Downgraded?

[aus_flyer]

Just wondering if anyone has ever been downgraded? Either voluntarily or involuntarily.

Which airline was it, did you get decent compensation?

 

[oz_mark]

Just wondering if anyone has ever been downgraded? Either voluntarily or involuntarily.

Which airline was it, did you get decent compensation?

I haven't, but I have had the 'joy' of twice sitting next to someone who had been downgraded!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Yes. Due to weather causing misconnects for the subsequent flights I had to reroute. Instead of confirmed first class got bumped back to econ (and lucky to get that since they were oversold and had to bump someone else to get me on that flight). Offered a choice of middle seat way down the back or in the exit row - not a hard choice!

 

[NM]

I was almost invol downgraded on BA LHR-HKG one night due to a last minute aircraft change and less J seats being available. After being handed a Y boarding pass at the gate, I stood and refused to board until all J passengers had arrived. When there was one who had not shown I asked for his seat and was it was given.

Compensation was to be discussed on board - not a good enough solution for me.

 

[JohnK]

The good thing about travelling cattle class is that you cannot be downgraded.

That is unless you are denied boarding due to lack of seats or given a boarding pass to travel with the cargo. :mrgreen:

 

[Reggie]

Wif I and another pax were downgraded at gate on SYD - PER. Basically boarding pass wasn't accepted by reader, sent to desk. Was given new boarding passes, when I looked at them they were economy, and I asked what was going on they said Oh you have been downgraded due to operation requirements (read three engineers were required in PER and they only fly J due to their award). So basically rude, didn't tell us, then when pushed on reasons used the operational requirement card. Gave us no options, didn't tell us of our rights, or offer compensation.

I now know my rights and am familair with Qantas terms and conditions, so it will be interesting when they try it again.

 

[Commuter]

That is unless you are denied boarding due to lack of seats or given a boarding pass to travel with the cargo. :mrgreen:

The way some passengers behave, I think I'd rather have the company of lots of cargo :mrgreen:

 

[JohnK]

The way some passengers behave, I think I'd rather have the company of lots of cargo :mrgreen:

LOL. At least cargo does not recline. :mrgreen:

 

[NM]

Wif I and another pax were downgraded at gate on SYD - PER. Basically boarding pass wasn't accepted by reader, sent to desk. Was given new boarding passes, when I looked at them they were economy, and I asked what was going on they said Oh you have been downgraded due to operation requirements (read three engineers were required in PER and they only fly J due to their award). So basically rude, didn't tell us, then when pushed on reasons used the operational requirement card. Gave us no options, didn't tell us of our rights, or offer compensation.

I now know my rights and am familair with Qantas terms and conditions, so it will be interesting when they try it again.

Reggie,

Sounds like the situation was not handled well. My biggest complaint with my BA experience was the way they handled it. I can understand that "operational requirements" do cause situations where they cannot carry as many passengers as originally planned (mine was due to a last minute aircraft change), but if handled correctly the airline can save a very sour situation from turning worse.

Were you on paid business class tickets? Or had you upgraded with points/UCs or on an award ticket? The SYD-PER flights generally have a fair number of ODU seats filled, so I would expect that if anyone needs to be downgraded for "operational requirements" they would first reverse the ODUs. But there are also many times when the comfy seats on that route are all sold to fare-paying passengers.

Was there any compensation in the end?

 

[madmat777]

I now know my rights and am familair with Qantas terms and conditions, so it will be interesting when they try it again.

Reggie, It sounds like you can refuse, Is that right? Is there anything you can do about it?

 

[Dave Noble]

Reggie, It sounds like you can refuse, Is that right? Is there anything you can do about it?

Yup, ya can accept the downgrade or be rebooked on the next flight with the cabin availability

Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

or be rebooked on the next flight with the cabin availability

which could be never in the case of a route losing a cabin (Jetstar anyone?)

 

[NM]

which could be never in the case of a route losing a cabin (Jetstar anyone?)

In which case you can ask for a full refund.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

or rebooked on another route which has the paid for cabin (may not be possible all the way)

 

[JohnK]

Yup, ya can accept the downgrade or be rebooked on the next flight with the cabin availability

With some routes next flight might be tomorrow or 2 days away. So if you accepted an involuntary downgrade on a fully paid F or J ticket would you be compensated fully with icing on top?

 

[NM]

With some routes next flight might be tomorrow or 2 days away. So if you accepted an involuntary downgrade on a fully paid F or J ticket would you be compensated fully with icing on top?

On a paid fare there should be compensation due. And since the word "involuntary" comes into the situation, in most cases the compensation should be due in the form of cash. Some airlines will try to convince the passenger to accept some other form of compensation (vouchers etc) because they really don't like to pay cash compensation.

In most cases, the cash compensation should be the difference between the fare for the booked cabin and the cabin flown for a ticket purchased on the day of travel. So even if on a DONE4, you should be paid the difference between a full J one-way fare and a full Y one-way fare that would have been available for sale on the day of travel. I suspect this is why some airlines maintain unrealisticly high full Y fares - no one buys them but they can limit their downgrade compensation based on the published fares.

 

[aus_flyer]

Is any compensation offered for downgrade of FF bookings?
Surely there must be something - refund of points?

 

[NM]

Is any compensation offered for downgrade of FF bookings?
Surely there must be something - refund of points?

Points refund would be all you could expect. I doubt the terms and conditions regarding award tickets are very much in favour of protective the passengers in such situations.

 

[JohnK]

In most cases, the cash compensation should be the difference between the fare for the booked cabin and the cabin flown for a ticket purchased on the day of travel.

It sounds like a fair compromise as long as you don't end up losing money on the deal.

 

[NM]

It sounds like a fair compromise as long as you don't end up losing money on the deal.

you can't lose money since you have paid for a ticket and anything returned means a net profit. But how you feel about the end result depends on how much "value" you put on flying in your chose (and paid) cabin.

In some cases the payment can be a significant proportion of the fare paid.