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Old Apr 14, 2016, 12:38 am
  #1  
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Overbooked Aeagean Flight

Can I trust that I will receive the promised Euro 250? Should have asked how I will get paid. But what if the money never arrives?

Aeagean called me and offered Euro 250 if I agree to fly the day before or the day after in early June. They will call back later today, so I have to make a decision.

And thanks for your insights
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Old Apr 14, 2016, 1:13 am
  #2  
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In general, A3 & OA are amongst the least obstructive airlines for paying mandatory compensation.

However, I imagine we'll need some more detail from you. This doesn't sound like an EC261/2004 issue so far ahead of your flight, when timetable changes would not come into the scope for compensation, and certainly it would be extremely unusual if any airline paid out what might be the maximum compensation for an involuntary denied boarding situation seven weeks ahead of the flight (as in, it never happens until the day when the number of people checked in is clearer).
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Old Apr 14, 2016, 1:15 am
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Even if EC261 applied, you wouldn't get more, so take the money and change flights, if that suits you.
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Old Apr 14, 2016, 1:35 am
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Originally Posted by NWIFlyer
This doesn't sound like an EC261/2004 issue so far ahead of your flight, when timetable changes would not come into the scope for compensation,
It's not! As the title says, it's a simple case of overbooking, and acceptance by the passenger of an offer to travel on any other service means that this is a case of voluntary denied boarding. EC261/2004 therefore does not apply.

When I took my first ever A3 flight last year (OSL-ATH) they asked me at check-in at the airport if I would like to take a later flight and accept €250; given that I was in business class and the later flight would be economy, and that I only had one day in Athens before flying onwards, I declined.

To the OP: If they ring back (and they may not, because other passengers contacted may have been more proactive in accepting the offer and cash immediately) they will detail the money transfer process.

You have no reason to fear that they won't pay up.
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Old Apr 14, 2016, 1:42 am
  #5  
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> In general, A3 & OA are amongst the least obstructive airlines for paying mandatory compensation.

So A3 means Aegean? So if they call again I don't have to worry about not receiving the promised Euro 250?

I only paid something like Euro 90 for the flight. Booked it months ago for early June. Originally scheduled for 9 am. Got a call a few weeks ago saying the flight was canceled but I could take a later midday flight (booking number did not change). Now I get another call saying the midday flight is overbooked. They offered to reschedule the day before or they day after, a free ticket, and the said Euro 250.
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Old Apr 14, 2016, 1:44 am
  #6  
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Originally Posted by NaxosFan
I only paid something like Euro 90 for the flight.
This is why I don't think you will hear back! They are clearly ringing around and I bet they will have received enough immediate positive responses from other passengers who did not need to think twice and are more than happy to travel on another day given that most people will have paid only a fraction of the compensation amount on offer!!!

And yes, A3 is Aegean (it is their IATA code; you will see it on all of their flight codes)
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Old Apr 14, 2016, 1:47 am
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Originally Posted by irishguy28
It's not! As the title says, it's a simple case of overbooking, and acceptance by the passenger of an offer to travel on any other service means that this is a case of voluntary denied boarding. EC261/2004 therefore does not apply.

When I took my first ever A3 flight last year (OSL-ATH) they asked me at check-in at the airport if I would like to take a later flight and accept €250; given that I was in business class and the later flight would be economy, and that I only had one day in Athens before flying onwards, I declined.
You are quoting a little selectively.

As I said later on, when I laid out the other criteria in which EC261 would apply, airlines do not offer money seven weeks in advance of a flight on a potential overbooking - they wait until check-in, as in your case.

This means that, whatever the background, this is not going to be EC261 related - either on time change or IDB. I'm merely covering all bases.

In the case of VDB, of course, the payment is between the passenger and the airline, so there's no legal framework that compels the airline to pay cash. It'll therefore become a negotiation, and might well end up as travel vouchers. That's why more details as to the circumstances behind the offer, which seem a little unusual, would be helpful so the OP can be guided as to what payment form A3 is likely to offer.
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Old Apr 14, 2016, 1:55 am
  #8  
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Originally Posted by NaxosFan
> In general, A3 & OA are amongst the least obstructive airlines for paying mandatory compensation.

So A3 means Aegean? So if they call again I don't have to worry about not receiving the promised Euro 250?

I only paid something like Euro 90 for the flight. Booked it months ago for early June. Originally scheduled for 9 am. Got a call a few weeks ago saying the flight was canceled but I could take a later midday flight (booking number did not change). Now I get another call saying the midday flight is overbooked. They offered to reschedule the day before or they day after, a free ticket, and the said Euro 250.
Ah, okay - this begins to make more sense. Clearly the amalgamation of two flights into one means that the operating flight is so far overbooked A3 knows in advance some bumping is inevitable, so it's trying to avoid issues at the airport.

However, it is not liable to pay you any compensation under EC261 given it's more than two weeks before your flight, so I'm surprised they're offering. All they have to do is move you to an alternative flight.

This is Wikipedia's text on the subject:

If a flight is cancelled, passengers are automatically entitled to their choice of (a.) re-routing to the same destination at the earliest opportunity (under comparable conditions); (b.) later rerouting, at the passenger's convenience, to the same destination under comparable conditions (subject to seat availability); or (c.) a refund of the ticket as well as a return flight to the point of first departure, when relevant. Any ticket refund is the price paid for the flight(s) not used, plus the cost of flights already flown in cases where the cancellation has made those flights of no purpose. Where applicable, passengers are also entitled to refreshments, communication and accommodation as described below. Where re-routing is to another airport serving the same destination, the airline must pay for onward transport to the original airport or to a close-by destination agreed with the passenger. These choices, and the entitlement to refreshments, etc., apply to all cancellations, regardless of whether the circumstances are extraordinary or not.

It is unclear whether "the earliest opportunity" requires airlines to endorse a ticket onto another carrier.

The airline is also required to pay cash compensation as described below, unless one of the following conditions applies:

-the airline notifies the passengers at least two weeks prior to departure

-the airline notifies the passengers between one and two weeks prior to departure, and re-routes passengers so that they can:
-depart no more than two hours earlier than scheduled, and
-arrive no more than four hours later than scheduled
-the airline notifies the passengers less than one week prior to departure, and re-routes passengers so that they can:
-depart no more than one hour earlier than scheduled, and
-arrive no more than two hours later than scheduled
-the cancellation was caused by extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided by any reasonable measure.

-The airline must also provide an explanation to passengers of alternative transport.
In the circumstances, if the offer's still there and you don't mind the day difference, snap their hand off and take it.
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Old Apr 14, 2016, 1:57 am
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NaxosFan, please let us eventually know how the story ends.
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Old Apr 14, 2016, 2:03 am
  #10  
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Never mind.
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Old Apr 21, 2016, 1:12 am
  #11  
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So here is how the story ends. Aegean did call back as promised. I agreed to change the flight to the next day. For the Euro 250 I had to email my bank information. They acknowledged the email with another phone call. The money arrived within a day. And for the free flight within Greece I have to call them and mention the rebooking within one year.

I think they also said that if I cancel the rebooked flight I will get Euro 49 back of the original purchase price.
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Old Apr 22, 2016, 3:30 pm
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Great deal for you! Nice. :-)
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