Pacific Blue has ways of making you disembark

[Platy]

Not knowing what happened with DJ that led to this situation, it is hard to say whether it should have been able to have been circumvented... assume that DJ has standby staff

Indeed, Dave, we just don't know whether DJ has reserve staff for such a contingency, so I am not sure whether we should be assuming it...

 

[Platy]

Involuntary offloading based on check in time seems a fair approach to me

Would you feel the same if it was you, that you had paid full price, had gold status, arrived in reasomnable time at the airport and had a meeting to go to at your destination?

 

[Dave Noble]

Would you feel the same if it was you, that you had paid full price, had gold status, arrived in reasomnable time at the airport and had a meeting to go to at your destination?

If that is their Involuntary Denial policy then that is fair enough. They have to have a policy and someone is going to to be inconvenianced

If it happened to me, then c'est la vie, I'll take one of the other options that was available.

Different airlines have different policies, but last in first out seems as fair an egalitarian as is possible

Dave

 

[Dave Noble]

Indeed, Dave, we just don't know whether DJ has reserve staff for such a contingency, so I am not sure whether we should be assuming it...

I think it is fair to assume that they do have reserve staff

What is also relevent is how long does it take to get a staff member in from being called. If the loss of cabin crew was late enough that they had boarded the plane before losing the crew that it may well be more logical to offload some people

Dave

 

[Mal]

I have requested a copy of any Virgin Blue/Pacific Blue policy on overbooking/not being able to be carried on your booked flight through the DJ feedback channels.

3 weeks and counting. Let's see if DJ are like Tiger in responding to customer's requests!

 

[oz_mark]

3 weeks and counting. Let's see if DJ are like Tiger in responding to customer's requests!

It takes time to write a policy and get it approved

 

[Evan]

It takes time to write a policy and get it approved

yes very funny, i like that thought.

 

[Mal]

It takes time to write a policy and get it approved

Nah there doesn't appear to be a policy. It appears that the best you can expect is as per their ticket terms/Conditions of Carriage:

"8. The Guest acknowledges that the Carrier may need to cancel or delay and reschedule flights or services due to industrial action, landing restrictions, airport loading restrictions, unsuitable weather conditions, technical problems, operational reasons, or any event beyond the Carrier's reasonable control, and scheduled flight times or destinations are not guaranteed. To the extent permitted by applicable laws, the Carrier will in no circumstances be liable for any Losses which a Guest may incur as a result of any such delayed or rescheduled flight or service."

So there is no expectation of any benefit if you are "Involuntary Denied" boarding due to no fault of your own. Any benefit appears to be just magically made up on the spot (hence I have no doubt the article is reasonably correct as to what occurred onboard).

At least V Australia should have some kind of "Involuntary denied" boarding compensation. I believe it is compulsory if you fly to the United States.