Q: what to do with LAN flights cancelled due to volcanic ashes?

[Myrna]

A few months ago we booked J seats on LAN flights from SYD to AKL and return - we planned a holiday in NZ north island for a few days. The outbound flight LA800 is next weekend. However, LAN has not been flying the SCL - AKL - SYD route for a few weeks now due to the volcanic ashes, instead they have been flying SCL - SYD via Papeete. We have bought the NZD, booked hotel accommodation in NZ and booked a car rental. Now, we do not know what to do?

Should we cancel the flights? We phoned LAN this morning and they said there would be penalty for cancellation - even though Qantas has been waving all the cancellation fees for flights due to volcanic ashes.

If we change the dates for our trip, there will definitely be penalty as well. However, we don't want to change the dates as we have other commitments for the next 6 months.

If we do not do anything and wait a few more days and see if the flights will be resumed. We are not sure what will happen in this situation - the flight is cancelled. Does anyone have a view on whether LAN will book us on QF (some QF flights to AKL have been operating today) into J class? Or, will they just put us in Y class on a flight that has available seats? J class on QF is more expensive than J class on LAN. We asked LAN about these today, but the person who answered the phone (after waited for 1.5 hours) did not know! We may have to phone LAN again on Monday?

Thanks in advance for any suggestion forumites can help.

 

[Sprucegoose]

LAN are unreliable ash or no ash.They put me on ANZ there and QF back when they didnt turn up for me once. Call them.

 

[Myrna]

LAN are unreliable ash or no ash.They put me on ANZ there and QF back when they didnt turn up for me once. Call them.

Hi Sprucegoose, Thanks for the reply. I will phone them tomorrow. However, I am just curious to know if they put you on ANZ and QF in the same class you booked, or different class?

 

[straitman]

Hi Sprucegoose, Thanks for the reply. I will phone them tomorrow. However, I am just curious to know if they put you on ANZ and QF in the same class you booked, or different class?

In my case I'm not sure if the specific class was the same but it was certainly in the same cabin. ie Business class to business class.

 

[Myrna]

In my case I'm not sure if the specific class was the same but it was certainly in the same cabin. ie Business class to business class.

Thanks, Bill, for your clarification. It is good to know as we booked in J. At the moment, Lan Chile has not resumed its SCL to SYD via AKL because the problem is the ash cloud from SCL to AKL. Qantas has resumed flights to AKL from SYD. We are not sure if LAN will try to put us on QF, or to tell us to change our travel dates. We may cancel our trip because we don't want to get mess around by LAN - and losing money on accommodation and car rental.

 

[markis10]

I think you are over reacting to be frank, if you cancel your trip then your up for fees that insurance or a third party will not cover, I would be happy to wait it out, chances are LAN will just organise different flights!

 

[Myrna]

I think you are over reacting to be frank, if you cancel your trip then your up for fees that insurance or a third party will not cover, I would be happy to wait it out, chances are LAN will just organise different flights!

Hi Markis,

Thanks for your reply. Appreciate your views. Maybe we should sit tight and see what LAN will do? While we are really looking forward to a short holiday (have booked some nice accommodation), we are worrying (maybe unnecessary?) about being stuck in NZ! We certainly do hope that LAN will advise us well in advance what they will do.

 

[markis10]

At the end of the day you have a contract with LAN to go to AKL, I am sure they will meet their commitments, I have yet to hear of them failing to do so despite their poor on time record AKL-SYD and VV.

 

[yohy?!]

Absolute worst case scenario I can imagine is they put you on Air NZ in economy, doubt they'll leave you stranded in NZ as they'll be up for your extended accomodation and meal costs

 

[Sprucegoose]

Hi Sprucegoose, Thanks for the reply. I will phone them tomorrow. However, I am just curious to know if they put you on ANZ and QF in the same class you booked, or different class?

Yes they did, don't sweat, you'll be right. Just rock up, they will have it all sorted.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Absolute worst case scenario I can imagine is they put you on Air NZ in economy, doubt they'll leave you stranded in NZ as they'll be up for your extended accomodation and meal costs

In that case throw a hissy.........you should get what you pay for. Never heard of it happening on LAN.

 

[yohy?!]

In that case throw a hissy.........you should get what you pay for. Never heard of it happening on LAN.

Indeed I know I would but should the only comparable flights be on NZs J-Less A320s you might be out of luck

 

[Myrna]

Thanks, all, for your helpful and reassuring replies. Yes, we will rock up on the scheduled day - this Friday, and see what will happen. Fingers crossed. Hope they won't put us in whY when we paid J - we need the points and the SC! Will keep the accommodation and car rental in place as booked.

 

[missafternoondelight]

Thanks for starting this thread, I'm in a similar predicament, doing the LAN run SYD-AKL on 8th Jul and returning 9th Jul. I'm in J too. I plan to just 'suck and see' until a) they post on their website that they are cancelling my flight or b) I rock up and find out that way. Either way it will have to be sorted out. I note today they have LA800 cancelled until 5 July shown on the website.

Though I wonder, what are the pax offered if their cancelled flight is shown online as being cancelled a few days before? Is it just being put on another carrier, or will a full refund be offered (no cancellation fee, one would hope).
If I see on the website that my flight is cancelled a couple of days beforehand, I'd prefer not to bother, and just spend another night shopping in Sydney.

 

[pauly7]

In my case I'm not sure if the specific class was the same but it was certainly in the same cabin. ie Business class to business class.

Did you still get QF points and SC credited??

 

[Myrna]

Thanks for starting this thread, I'm in a similar predicament, doing the LAN run SYD-AKL on 8th Jul and returning 9th Jul. I'm in J too. I plan to just 'suck and see' until a) they post on their website that they are cancelling my flight or b) I rock up and find out that way. Either way it will have to be sorted out. I note today they have LA800 cancelled until 5 July shown on the website.

Though I wonder, what are the pax offered if their cancelled flight is shown online as being cancelled a few days before? Is it just being put on another carrier, or will a full refund be offered (no cancellation fee, one would hope).
If I see on the website that my flight is cancelled a couple of days beforehand, I'd prefer not to bother, and just spend another night shopping in Sydney.

You are on the same flight as us - this Friday, but we will stay in NZ for 4 days for a short holiday.

I will try to phone LAN tomorrow to find out the options. Although on the website, they said we could reschedule the flights - and may have to pay more if the fares on those flights are higher than paid - plus there will be a penalty of $140 per person! On our etickets the T&C said we could ask for a refund if done before the flight, without any charge. However, when I phoned LAN on Saturday they tried to dispute the no charge with me, saying I would still have to pay a penalty of $140 per person. I told them that on Qantas website, all the fees would be waived.

 

[Myrna]

I did phone LAN today, wanted to know if the flight were cancelled what would be the options for pax so I would know what to expect. But, they were not that helpful, other than to tell me to phone the day before the flight to find out. Fingers and toes crossed tightly that LAN will resume their normal routes between Santiago and Sydney via Auckland soon.

 

[missafternoondelight]

Hi Myrna, any news? I haven't called, but have been checking the website, and the last cancelled AKL-SYD listed was yesterday.

 

[Myrna]

Hi Myrna, any news? I haven't called, but have been checking the website, and the last cancelled AKL-SYD listed was yesterday.

Hi Missafternoondelight

I have been checking LAN website yesterday and today for flight status. It has been showing that LA801 to SYD (via AKL) leaving SCL on Tuesday evening 5th July (arriving SYD Thursday morning 7th July) has been cancelled (it is now about 7pm on Tuesday 5th July in SCL - 9am in Sydney on Wednesday 6th July).

However, LA801 leaving SCL on Wednesday evening 6th July (arriving SYD Friday morning 8th July) has been showing on LAN website as confirmed scheduled. So, I am keeping fingers and toes crossed tightly that it will be as shown!!!

LAN website only shows flight status for 3 days (4th, 5th and 6th July). Tomorrow I will have to check again - and telephone LAN in the afternoon. LA801 is scheduled to leave SCL at 22:50 on Wednesday 6th July (ie after 12 noon in Sydney on Thursday 7th July).

I will post tomorrow afternoon what I find out.

 

[serfty]

FWIW, the Ashcloud across the deep southern Pacific has been reducing in size and it would not surprise if LAN are planning a resumption to AKL.

VAAC Wellington