Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles - A/C Downgrade 777 to A340 1st class booked

I have a Bmi reward booking for mid July from IST to SIN. Was booked in F class but have just seen CMT with an aircraft change! I had planned to get the car from IST to the airport and am pretty p@@@d off.

I have had no call from Diamond Club and wondered what are might rights. Are there any other routes from IST that I can asked to be reprotected on where TK have the 1st class product - its 16 July.

Am I entitled to EU compensation? Any advice would be welcome.

TK modified their schedules on 28 May, replacing the 77W on the LHR-IST route with A330/340 equipment on many dates in June and July. At the moment the 77W operates its full schedule from the end of July to the timetable change on 24 Oct, when long-haul aircraft disappear from that route.

Several posters in the bmi forum affected by changes such as this on diamond club reward bookings advise contacting the pre-travel support department at the bmi Donington head office.

..

Am I entitled to EU compensation? Any advice would be welcome.

Hmm... why would you be entitled to any compensation??

TK didn't cancel the flight. Its just an aircraft change.

Because the A340 does not have F accommodation. Would it not count as involuntary denied boarding for the original poster if the booked class was not available?

However just noticed that you said that the flight was from IST-SIN. As neither county is in the EU and the carrier is also not EU based I don't think your protected. My understanding is that if the flight was LHR-IST or return you would be covered.

However just noticed that you said that the flight was from IST-SIN. As neither county is in the EU and the carrier is also not EU based I don't think your protected. My understanding is that if the flight was LHR-IST or return you would be covered.

Even then, I don't believe you would be - my understanding is that downgrades are not considered IDB. Moreover, even an early cancellation would not be considered IDB at all and the only obligation for the cancelling airline would be to provide alternative schedules or a ticket refund. Chances are that your main 'right' would be to have your DC miles refunded and your reservation cancelled if you so wish. I therefore think that Oxon Flyer's advice is excellent.

Thanks for the advice. I did a bit of searching and found this:

Upgrading and downgrading

If an air carrier places a passenger in a class lower than that for which the ticket was purchased, the passenger must be reimbursed within seven days, as follows:

30% of the price of the ticket for all flights of 1500 kilometres or less;
50% of the price of the ticket for all intra-Community flights of more than 1500 kilometres, except flights between the Member States and the French overseas departments, and for all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kilometres;
75% of the price of the ticket for all other flights, including flights between the Member States and the French overseas departments.

at: http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/protection_of_consumers/l24173_en.htm

My trip does start at LHR (but that's on a different tkt and still on the 777). So I think I won't be entitled to anything. I will give DC a call tomorrow.

Does anyone know why the 777 was downgraded? I can't find other flights to SIN that has it. Did they switch it to the new YYZ route.

Yup, I saw that also, it also specifically states that FF tickets are covered (for EU origin or destination flights). The bit I can't see a clear answer to however is what counts as the 'price of the ticket'. If it's just the taxes and fees you paid then it's of little use but if they have to pay out on the published price of a revenue ticket then that's a very different story! Does anyone know what happens in practice?

So I think I won't be entitled to anything.

Your thinking is correct. EU rules are completely irrelevant as the ticket is IST (non EU) to SIN (non EU) on TK (non EU).

You are entitled to a refund of the difference in miles (or cash/miles), if you accept the change, or a full refund without cancellation fee.

I notice this route is also A330/A340 in August as well now and will also be extended to CGK from 10 AUG.

However it is currently showing as 77W from the start of September to end of summer schedule (except Tuesdays). I'm booked in F at the end of september so it is brown trouser time. I'll be keeping a very close eye on CMT for the next few months :eek:

Just scheduled on LHR, BKK and HKG for the next couple of months from what I can see, though no more than when they did SIN too. I wonder now that the 77W's are on a two year dry lease (from last week) if they're taking them out of service one at a time for a bit of maintenance and Turkishing of the cabin?

Also, while it hasn't been officially announced, it seems TK will be taking another one on dry lease. Jet were given permission to do so by the Indian court about a month ago and Gulf Air will soon start handing back the wetleased 77W's they no longer want.

It's confirmed that the 77W will be flying to Seoul and Beijing instead of SIN.

It's confirmed that the 77W will be flying to Seoul and Beijing instead of SIN.

Hi FlyingOnceMore, can I ask where you got this information?

Hi FlyingOnceMore, can I ask where you got this information?

Don't know where FoM got the info from but I found it HERE (http://airlineroute.blogspot.com/2009/07/turkish-777-to-beijing-seoul-in-julaug.html)

Seems reliable as ITA shows 77W on days mentioned

From the same source it says that the IST-SIN-CGK flight reverts to 77W for September/October (http://airlineroute.blogspot.com/2009/07/turkish-777-to-singaporejakarta-in.html)

Can't see why TK are messing around like this as it is no way to encourage loyalty for F class pax

I saw it on two respectable forums yesterday afternoon, and tried some dummy bookings on the TK site which showed the 77W listed for those flights, to confirm. We can only wait and see whether SIN actually does get it back in Sept when TK re-jig theiir equipment scheduling, something they seem to do every 60 days.

anyone know where they will go in nov?

I saw it on two respectable forums yesterday afternoon, and tried some dummy bookings on the TK site which showed the 77W listed for those flights, to confirm. We can only wait and see whether SIN actually does get it back in Sept when TK re-jig theiir equipment scheduling, something they seem to do every 60 days.

Not looking good from this response I got from TK customer services. I was going to change to TK F to SIN via LHR/IST from LH F to SIN via FRA in October but think I had better hold off !

Response "UNFORTUNATELY MANY IST-SIN FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO AIRBUS 340 IN JULY AND AUGUST. ITS MOST LIKELY THAT SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER FLIGHTS WILL BE OPERATED BY AIRBUS AS WELL , SO THERE IS NO GUARANTEE IT WILL BE OPERATED BY 777.

IF YOU MUST TRAVEL IN FIRST CLASS WE RECOMMEND YOU TO LOOK FOR OTHER OPTIONS OR YOU CAN BOOK WITH US IF AIRCRAFT TYPE CHANGES YOU CAN CANCELL IT.

WE DO APOLOGISE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE"