bmi diamond club - Can I get these miles back?

So, I had an award booking last week with US which I booked just before bmi left star alliance. It was a one way, ORD-PHL-MAN, with the transatlantic sector in business. Since availability was pretty poor, I ended up having a long stopover in PHL (ca. 10 hours) which I figured I'd do a bit of sightseeing in.

Anyway, long story short, I was hit with a lot of cancellations. The first ORD-PHL was cancelled due to a mechanical error, and I was rebooked on a connection in 5 or so hours time. This flight then turned out to be cancelled, again due to a mechanical problem, and I was booked onto the next flight. By now storms had moved into the east coast and the third flight was cancelled. So, I was given the option to either be put on the flights the next day, or take a direction flight with American. However, since this was a miles booking, they would not book me into business.

Ordinarily, I would take the first option but, check this, my bags had by now been sent to PHL on a flight between the first flight that was cancelled and the second flight I was booked on (and subsequently cancelled). So, since I had no bags, after a large amount of discussion (in which, to be fair, the agents really tried to help and called to see whether I could be put into business) I just took the economy ticket on American (given I had been in ORD for now 13 hours). I did then, however, explain things to the American gate agent and try and beg for a business seat, but despite my shiny new gold BA card, she couldn't do anything.

Anyway, I'm wondering whether you think there's any chance I can at least get a refund in miles between an economy and business ticket? To be honest, I thought it shouldn't matter that my ticket was bought with miles and they should honor the class when putting me on a different carrier, but apparently not. I'm also aware that since it's not an EU carrier there are no mandatory payments due (and, I guess, since I wasn't really delayed in getting to my final destination, just hugely inconvenienced on the way, that wouldn't fly anyway).

I've written to US to ask them, since it's not really clear who deals with diamond club bookings anymore, so I'll wait and see what happens. But was just wondering if anyone had any experience of similar cases, and what I might expect to happen?

Thanks in advance!

You bet you're owed miles back, at LEAST the difference, but I'd aim for more.

Also, don't forget to request credit from AA or BA for the miles on that flight. From their perspective, it was a paid ticket.

You bet you're owed miles back, at LEAST the difference, but I'd aim for more.

Also, don't forget to request credit from AA or BA for the miles on that flight. From their perspective, it was a paid ticket.

I was thinking of requesting credit from BA, but then presumably I need to write to BA to get the miles I'm owed credited back, so they will likely spot this, no? Should I wait a bit for US to reply (likely in the negative), then write to BA and ask them for credit of the owed miles and mileage credit for the American flight? Or should I omit the last part and submit a retro claim simultaneously, hoping they go through different channels?

You will need an expert to verify this , but whilst US aren't a EU carrier, they do fly into the EU so have to abide by the EU regs, in this case 75% back. Can anyone with wider knowledge confirm this?

I was thinking of requesting credit from BA, but then presumably I need to write to BA to get the miles I'm owed credited back, so they will likely spot this, no? Should I wait a bit for US to reply (likely in the negative), then write to BA and ask them for credit of the owed miles and mileage credit for the American flight? Or should I omit the last part and submit a retro claim simultaneously, hoping they go through different channels?

I would not worry about earning BA miles as it's not relevant to what US owes you. They are 2 unrelated sets of events:

1. You flew on a paid AA ticket, therefore you are entitled to AA (BA) miles, regardless of who paid for the ticket (in this case, US).

2. You were flown in coach when you paid for business. You are entitled to compensation from US.

You can wait for the US piece to get resolved if that makes you feel better, but in my experience you should be fine. Others can feel free to disagree if they wish.

This thread will provide some inspiration to you:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/bmi-diamond-club/1347852-involuntary-downgrade-one-leg-award-ticket-miles-refund.html?highlight=refund

In short: US really are the cause of all of this and should be compensating you - as you say its a shame it isn't a EU carrier as otherwise you'd get 75% of the fare difference back for an involuntary downgrade much easier - however as they were flying you to Manchester (in the EU) they are covered by, and obliged to compensate as appropriate, according to the EU regulations. I'm sure FlyingLawyer or someone else has more details on this and what it means - in short, a reasonable refund that would probably be worth more than your miles cost (not sure how the refund/75% back works for mileage fares).

As it is I'd seperately ask diamond club for a miles refund (one or two emails should be sufficient to get that), but really chase US over suitable compensation as per the regulations and their standards. Just terrible service from US, not quite sure how I'd respond myself but I suspect that I'd have just threatened to buy the business class ticket and sue them in the small claims court for a refund. (In the UK that is a relatively cheap and easy procedure well suited for something like this)

In short: US really are the cause of all of this and should be compensating you - as you say its a shame it isn't a EU carrier as otherwise you'd get 75% of the fare difference back for an involuntary downgrade much easier - however as they were flying you to Manchester (in the EU) they are covered by, and obliged to compensate as appropriate, according to the EU regulations. I'm sure FlyingLawyer or someone else has more details on this and what it means - in short, a reasonable refund that would probably be worth more than your miles cost (not sure how the refund/75% back works for mileage fares).

I don't think the EU rules apply: aren't they for travel on an EU member airline or for flights on any airline originating in the EU?

I'll hold out and see what US say. If that's not as fruitful as I'd hope, then I'll chase up bmi. I can't imagine this issue resolving itself quickly!

EU rules don't apply at all. Only works for non-EU flying from-EU or any EU carrier flying to or from.

You are entitled to a refund of miles for the difference between C and Y from Diamond Club.

End of entitlements. Certainly EU rules don't apply, as already noted.

You can claim the AA miles on your BA card without difficulty; you should write to US looking for a little love in response to your downgrade and you'll probably get something from them - they will recognise their responsibility, but remember that you accepted a Y flight, even though a later solution in C was available, so this was a voluntary waiver of your entitlement - and this may feature in their response to you. I reckon you'll be offered some vouchers for future use. ^

You are entitled to a refund of miles for the difference between C and Y from Diamond Club.

End of entitlements. Certainly EU rules don't apply, as already noted.

You can claim the AA miles on your BA card without difficulty; you should write to US looking for a little love in response to your downgrade and you'll probably get something from them - they will recognise their responsibility, but remember that you accepted a Y flight, even though a later solution in C was available, so this was a voluntary waiver of your entitlement - and this may feature in their response to you. I reckon you'll be offered some vouchers for future use. ^

Thanks for your reply. I am aware that I'm not *entitled* to anything more than the refund from diamond club. And I would also agree that by accepting the economy flight over the business flight the next day is some form of voluntary waiver. However, the major factor in my not waiting for the business flights the next day was that I was already without luggage. The ticket agent expected that my bags were offloaded from the second plane after it was cancelled and that I could collect them and re-check for the third flight. It was only then that it was discovered that the bags had been sent on an earlier flight to PHL (one that I wasn't booked on, presumably because others had tighter connections!).

Anyway, if I get the refunded miles, some vouchers from US and can claim the BA miles for the American flight then I will be happy! (And thanks to flyertalk for advising on the latter -- I hadn't even thought about claiming the miles for the American flight, since I presumed it was in an award class!).

A brief update: I credited the miles for the AA flight to BA without problem. I have since received a short email from US stating the following:

"Your flight on American Airlines arrived Manchester before the originally scheduled arrival from Philadelphia, therefore no compensation is due, and I apologize that we were not able to accommodate you in business class on American Airlines.

I’m sorry your bags didn’t arrive with you in Manchester and had to be delivered later in the day by American. Bags may be separated from the passenger by the Airline voluntary due to such things as weight and balance, delayed flights, etc."

Basically, they didn't answer any of my points, regarding the inconvenience of 3 cancelled flights, wasting a day when I could have been sightseeing or working from the US club in PHL, and the fact that I had to settle for an economy class ticket on AA. Essentially, they are not admitting any responsibility, or even apologising that I had this hellish day down to them!

Does anyone have any advice on what to do next? Will I get anywhere replying to this email and making my points again? At the minute, this is a huge thumbs down for US -- do they not care about getting/keeping business going forward?

Have you tried a pm to nicci ? She's very good at getting to the bottom of problems


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A brief update: I credited the miles for the AA flight to BA without problem. I have since received a short email from US stating the following:

"Your flight on American Airlines arrived Manchester before the originally scheduled arrival from Philadelphia, therefore no compensation is due, and I apologize that we were not able to accommodate you in business class on American Airlines.

I’m sorry your bags didn’t arrive with you in Manchester and had to be delivered later in the day by American. Bags may be separated from the passenger by the Airline voluntary due to such things as weight and balance, delayed flights, etc."

Basically, they didn't answer any of my points, regarding the inconvenience of 3 cancelled flights, wasting a day when I could have been sightseeing or working from the US club in PHL, and the fact that I had to settle for an economy class ticket on AA. Essentially, they are not admitting any responsibility, or even apologising that I had this hellish day down to them!

Does anyone have any advice on what to do next? Will I get anywhere replying to this email and making my points again? At the minute, this is a huge thumbs down for US -- do they not care about getting/keeping business going forward?

A phone call and escalation to manager may help. You're definitely entitled to something. Just be polite and calm when you call.