Royal Brunei schedule changes - WTF?

[guerre64]

I've booked for the first time to fly with RB from MEL-MNL return in J. Their schedule for connections through Bandar was all hunky-dory when I booked the flights - leaving MEL at a civilised time of 1315 with a 2 hour layover before the flight to MNL and arriving at 2110.

Return was leaving MNL Saturday @ 1355 getting into Bandar at 1600, 4 hour layover and arriving back into MEL 0700 Sunday. All great.

That is until today!

Have received notification that RB have changed their flight schedule for my return flights. Now my flight from MNL is at 2150 getting into Bandar at 2355 which makes it impossible to connect to the flight MEL, which of course still leaves at 2000, so they've booked me on that flight the next night, which means I get back into MEL a day too late and, I now have to fork out for accommodation in Bandar for the night.

I've already told the TA that I can't arrive a day later, so my only option is to leave MNL a day earlier, but I still have to stay a night in Bandar as opposed to my extra night in MNL (much more preferable to stay in MNL). And this is all after I've flown into MNL from LHR with Etihad to catch up with friends, who are flying in from Iloilo for the 2 nights that I was meant to be in MNL. What a royal pain in the butt RB are turning out to be!! Luckily, I haven't booked my MNL accommodation as yet.

Has anyone had this experience before with RB (or any other airline for that matter)? What are my rights in this situation?

I know the T&Cs say that airlines can change their schedule without notice, but surely if a pax is then forced to stay another 24 hours somewhere they should be liable for some sort of compensation or hotel costs??

Any feedback appreciated.

 

[eastwest101]

You mention using a TA - can I ask which legs what have you paid for or not? Are the Ethiad flights from LHR-MNL already booked and seperate bookings? I would be telling my TA that the alternatives offered are not acceptable but sort of depends on how much you value this travel agent?

The TA should be the one offering alternatives but I understand that you are already booked and confirmed on the re-timed Royal Brunei flights from MNL-Bandar-MEL?

If cacellation fees are not too bad, may be worthwhile throwing out the idea of flying Royal Brunei altogether, simplify your life and fly from MNL back to Australia thus looking at other alternatives such as Qantas or Phillipine Airlines or via KL with Malaysian, via SIN with SQ, via HKG with CX etc

Just my 2c worth....

 

[guerre64]

Unfortunately eastwest01, all tickets have been paid for. There's a $250 cancellation fee from the TA and possibly further from RB I would imagine.

I've noticed that RB have not actually changed the flight schedule for Sunday 17th November - that flight leaves MNL at 1505 and gets in with plenty of time to connect to the 2000 flight to MEL. Sure, I will still have to arrange an extra day off at the end of my trip, but it's possibly a preferable solution to staying a night in Bandar and losing the night in Manila with friends. I note with a mixture of concern and intrigue though, that the MNL-BWN for that Sunday arvo is on their recently delivered 787. It would be great to experience the 787, but the reported reliability issues that other airlines seem to be experiencing worries me - what if the flight doesn't actually end up happening??!!

Have no idea what to do really.

 

[Isochronous]

Out of curiosity what lounge do the use in MEL?

 

[guerre64]

I believe they use CX's lounge - that's the most recent info I have, but it could be wrong.

 

[sinophile888]

I flew with Royal Brunei quite frequently when they flew out of PER. Their fares were very competitive and their schedule suited me as I prefer all day time flights. Mostly, the overnight stays in BSB were included in the fare as they had no connecting fares to offer.

However, we did suffer from schedule changes and found this unreliability wearing. The final straw was when they ceased their flights out of PER and re-booked us onto an overnight Virgin flight to MEL connecting with their MEL flights to BSB and beyond.

We received a full refund in this case and started using CX to get to HKG or PVG.

 

[joyvee]

Realise that this is too late but thought it may be useful for others reading it.
When there is more than an 8 hour stop over I believe the airline has to provide the passenger with accommodation. BI provides hotel accommodation, meal/s, and transfers to and fro airport.

When I flew Asiana, we arrived in Seoul about 5 pm, checked into hotel, ate dinner, went shopping, went to bed , ate brekky and then caught bus back to airport to get only connecting flight available to destination. Mmost comfortable hotel and great plentiful food options. JoyV

 

[mannej]

Realise that this is too late but thought it may be useful for others reading it.
When there is more than an 8 hour stop over I believe the airline has to provide the passenger with accommodation. BI provides hotel accommodation, meal/s, and transfers to and fro airport.

When I flew Asiana, we arrived in Seoul about 5 pm, checked into hotel, ate dinner, went shopping, went to bed , ate brekky and then caught bus back to airport to get only connecting flight available to destination. Mmost comfortable hotel and great plentiful food options. JoyV

Where do you get the part about the airline having to provide accommodation? Not all airlines do for stop overs such as that.

 

[ftm]

RB should be able to provide a refund at no penalty if the reschedule is not suitable. I would expect the TA to do the same in the circumstances - at least that is what we do.

 

[TomVexille]

Where do you get the part about the airline having to provide accommodation? Not all airlines do for stop overs such as that.

Yeah, airlines don't have to, but several do, Asiana being one of them.

 

[serfty]

Where do you get the part about the airline having to provide accommodation? Not all airlines do for stop overs such as that.

It depends on an individual airlines' policy, but I believe it used to be an IATA standard.


Some fares specifally exclude such with entries such as "PASSENGER EXPENSES NOT PERMITTED".

 

[markis10]

It depends on an individual airlines' policy, but I believe it used to be an IATA standard.


Some fares specifally exclude such with entries such as "PASSENGER EXPENSES NOT PERMITTED".

IATA Rule 102 and mentions specific areas. If a passenger has 6 hours between connections in the following regions:

IATA Area 2 consists of all of Europe (including Russian Federation west of the Urals) and adjacent islands, Iceland, the Azores, all of Africa and adjacent islands, Ascension Island, the part of Asia lying west of and including Iran.


IATA Area 3 consists of all of Asia and adjacent islands, except the portion included in Area 2, all of the East Indies, Australia, New Zealand and adjacent islands, the islands of the Pacific Ocean except those included in Area 1.

However it's a rule that's optional for the airlines, and many have opted out. Often you will see STOPC not applicable or similar in the fare rules.