A330 to B737 Downgrade

[123dd]

Booked in VA J award A330 coast to coast, aircraft got downgraded to B737... possibly due to new SYD HKG flights....

Emailed VA, been told to contact Velocity.

Called velocity, after been put on hold for 15 min, they told me they can't see aircraft change. I offered to send in the confirmation i received. But been told no need to do that, they just won't do anything....

Anyone had any luck with this situation? What can I do?

 

[Pleb Status]

Booked in VA J award A330 coast to coast, aircraft got downgraded to B737... possibly due to new SYD HKG flights....

Emailed VA, been told to contact Velocity.

Called velocity, after been put on hold for 15 min, they told me they can't see aircraft change. I offered to send in the confirmation i received. But been told no need to do that, they just won't do anything....

Anyone had any luck with this situation? What can I do?

What date and flight number are you booked on?

 

[CPMaverick]

I would wait a few days. Sometimes schedule changes get loaded but don't propagate through the system immediately.

Assuming that the flight isn't in the next week or so.

 

[123dd]

What date and flight number are you booked on?

23/12 VA555

 

[123dd]

I would wait a few days. Sometimes schedule changes get loaded but don't propagate through the system immediately.

Assuming that the flight isn't in the next week or so.

The flight is for Xmas. So plenty time, they could see it's a B737, but they can't see it's been changed tho....

 

[Pleb Status]

The flight is for Xmas. So plenty time, they could see it's a B737, but they can't see it's been changed tho....

I would call VA reservations next week during business hours. They should hopefully be able to see the change and swap you onto VA559 if you have enough status...

I would never email any airline to get these sort of issues attended to as they will need a manager to authorise the changes.

 

[123dd]

I would call VA reservations next week during business hours. They should hopefully be able to see the change and swap you onto VA559 if you have enough status...

I would never email any airline to get these sort of issues attended to as they will need a manager to authorise the changes.

I have called them today, Monday 9am.. They finally can see the change in aircraft (thank god)... Offered me two options, full refund, or change to another flight.

The only problem, they told me that VA559 is fully booked. Now checking on ExpertFlyer, business class is wide open, just no award space available... No other viable option since it is so close to Xmas.... Don't know what to do now......

 

[ozstamps]

Bummer.

I'd feel the same but they will simply say 'you booked a biz award ticket on 23/12 VA555, and we gave you a biz class seat on that flight"

Equipment changes often - it is sadly part of the airline world reality.

Even on a paid ticket that is the same response I'd suspect. At least there, they could offer the other flight if it is wide open.

As always, Status counts in such cases. You might get a voucher of some kind off them if a Plat etc, and make enough noise,

 

[docjames]

The only problem, they told me that VA559 is fully booked. Now checking on ExpertFlyer, business class is wide open, just no award space available... No other viable option since it is so close to Xmas.... Don't know what to do now......

I'd be trying again and demanding seat on VA559 in J. They have seats.

 

[Mogul]

Previously compensation was 30,000 points for an aircraft downgrade on the Coast to Coast run.

 

[N860CR]

From memory, one of our directors got 50k points for an A330 to 737 swap.

That said, it was about 2 years ago. Things can change.

 

[Jurahn]

Previously compensation was 30,000 points for an aircraft downgrade on the Coast to Coast run.

They haven't offered compensation for coast to coast downgrades for some time, in my experience anyway. Happened to me several times in the past couple of years - the last time I received any compensation was probably at least 18 months ago, I was (eventually) offered 10,000 points following a complaint lodged via email. Their reply pointed out quite firmly that this was a "once off gesture of goodwill" and "Given the nature of the aviation industry, aircraft types are not guaranteed and it would not be appropriate to compensate for this each time as it is specifically outlined in our Conditions of Carriage accepted at the time of booking." I was Platinum at that time.

What I found immensely irritating was the statement in the same email "It may assist for future bookings to contact our agents in the Guest Contact Centre who would be happy to advise which aircraft is allocated at the time of booking", when I had made it quite clear in my complaint that when I booked, the aircraft WAS an A330 (as evidenced by my original e-ticket and itinerary) and was changed to the 737 at a much later date, with no notification received of the change.

 

[CPMaverick]

Downgrades used to be an unusual event. With the HKG routes, it will be much more common (especially during this initial phase where schedules to HKG have been changing.

With so many disruptions now, there's no way they can offer the same level of compensation as they used to.

 

[ozstamps]

Bummer.

I'd feel the same but they will simply say 'you booked a biz award ticket on 23/12 VA555, and we gave you a biz class seat on that flight"

Equipment changes often - it is sadly part of the airline world reality.

Even on a paid ticket that is the same response I'd suspect. At least there, they could offer the other flight if it is wide open.

As always, Status counts in such cases. You might get a voucher of some kind off them if a Plat etc, and make enough noise,

Exactly as I predicted … near zero chance of anything meaningful these days. Getting an A330 transcon is just a VERY risky lottery now.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Exactly as I predicted … near zero chance of anything meaningful these days. Getting an A330 transcon is just a VERY risky lottery now.

Across both airlines really. The only iron clad guaranteed widebody is QF9/10!

 

[mannej]

Across both airlines really. The only iron clad guaranteed widebody is QF9/10!

Believe it or not, but QF9/10 MEL- PER-MEL has been operated by a 737 once!

 

[Bagpuss]

Downgrades used to be an unusual event. With the HKG routes, it will be much more common (especially during this initial phase where schedules to HKG have been changing.

With so many disruptions now, there's no way they can offer the same level of compensation as they used to.

The forward schedules are based around aircraft utilisation so they do take into consideration the available aircraft.

For me, when the SYD - HKG route was announced one of my trips was changed from an a330 to a b737. However, once the improved MEL - HKG schedule was announced the flight went back to an a330.

At the moment what doesn’t help matters is that VH-XFJ appears to be under maintenance Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker! and has been in Hong Kong. This means there’s currently only two a330’s to operate domestically.

 

[Bagpuss]

A flight I have had booked for about 9 months, for next month from Perth - Melbourne has just been changed from a B737 to an A330.

 

[kevrosmith]

They haven't offered compensation for coast to coast downgrades for some time, in my experience anyway. Happened to me several times in the past couple of years - the last time I received any compensation was probably at least 18 months ago, I was (eventually) offered 10,000 points following a complaint lodged via email. Their reply pointed out quite firmly that this was a "once off gesture of goodwill" and "Given the nature of the aviation industry, aircraft types are not guaranteed and it would not be appropriate to compensate for this each time as it is specifically outlined in our Conditions of Carriage accepted at the time of booking." I was Platinum at that time.

What I found immensely irritating was the statement in the same email "It may assist for future bookings to contact our agents in the Guest Contact Centre who would be happy to advise which aircraft is allocated at the time of booking", when I had made it quite clear in my complaint that when I booked, the aircraft WAS an A330 (as evidenced by my original e-ticket and itinerary) and was changed to the 737 at a much later date, with no notification received of the change.

That's all well and good on their behalf, except that they actually advertise the A330 product as a separate product when you select the flight online:



If a downgrade to a B737 occurs, you're technically not receiving the product they advertised which you selected to buy.

 

[Jurahn]

That's all well and good on their behalf, except that they actually advertise the A330 product as a separate product when you select the flight online:

View attachment 134249

If a downgrade to a B737 occurs, you're technically not receiving the product they advertised which you selected to buy.

Exactly - and that's what I pointed out to them in my complaint, i.e. I had booked the flight specifically because it was the A330 with "The Business" and there was absolutely no comparison between that and the 737 offering, especially given what you pay for a PER-SYD flight in J!