Compensation for delayed award flight?

[boffman]

Hi,
Looking for some advice please.
I was booked using Qantas points last week on 1 June, on AA73, LHR to LAX with a 2 hour connection to AA73 to SYD in F. Got a message that morning it had been delayed by 15 hours.
Called AA, they said can’t help. Called Qantas they said all they could do was cancel the flight and I would need to rebook on next available award flight if I could find one.

I ended up booking a flight home using Kris points on Malaysia Air in J.

Suffered some economic loss but fairly minimal. Mainly just stress and having to skip a goodbye lunch with family.

Can I claim compensation from AA or Qantas?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Hi,
Looking for some advice please.
I was booked using Qantas points last week on 1 June, on AA73, LHR to LAX with a 2 hour connection to AA73 to SYD in F. Got a message that morning it had been delayed by 15 hours.
Called AA, they said can’t help. Called Qantas they said all they could do was cancel the flight and I would need to rebook on next available award flight if I could find one.

I ended up booking a flight home using Kris points on Malaysia Air in J.

Suffered some economic loss but fairly minimal. Mainly just stress and having to skip a goodbye lunch with family.

Can I claim compensation from AA or Qantas?

AA should have rebooked you.
The fact that this was a QF Award flight is irrelevant due to IRROPS.
You are entitled to EC 261 compensation from AA as the original flight was departing from LHR and the flight changes took place less than 14 days from departure.

Did you receive your points back from QF for the cancelled flights ?

 

[boffman]

Yes, full refund from QF

 

[Princess Fiona]

Yes, full refund from QF

Then you pursue AA for EC 261 compensation.

 

[DAC1]

I assume you meant to refer to LHR to LAX on AA135? And we’re both AA flights booked on the same PNR?

As Princess Fiona has said, given that it was IRROPS, AA should have rebooked you on the next available LAX-SYD (or on some alternate routing which would have gotten you from LHR-SYD).

I expect if you showed up to to check in for the (delayed) AA135 on 2 June, they probably would have rebooked you all the way through to SYD at check in.

However, as Princess Fiona has suggested, it seems like the best course of action now is pursuing AA for EC 261 (or UK 261) compensation.

 

[boffman]

Thank you both. Yes it was AA135. As one does in that kind of situation I was panicking a bit as I had to be back in Sydney by Saturday morning. There were plenty of other oneworld routes that would have worked and I was disappointed to be told by both AA and QF that they couldn’t put me on another airline (in any class).
Thank you for the advice, I’ll put a claim into to AA under UK261.

 

[DAC1]

Assuming that you spoke to both AA and QF over the phone, I am (unfortunately) not surprised that was the outcome.

If you had tried in person at check in LHR, you might have had better luck.

All the best with seeking compensation.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Couple of thoughts (in no particular order). During irregular operations (IRROPS) like this, never ever request a refund. You don't want it. Doing so releases the airline from their liability to transport and compensate you. Much better to get where you are going and collect whatever compensation is due by the airline. Now in terms of how to deal with an IRROPS like this generally speaking once the flight is within control of the airport (i.e. less than 24 hours prior to departure) you can deal directly with the airline at the airport to get this sorted. Something as simple as showing up to the check-in or ticketing counter at Heathrow should sort this. They shouldn't have an issue rebooking you with whatever airline gets you home since IRROPs are common and the airlines have agreements with each other to transport you on each other's service. What I would be looking for as a passenger is what routing I would prefer on the alliance. For instance, I would be looking at BA or QF flights to SYD from LHR since that is arguably a substantially better routing than via the US (don't get me wrong I love transiting the US but not all travellers are Canadians holding Nexus meaning they get to bypass immigration, customs and TSA queues). At the same time, I would be looking at when I arrive in SYD versus when I was scheduled to arrive, if it's more than 4 hours UK261 is owed. If I need to overnight it or need meals, the airline causing the disruption (AA) is required to provide those free of charge as their duty of care per UK261. Last and certainly not least, this is an international itinerary between two IATA member states who signed the Montreal Convention 1999. One of the many things the Montreal Convention provides for international itineraries is up to $7000 USD in compensation for out of pocket expenses caused by such travel disruptions. For instance, if you had a hotel booked in Sydney that you couldn't stay at, you get to claim that expense back to the airline.

-RooFlyer88

 

[Princess Fiona]

Couple of thoughts (in no particular order). During irregular operations (IRROPS) like this, never ever request a refund. You don't want it. Doing so releases the airline from their liability to transport and compensate you. Much better to get where you are going and collect whatever compensation is due by the airline. Now in terms of how to deal with an IRROPS like this generally speaking once the flight is within control of the airport (i.e. less than 24 hours prior to departure) you can deal directly with the airline at the airport to get this sorted. Something as simple as showing up to the check-in or ticketing counter at Heathrow should sort this. They shouldn't have an issue rebooking you with whatever airline gets you home since IRROPs are common and the airlines have agreements with each other to transport you on each other's service. What I would be looking for as a passenger is what routing I would prefer on the alliance. For instance, I would be looking at BA or QF flights to SYD from LHR since that is arguably a substantially better routing than via the US (don't get me wrong I love transiting the US but not all travellers are Canadians holding Nexus meaning they get to bypass immigration, customs and TSA queues). At the same time, I would be looking at when I arrive in SYD versus when I was scheduled to arrive, if it's more than 4 hours UK261 is owed. If I need to overnight it or need meals, the airline causing the disruption (AA) is required to provide those free of charge as their duty of care per UK261. Last and certainly not least, this is an international itinerary between two IATA member states who signed the Montreal Convention 1999. One of the many things the Montreal Convention provides for international itineraries is up to $7000 USD in compensation for out of pocket expenses caused by such travel disruptions. For instance, if you had a hotel booked in Sydney that you couldn't stay at, you get to claim that expense back to the airline.

-RooFlyer88

No, accepting a refund for a delayed flight doesn’t at all absolve the airline of their responsibilities to compensate on EU 261.

 

[RichardMEL]

OT but I've learned something - that SQ codeshare and can redeem on MH KIUL-LHR v.v. interesting!

 

[boffman]

Assuming that you spoke to both AA and QF over the phone, I am (unfortunately) not surprised that was the outcome.

If you had tried in person at check in LHR, you might have had better luck.

All the best with seeking compensation.

Also @Princess Fiona
Thank you both for the advice. I used an outfit called AirHelp. Super easy online form. Their fee was 35%. They got the full compensation amount of £520 for me in about 6 weeks. Happy to fork over 35% for their service, must have taken me 10 minutes tops.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Also @Princess Fiona
Thank you both for the advice. I used an outfit called AirHelp. Super easy online form. Their fee was 35%. They got the full compensation amount of £520 for me in about 6 weeks. Happy to fork over 35% for their service, must have taken me 10 minutes tops.

Great to hear you got the compensation you deserved. What I will point out is that at least in the EU/UK where some form of the 261 applies, you can totally do this on your own without the use of a service like AirHelp. For instance, a colleague had their flight from Gatwick to Vancouver cancelled back in 2019, and I completed the EU261 form with the airline (WestJet) which took about 10 minutes to fill out. About 2 weeks later they got their 600 Euros in compensation by email. This is not to say that firms like AirHelp aren't beneficial, particularly when the cause of the IRROP isn't as clear cut as a simple cancellation/delay or involving complex ticketing. But it should be noted that claiming compensation isn't as onerous as some people make it out to be. To give you yet another example, my Dad's flight to Edmonton got delayed by more than 6 hours and as a result he was eligible to claim APPR in Canada. I filled out the form with the airline for him (from Air Canada) and about 3 weeks later the airline contacted him asking for bank details to wire the $1000 they owed him. Indeed, an airline denying an EU261 claim needs to think long and hard about the denial because if they end up getting the decision wrong, and it turns out that it was a clear cut (black and white) decision to provide compensation, they could be on the hook for significant penalties by the local aviation authority (i.e. UK Civil Aviation Authority).

-RooFlyer88

 

[boffman]

Couldn’t agree more. And I assume the information I gave AirHelp is the same info I would have put into the form. I think because it was my first time and I was super busy with work and family, AirHelp was the path of least resistance. I’ll use the form if there’s a next time.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Couldn’t agree more. And I assume the information I gave AirHelp is the same info I would have put into the form. I think because it was my first time and I was super busy with work and family, AirHelp was the path of least resistance. I’ll use the form if there’s a next time.

My understanding is that all airlines operating to the EU must provide a form to fill out for EU261. And coming soon, they will be obligated to hand you that form during a disruption which you can fill out to request EU261 compensation then and there.

 

[CaptJCool]

i found this blurb from QF

https://www.qantas.com/content/dam/qantas/pdfs/fly/dangerous-goods/qantas-ec-notification.pdf

seems like its a "hidden" benefit - I wonder how many PAX know they are eligible?

Passenger Rights European Union − Support − American Airlines

www.americanairlines.co.uk

Will Qantas pay EU261 compo for QF2 LHR 4hr+ delays?

Been 15 days and still haven't received EU261 payment so just gave them a call. Seems they had punched in a wrong account digit and therefore was rejected by the bank. (I had typed out my details on the customer care payment form in bold arial font - so wasn't my handwriting :)) Have now...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

PS

Flights to or from Canada​

If you are travelling on flights to or from Canada, refer to Canadian Air Passenger Protection Regulations for further information.

 

[dajop]

My understanding is that all airlines operating to the EU must provide a form to fill out for EU261.

Not that it is relevant in this instance, but a subtle distinction is that EU261/UK equivalent applies to EU/UKbased airlines operating to the EU/UK whilst it applies to all airlines operating from the EU/UK.