TAP (Portugal) just cancelled my flight

[ayebee]

This is a new one for me ...

I have a reservation with TAP (Porto - Newark) where I received an email simply stating my flight had changed, and when reading realised they moved us to a flight nearly 24 hours later.

Any advice on whether they should be paying for the extra night accommodation in Porto ?
Does the EU delay rules come into play here ?

 

[Hvr]

When is the flight? And why did they cancel it?

 

[ayebee]

When is the flight? And why did they cancel it?

Original booking
4 june TP213 Porto - Newark 15.55 - 18.45

New booking
5 June TP 213 Porto - Newark 18.05 - 21.10

No reason given in email for cancellation.
just "sorry for the inconvenience, please confirm your itinerary"

 

[Hvr]

So now you need to decide what you want before you contact them.

Are there other flights that you could take?
Is there a problem flying later? Or even earlier?

Remember to deal with the agent who sold you the ticket. E.g. if you purchased it through a travel agent you have to deal with them.

But basically, work out what you can live with and ask for that solution.

 

[ayebee]

So now you need to decide what you want before you contact them.

Are there other flights that you could take?
Is there a problem flying later? Or even earlier?

Remember to deal with the agent who sold you the ticket. E.g. if you purchased it through a travel agent you have to deal with them.

But basically, work out what you can live with and ask for that solution.

I don't have a particular time pressure to be in NYC, and the extra night in Porto is fine, but I would like TAP to pay for it.

Flights were booked online, but like many organisations these days TAP don't make it easy to contact them other than to click "OK" on some website.

I suspect I will be calling them direct tomorrow.

 

[ayebee]

closing the loop here.

The contact number provided was in Portugal, but had some connection issues when I tried it. That might have been a temporary glitch.

In meantime sent an email to TAP customer care, indicating we were flexible and would either :
- accept their proposed direct flight Porto - Newark the next day if TAP paid for hotel,
- or to connect via Lisbon on the original date.

After no response for 5 days, I found the contact number for World Aviation Services, Australian agent for TAP. Strictly speaking, they were not obliged to help as my US / Portugal / US ticket was purchased online in US$ but they chased up why my email had not been answered and facilitated the outcome.
I appreciate their assistance.

Apparently, once the Porto - Newark flight was cancelled the system automatically put us on the next available direct flight. With one flight per day that was the following day.
No human involvement, and no apparent consideration of the option to go via Lisbon on the original date booked. They must rely on passengers either accepting or escalating.

TAP opted for the connection via Lisbon and the revised ticket issued.