting a precedent, or it could go in front of a judge. Can any lawyers on here comment on the perceived likelihood of the judge ordering that the discount economy cost at the time of purchase be used as the basis for the refund / compensation (versus the "standard" compensation calculated using the walk-up flexible economy price on the day when calculating the alleged fare difference)? For example, would this trump any stated T&C's - I assume that it would win out over unstated "policies"?

I can't answer your question, but my fear with taking an airline to court over the difference between time of purchase and time of flight isn't so much that they have deep pockets and can drag it out, but that they could seriously affect your travel experience into the future. You might still have whatever status you had at the time (in this case none) but that doesn't mean they haven't flagged your profile to be vindictive.

I'd rather just get off that flight and wait for the next one, in the class I was booked in

 

[DC3]

... Yes. Definitely no rushing back to work for me, should that ever happen. The longer the delay the better.

 

[Mark3000]

Does anyone know how they choose the person to force into economy?
? Status related - would they ever do this to a QF platinum?
? Last one checked in - but we checked in 9 hours earlier in CPH and they didn't say anything
? Last one to the gate
? Cheapest ticket - but he was on full fare flexible business
? Just random

 

[BAM1748]

Not yet, we're still on the flight (I'm using OnAir wifi)

I'd be very grateful for advice on the best way to handle it.

Emirates offered him a voucher at the gate, but he was not interested in a voucher and kept saying I don't want a voucher, I just want to fly home in the business seat I paid for.
I'm not sure of how much the voucher was going to be for.

The most upsetting thing is that we spent 3 hours in the lounge in Dubai, where there would have been heaps of time to make plans to get him home via SYD, MEL, ADL or even via Asia, but they just left it until the gate and gave him no options and no respect.

Or plan to offload someone else with compo offer during that 3 hours........

 

[Danger]

Refusing to board in such a situation would also cause a delay to the flight as it would mean off-loading the bags. That may make a gate agent think twice.

I know some people are against it but I'd be looking into a credit card chargeback, subject to the EK T&Cs not providing them with wiggle room.

 

[BAM1748]

Does anyone know how they choose the person to force into economy?
? Status related - would they ever do this to a QF platinum?
? Last one checked in - but we checked in 9 hours earlier in CPH and they didn't say anything
? Last one to the gate
? Cheapest ticket - but he was on full fare flexible business
? Just random

That's why I like the beauty of the US when over booked, there can be some good compo deals when not enough people are volunteering to take one for the airline's greediness in overbooking.

Any one want to guess as to how Emirites decides?