Re routing options after cancellation or delay- do pax have a say?

[travellinmumberry]

I was wondering whether we are able to request certain options on re routing of journeys in the case of a delay or cancellation resulting in disruption of the original booked itinerary.
For example- if the original booking was made with Qantas- could we insist on the next available Qantas flight rather than being forced to fly with an alternative airline, or do we have to lump it and take whatever option is given to us? I ask this because of a recent unpleasant experience with United which means I would strongly prefer to avoid them in future.
Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, I did a search and couldn't locate the answer.

 

[JohnK]

I think what would happen is they would offer you an option and it would be up to you to accept that option or ask for alternatives.

I tell you right now I am not flying Jetstar and as a Qantas Platinum I would expect Qantas would accommodate me on s carrier where status means something.

 

[Himeno]

Yes, limited and within reason. They aren't going to offload someone on the other flight or upgrade you because of it. Depending on reasons for the delay, they might only accept the same booking class on the new flight.

The airline staff are going to be on a narrow search to get you to the same ticketed point as quickly as they can find something. That option means they look at whatever option appears on their screen first. If you go to the agent ready with options to fix it, you're more likely to get something you might want.

In 2013, I was booked on US CAE-PHL-LGA. There were storms in one direction and ATC issues in another so that everything heading north or west out of CAE was delayed. I had already noticed an issue with the connection and was heading to the ground agent with an option when they called with a delay on the CAE-PHL flight and for anyone with connections to contact them. The agent was blindly looking for other flights to LGA via PHL and a possible hotel room in CAE or PHL when I suggested the next CLT flight connecting to JFK which would get me to New York with only 3 hours delay and not cost US a hotel room. Within 5 minutes my bags were found and retagged and I was rebooked.

A few months before that, I was booked QF CBR-SYD-NRT. Weather was causing problems in SYD all afternoon and flights had been getting cancelled or delayed all day. When I noticed the delays and the connection issue, I approached the lounge agent and asked about the SYD flight. They were "sure. we'll get you on whatever flight departs first" until I pointed out the connection and they quickly went from to :shock:. After the first idea of going to SYD, giving me a hotel, then putting me on the morning JL flight proved unable (JL was full), the J lounge agent called in the QC agent for help and they started getting creative. I was thinking of other QF options, such as via SIN to JL, before remembering all the QF flights to Asia, other then NRT, had already departed. Their first option was QF to MEL, then a JQ A320 to NRT via DRW and MNL. (how about no) Ended up going via MEL, then HKG to NRT with CX.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I was wondering whether we are able to request certain options on re routing of journeys in the case of a delay or cancellation resulting in disruption of the original booked itinerary.

For example- if the original booking was made with Qantas- could we insist on the next available Qantas flight rather than being forced to fly with an alternative airline, or do we have to lump it and take whatever option is given to us? I ask this because of a recent unpleasant experience with United which means I would strongly prefer to avoid them in future.

Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, I did a search and couldn't locate the answer.

It depends on the circumstances of the delay, overbooking or whatever scenario you're in. It's not so much dependent upon the airline you were originally booked to fly with but whose fault it was that caused you to miss your that flight in the case of a late inbound flight. If the cause for you missing the flight was due to another airline being late and it was on the same ticket, then in the majority of cases they would be liable to get you home ie be the one to pony up the $$$ for your new ticket.

In that case they would probably go for the option that is cheapest for them. If that carrier also flew from A to B (origin/destination of the flight that you missed) they would most likely try to accommodate you on their airline or if they didn't fly that route then another airline within that carriers alliance. The last resort would be another carrier altogether that will charge them the full whack so that would be the least desirable option.

The end result in that you've been a noshow for a flight and chances are the airline was not able to sell tickets at the last minute for the seats that were reserved for you so if they uplift you the next day then that's like you getting two bites of the cherry. It's like holding ticket for a concert on a Monday night then missing that but trying to use the same tickets for the concert on Tuesday night.