Canadian Airlines Plus - My CP/Expedia booking adventure

Background: flying CP to LHR on May 16. It's the only CP flight in the trip; off to another city, on another carrier, May 25 1pm. Booked ages ago.

Today, I receive a voicemail from expedia. There have been itinerary changes. Check website to see what they are. I check the website... LHR flight now is earlier on same day on AC. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Since I was at the airport today, I stop by the CP counter. I ask if the CP flight was cancelled, agent "guess[ed] it must be". I go home, check online, and nope, CP flight looks like it is still a go.

I call CP to see if the flight is cancelled or not. Nope, not cancelled. So why am I switched?

CP: If you take the CP flight, you miss your 1 pm connection.

ME: That flight's not till the 25th, so I don't think I'll likely miss it.

CP: Says here it's on the 17th. By the way, I don't know why I can even see it, since it's not booked through CP.

ME: I'm sure it's not on the 17th.

CP: Not our problem, call travel agent.

ME: Call Expedia. Explain perdicament.

Exp: But you're next flight is on the 25th.

Me: I know.

Exp: So you want to be back on the CP flight?

ME: Yes.

Exp: Okay, I'll call CP. Please hold.

ME: Hold, and hold, and hold, and hold.

Exp: Okay, CP is on the line. Hold while I talk to them.

ME: Sure.

Hold, hold hold.

Exp: Hello? Oh, all 3 of us are here.

CP: Says here next flight is on 17th.

Exp: Says here 25th. Plus Mr. Bradley says 25th.

ME: Yup, 25th.

CP: I'll call the resolution desk. Better yet, I'll just transfer you. Please hold.

Exp: Hold more? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif

Exp (with CP music and announcements in background): Basically, CP refuses to change flight, because they insist is will result in missing connection. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif

ME: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

Hold and hold and hold. Half hour later, disconnected from CP.

Exp: Okay, leave me your number, I'll try to sort this out. Sorry, sorry, sorry it's taking so long.

ME: Thanks.

[an hour later]

Exp: Hi... talked to FIVE more people at CP. Finally, you are back on your flight.

ME: Phew.

Grrr... should I really be overruled by the airline, when I try to adjust back to my original schedule, which I know is okay?


[This message has been edited by bradley (edited 05-02-2000).]

[This message has been edited by bradley (edited 05-02-2000).]

They may know something that they are not telling you (ie lying to you) and maybe the CP flight is not a go, is full or whatever. Your best bet may be the AC flight but I would write to CP and complain, especially if it is a significant change in time. There is probably a contractual obligation here that you could challenge if you so wished.

I don't think there is a contractual claim here. The contract is for carriage. The airline is free to make alternative arrangements if they serve to deliver the passenger to the final destination as scheduled.

I think the problem is that the connecting flight somehow got into CP's reservation file, and shows itself on 17th. Until that is gone, the computer will not allow a reservation to be built that is under minimum acceptable connection times. I suspect a software glitch.