Other Asian, Australian and South Pacific Frequent Flyer Programs - Air Pacific LAX-SYD via NAN Cancellations and What to do - HELP Please!

Hey everybody,

First of all, a big thank you to everyone for being such a valuable resource when it comes to flying and travel in general, it is very much appreciated. If anyone could help me out with a plan it would be absolutely amazing, as Air Pacific is seemingly the worst airline in existence, and the weather in Fiji is really causing some problems for me.

I had a flight booked from LAX - SYD via NAN (Fiji) last night leaving LAX at 11:30pm local time. The flight was cancelled while I was at the airport, and I was left without any compensation or help in anyway. Just expected to leave the airport and come back tomorrow and "hope" that the flight will actually be sent out that day.

The only possible compensation was a "discount" on a local hotel rate, so that I could stay for $65 a night, while this may be a deal for some people, I am a backpacker and simply cannot afford this after 7 months of traveling.

Air Pacific is currently not answering phones, and not updating their website (although they said they would at 1pm today [8pm local fiji time] http://www.airpacific.com/Flights/Travel-Alerts .)

This is extremely frustrating, and currently I am staying in Riverside, CA (about an hour and fifteen minutes away from the airport).

Ideally, my flight would be on a different carrier, and skip Fiji in total (as I just need to get to SYD). After looking up Air Pacific on the better business bureau it appears as though they have a rating of an F, the lowest possible rating for a business.

Does anyone have any idea of how to get a different flight, or how to receive some sort of realistic compensation from Air Pacific? Or maybe someone has a corporate contact number, or any type of contact information which could help.

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Currently, I am waiting in Riverside for a website to update and I am guessing it will tell me the flight is as scheduled (as it was last night) and then cancel it again once I am at the airport, thus wasting both my time (my whole day) and my money.

Please help.

Thank you,

Ryan

Ouch. Unfortunately the flooding in Fiji is bad and no-one knows exactly when flights will resume.

You'll need to deal with Air Pacific (or your travel agent if you used one) to get rebooked (either on their flights or put onto another airline).

If you bought travel insurance (before the flight was cancelled) then that may be of help with your costs and staying closer to the airport where it will be easier for you to change your plans.

As Kiwi Flyer says this is a weather issue and not a Air Pacific issue.

The Fiji Gov has requested that no flights bring pax into Fiji until the flooding / cyclone threat is over.

If you purchased the ticket using a credit card, simply call the credit card company to challenge the charge. Do not wait for the airline to make good on its obligation.

If you purchased the ticket using a credit card, simply call the credit card company to challenge the charge. Do not wait for the airline to make good on its obligation.

I wouldn't do that before you get to where you are going. If you were able to successfully reverse the charge (while in LAX) there is no way Air Pacific will take you to SYD for free just to be nice. The OP would then have to buy a very expensive last-minute fare.

I don't know the details of the agreement you made with Air Pacific when you gave them your card (which is all the credit card company will care about in determining any refund) but I doubt it includes any discount when the government halts flights due to a natural disaster (especially as I am guessing the OP bought a discount ticket).



Again, I don't know the details of your ticket, but I don't think there is much chance of them putting you on a UA/QF/DL flight. All I can recommend is staying at the airport and dealing with people there. They have lots of people to deal with and I think you have a better chance of getting a seat if you are at the airport desk, as opposed to over an hour away talking to them on the phone. That has been my experience in weather delays like this. Unfortunately, you have been backpacking for 7 months and will have to for a few more days.


(A quick note about the BBB. Air Pacific has an F rating due to them not giving the BBB business information and not responding to 2 complaints. If they paid the BBB the 'accreditation' fee, they would have an A+ rating. In my experience, the BBB is a joke.)