Air France Frequence Plus - flight Canceled/ Getting to Paris

(Mods pls move as necessary)

So I was on AF 191 BLR-CDG, which was cancelled due to mechanical problems about an hour ago. It's now 0530 Indian time. AF staff at BLR are generally pretty uninformed/unhelpful. They've arranged for a hotel for us (Movenpick? Never heard of it.) And I'm in a cab overe there now.

What I'd like to do is call AF from the hotel to talk about rebooking. But I have limited internet -- only my blackberry -- so I can't look up flights easily.

Anyone haave any suggestions as to how best/fastest to get to CDG? I could wait till AF sort this out, but their performance over the last hour was not impressive. I'm in J (2 pax plus lap infant). I'm considering asking them to rebook me on LH which has more flts out of BLR, thoguh obviously I'd connect and I don't know when I'd get into paris. Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks!

I don't know about getting to CDG, but Movenpick Bangalore is a pretty decent hotel. Check out the Tripadvisor reviews (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g297628-d1866706-Reviews-Moevenpick_Hotel_Spa_Bangalore-Bangalore_Karnataka.html).

I could wait till AF sort this out, but their performance over the last hour was not impressive. I'm in J (2 pax plus lap infant). I'm considering asking them to rebook me on LH which has more flts out of BLR, thoguh obviously I'd connect and I don't know when I'd get into paris. Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks!

There don't appear to be any options that would get you to PAR faster than the non-stop AF flight:

[KVS Availability Tool 6.9.9.R3/Diamond - Sabre: Availability/FS/US] (http://www.KVSTool.com/)
BLR Bangalore Bengaluru Intl IN [VOBG]
CDG Paris Charles De Gaulle FR [LFPG]
SUN 10 Jun 2012

Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Availability
--------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
AF 191 BLR 23:15 CDG 06:00 332 J3 C3 D3 I3 Z3 O3 W0 S0 A0 Y0 B0 M0 U0 K0 H0 L0 Q0 T0 E0 N0 R0 V0 X0 G0
IT 114 BLR 20:40 BOM 22:10 320 J7 C7 D7 I6 Z4 Y7 B7 W7 H7 K7 M7 L7 V7 S7 N7 Q7 O7 T7 E0 G0 P7
-> AF 217 BOM 02:15 CDG 08:05 332 J9 C9 D9 I9 Z9 O9 W6 S4 A1 Y1 B0 M0 U0 K0 H0 L0 Q0 T0 E0 N0 R0 V0 X0 G0
9W/## 2262 BLR 21:35 BOM 23:10 738 C4 J4 Z2 I0 P0 Y7 M7 T7 U7 N7 L7 Q7 S7 K7 H7 V7 O7 W0
-> AF 217 BOM 02:15 CDG 08:05 332 J9 C9 D9 I9 Z9 O9 W5 S3 A0 Y1 B0 M0 U0 K0 H0 L0 Q0 T0 E0 N0 R0 V0 X0 G0
S2/## 3262 BLR 21:35 BOM 23:10 738 C4 J4 P0 W7 Y7 K7 T7 U7 S7 H7 E7 X7 N7 Q7 M7 O7 G0 R0 I0 Z0
-> AF 217 BOM 02:15 CDG 08:05 332 J9 C9 D9 I9 Z9 O9 W6 S4 A1 Y1 B0 M0 U0 K0 H0 L0 Q0 T0 E0 N0 R0 V0 X0 G0
AI 608 BLR 21:40 BOM 23:15 319 C4 D4 J4 Z2 Y9 B9 M9 H9 K9 Q9 V9 W9 G9 L9 U9 T9 S0 E0 N0
-> AF 217 BOM 02:15 CDG 08:05 332 J9 C9 D9 I9 Z9 O9 W5 S3 A0 Y1 B0 M0 U0 K0 H0 L0 Q0 T0 E0 N0 R0 V0 X0 G0
9W/## 2326 BLR 16:40 DEL 19:15 738 C0 J0 Z0 I0 P0 Y3 M3 T2 U1 N0 L0 Q0 S0 K0 H0 V0 O0 W0
-> AF 225 DEL 00:35 CDG 06:00 332 J9 C9 D9 I9 Z9 O9 W2 S2 A1 Y4 B3 M2 U1 K1 H0 L0 Q0 T0 E0 N0 R0 V0 X0 G0
S2/## 3326 BLR 16:40 DEL 19:15 738 C1 J1 P0 W7 Y7 K7 T7 U7 S7 H7 E7 X7 N7 Q7 M6 O6 G0 R0 I0 Z0
-> AF 225 DEL 00:35 CDG 06:00 332 J9 C9 D9 I9 Z9 O9 W2 S2 A1 Y4 B3 M2 U1 K1 H0 L0 Q0 T0 E0 N0 R0 V0 X0 G0
9W 812 BLR 19:20 DEL 21:55 738 C4 J4 Z4 I2 P0 Y7 M7 T7 U7 N7 L7 Q7 S7 K7 H7 V1 O1 W0
-> AF 225 DEL 00:35 CDG 06:00 332 J9 C9 D9 I9 Z9 O9 W2 S2 A1 Y4 B3 M2 U1 K1 H0 L0 Q0 T0 E0 N0 R0 V0 X0 G0
AI 404 BLR 20:10 DEL 22:45 319 C2 D0 J0 Z0 Y9 B9 M9 H9 K0 Q4 V3 W2 G1 L1 U1 T1 S0 E0 N0
-> AF 225 DEL 00:35 CDG 06:00 332 J9 C9 D9 I9 Z9 O9 W2 S2 A1 Y4 B3 M2 U1 K1 H0 L0 Q0 T0 E0 N0 R0 V0 X0 G0
EK 565 BLR 10:25 DXB 12:50 343 J0 C0 I0 O0 Y9 E9 R9 W9 M9 B9 U9 K9 H0 Q9 L9 T9 V0 X0
-> EK 75 DXB 15:00 CDG 20:10 77W J4 C4 I4 O0 Y7 E7 R7 W7 M7 B7 U7 K7 H7 Q7 L7 T7 V7 X7
EK 567 BLR 18:30 DXB 21:00 332 F4 A0 Y5 E5 R5 W5 M5 B4 U4 K4 H1 Q4 L4 T4 V4 X4
-> EK 71 DXB 04:30 CDG 09:40 77W P0 A0 J7 C7 I7 O0 Y9 E9 R9 W9 M9 B9 U9 K9 H9 Q9 L9 T9 V9 X9
WY 284 BLR 15:50 MCT 18:10 73G J4 C4 D0 W4 Z4 R4 Y0 H0 M0 B0 K0 I0 Q0 T0 N0 L0 U0 O0 X4 S4 V0
-> WY 133 MCT 02:35 CDG 08:20 332 J4 C4 D4 W4 Z4 R4 Y4 H4 M4 B4 K0 I4 Q4 T4 N4 L4 U4 O0 X4 S4 V4

It seems your flight has been re-scheduled, departing today, May 8th, at 1745 (local) and arriving at CDG at 0400 (local).

JOUY, Where did you get 1745? The message I got at the hotel said the rescheduled flight is leaving at 2315...

I realize in retrospect that my best bet would have been to ask them to rebook me on the 0630 BA flight to LHR and connect to PAR from there, but I didn't realize it in time. (The flight was canceled around 0415 so it probably would have been too late, but maybe worth a shot.)

Anyway thanks for your help all.

JOUY, Where did you get 1745? The message I got at the hotel said the rescheduled flight is leaving at 2315...

My apologies, the times I quoted were UTC, not local, so the schedule you have been given is the right one. My apologies for this confusion.

My apologies, the times I quoted were UTC, not local, so the schedule you have been given is the right one. My apologies for this confusion.
I figured, because CDG is not opened at 0400 as far as I know (cf. the NRT flight that needs to reduce speed not to arrive too early in CDG...)

I figured, because CDG is not opened at 0400 as far as I know (cf. the NRT flight that needs to reduce speed not to arrive too early in CDG...)
CDG is open 24/24 but no AF operation before the NRT flight. As you said, this flight goes at a reduced speed to not arrive too early, as no connection possible before the 7:00/7:30 am bank, no RER, no AF/RATP buses, etc.
Charter airlines (from T3) and FedEx have many flights during the night.

CDG is open 24/24 but no AF operation before the NRT flight. As you said, this flight goes at a reduced speed to not arrive too early, as no connection possible before the 7:00/7:30 am bank, no RER, no AF/RATP buses, etc.
Charter airlines (from T3) and FedEx have many flights during the night.

Slightly OT, but apparently the cost of taking off from CDG significantly increases after midnight (as Goldorak has said, CDG is open 24/24, so this isn't a 'fine', but just a change in the fee scale, presumably to discourage flight operations very late at night). I am not sure at what time in the morning it reverts to the normal cost.

Apparently all AF departures are now scheduled to leave by ~23:30 at the latest, to give 30 mins recovery time in case of delays, before the increased departure fee kicks in.

I hope the OP made it back to PAR alright in the end...

To keep going on the OT:
Aéroports de Paris' fees (http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/Resources/42b09359-b1a0-4084-ae13-b3a391a444c3-Tarifs2012Versionanglaise_V2.pdf)
It seems landing fees are higher between 22h and 06h. There is no take-off fees in this documents though.

Thanks all -- I did make it to PAR, at 0600 today (instead of 0835 yesterday). Turned out that was the best option; the next best was I think BA which would have gotten in around 1130. I was even able to change my reservation at the Park Hyatt Vendome from May 8-12 to May 9-13, still on points.

I hear that on flights to/from the EU you are entitled to a €600 credit in this kind of situation -- I am talking to AF about this. Any tips?

As a general rule, the EU law applies to all flights FROM the EU and all EU based carriers, or at least their flights to the EU. So you would be covered if other conditions apply, but I think the 600 Euro is for cancelled flights, not mechanical delays, where the duty of care applies. You were given a hotel room and I hope also meals.

Note that it is unlikely that AF would rebook you on another alliance, either BA or LH, if they could avoid doing so. KLM might have been a possibility if they fly out of BLR.

However, if you have a full J ticket, it should be refundable (check the fare rules carefully) so you could have rebooked yourself on the flights you wanted.

Yes, they did put me up in a hotel and covered meals, so that was okay. But my understanding is that the entitlement to compensation is in addition to that? In other words I would get the 600 and meals, etc.? Is that not the case?

I don't want to cross post so I've got a different post in TravelBuzz about the compensation question (here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/1344446-anyone-use-flyer-defenders-eu-canceled-flight-compensation-question.html)

Yes, they did put me up in a hotel and covered meals, so that was okay. But my understanding is that the entitlement to compensation is in addition to that? In other words I would get the 600 and meals, etc.? Is that not the case?

I don't want to cross post so I've got a different post in TravelBuzz about the compensation question (here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/1344446-anyone-use-flyer-defenders-eu-canceled-flight-compensation-question.html)


You are entitled both to the Right to Care (meals and accommodation) and the compensation to which you allude. This would be 600 euros x 3 as I understand there were 3 passengers on your booking ref.

The entitlement to flight delay compensation arose following the Wallentin Hermann judgement. Summary here (http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/legal_service/arrets/07c549_en.pdf)


You will need to be pretty determined to obtain the compensation as airlines do not make it easy and will usually cite the 'extraordinary circumstances' defence.

CDG is open 24/24 but no AF operation before the NRT flight. As you said, this flight goes at a reduced speed to not arrive too early, as no connection possible before the 7:00/7:30 am bank, no RER, no AF/RATP buses, etc.
Charter airlines (from T3) and FedEx have many flights during the night.
Thanks for precising. I guess the situation is different with ORY, no?

Thanks for precising. I guess the situation is different with ORY, no?

Yes, very different as ORY has a curfew between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am (I think). And it is strictly enforced, leading to diversions of delayed flights to CDG on almost a daily basis. Several years ago, I was a regular user of a late MPL-ORY flight. It was arriving at 11:00 pm and was the last AF flight at ORY. the crew and ground staff at MPL was always rushing to ensure on-time arrival. I experienced also the CDG diversion last year on a heavily delayed Transavia flight SVQ-ORY. We arrived at 1:00 am at CDG T3 :( and without luggage :mad: