Expedia/British Airways Disaster!
Aug 8, 2015, 12:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1
Expedia/British Airways Disaster!
Don’t use EXPEDIA or fly on BRITISH AIRWAYS—unless you want to be left stranded on the other side of the world with no way to get home!!!! We flew to Barcelona to take a Mediterranean cruise, and our return trip was: Barcelona – Geneva; Geneva – London; London –Phoenix. We made our reservations through Expedia. The Barcelona – Geneva leg was on an airline called Vueling (contractor for Iberia, according to our tickets) and the rest of the trip was on BA. Our Vueling flight was late due to mechanical difficulties. Therefore, we had 15 minutes to make our connection in Geneva. This proved to be impossible because we had to change terminals and because Vueling had refused to issue our boarding passes for the BA flights. That’s when the “fun” began. BA refused to honor our reservation and ultimately cancelled it. They blamed Vueling and Vueling blamed BA, and both blamed Expedia. We spent FOUR HOURS on the phone with Expedia and all they did was put us on hold and blame BA! We ultimately had to buy tickets on KLM to get home. We requested that Amex reverse the charge our tickets and also filed a claim with Allianz (travel insurance) for all the associated expenses and the outcome on both is still pending. Here are the details. Please share! http://tinyurl.com/neska3v
Aug 8, 2015, 2:09 pm
#2
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Welcome to FlyerTalk!
We're sorry to hear of your experiences; booking indirectly can subject us to this "ticket ping-pong" where the airlines and OTA decline to accept responsibility and shuck it back and forth.
Please do let us know how this resolves.
Note we've moved your post from TalkBoard Topics to a more suitable forum to discuss this issue.
JDiver
Senior Moderator
We're sorry to hear of your experiences; booking indirectly can subject us to this "ticket ping-pong" where the airlines and OTA decline to accept responsibility and shuck it back and forth.
Please do let us know how this resolves.
Note we've moved your post from TalkBoard Topics to a more suitable forum to discuss this issue.
JDiver
Senior Moderator
Aug 8, 2015, 2:44 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Sorry, but in no event does this have anything to do with BA. You are barking up the wrong tree.
If you were on one ticket BCN-GVA-LON-PHX, it was the late-delivering carrier's responsibility to rebook you to PHX. That was Vueling and not BA.
If you were on two tickets BCN-GVA and then GVA-LON-PHX, you had no protection and when you no showed for your GVA-LON, your remaining segments on BA were cancelled, leaving you stranded.
It is entirely possible that Expedia booked you on separate tickets but presented you with a single itinerary. If you look at your e-ticket receipts, you should see one or two e-eticket numbers. A BA ticket would begin with 125-.
As to booking through third-party vendors such as Expedia: don't do it. When things go wrong, nobody takes responsibility and it may be that nobody has responsibility.
The chargeback won't like work as BA was ready to transport you but you did not appear and KL sold you a ticket which you flew. Whether travel insurance works will depend on the specific policy and whether you were on one or two tickets.
Please let us know what happens.
If you were on one ticket BCN-GVA-LON-PHX, it was the late-delivering carrier's responsibility to rebook you to PHX. That was Vueling and not BA.
If you were on two tickets BCN-GVA and then GVA-LON-PHX, you had no protection and when you no showed for your GVA-LON, your remaining segments on BA were cancelled, leaving you stranded.
It is entirely possible that Expedia booked you on separate tickets but presented you with a single itinerary. If you look at your e-ticket receipts, you should see one or two e-eticket numbers. A BA ticket would begin with 125-.
As to booking through third-party vendors such as Expedia: don't do it. When things go wrong, nobody takes responsibility and it may be that nobody has responsibility.
The chargeback won't like work as BA was ready to transport you but you did not appear and KL sold you a ticket which you flew. Whether travel insurance works will depend on the specific policy and whether you were on one or two tickets.
Please let us know what happens.
Aug 8, 2015, 6:31 pm
#4
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
Is it correct that the original scheduled arrival time at GVA on Vueling was 1110 and BA departure at 1200, and that you also had a terminal change between carriers? That sounds like an awfully short connection when you have to move bags between flights and doesn't allow much flexibility, even if you had your boarding passes in hand and bags checked through (which you did not) and had arrived on time. You also have to factor in that BA requires you to present yourself at the boarding area a certain amount of time before departure, so you really need everything to work perfectly for that to happen. Personally, if those times are correct, I would have done an overnight at GVA, or a longer connection, before booking those series of flights.
Did you try and call your travel insurance provider from the airport, or do they only deal with incidents like this days after they occur?
I'd be curious if you get any movement from Expedia being that they acted as your travel agent.
Did you try and call your travel insurance provider from the airport, or do they only deal with incidents like this days after they occur?
I'd be curious if you get any movement from Expedia being that they acted as your travel agent.
Aug 8, 2015, 7:24 pm
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Is it correct that the original scheduled arrival time at GVA on Vueling was 1110 and BA departure at 1200, and that you also had a terminal change between carriers? That sounds like an awfully short connection when you have to move bags between flights and doesn't allow much flexibility, even if you had your boarding passes in hand and bags checked through (which you did not) and had arrived on time. You also have to factor in that BA requires you to present yourself at the boarding area a certain amount of time before departure, so you really need everything to work perfectly for that to happen. Personally, if those times are correct, I would have done an overnight at GVA, or a longer connection, before booking those series of flights.
Did you try and call your travel insurance provider from the airport, or do they only deal with incidents like this days after they occur?
I'd be curious if you get any movement from Expedia being that they acted as your travel agent.
Did you try and call your travel insurance provider from the airport, or do they only deal with incidents like this days after they occur?
I'd be curious if you get any movement from Expedia being that they acted as your travel agent.
Aug 8, 2015, 7:57 pm
#6
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
I forgot Expert Flyer has the MCT times. Here's what they list for Geneva when I input international to international Vueling to BA:
Sorted out some of the fine print:
"SUP"
"II" is international to international.
Could it be that Vueling doesn't allow international connections when it's the first carrier? If that's the correct reading, could it have been issued as a single ticket to begin with?
Minimum Connect TimesShare Results
STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.
ONLINE .40 .40 .40 .40
OFFLINE .40 .40 .40 .40
** OR * ARE ALL
VY-** II SUP
STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.
ONLINE .40 .40 .40 .40
OFFLINE .40 .40 .40 .40
** OR * ARE ALL
VY-** II SUP
"SUP"
Suppressed at the request of the carrier. This connection is suppressed and not valid.
Could it be that Vueling doesn't allow international connections when it's the first carrier? If that's the correct reading, could it have been issued as a single ticket to begin with?
Last edited by tom911; Aug 8, 2015 at 8:27 pm
Aug 15, 2015, 6:01 am
#8
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
I'd be very surprised if we hear from OP again though. The wording of the post and the linked document appear to be merely rants and/or an attempt to hit every conceivable airline-related site in hopes of attracting resolution from one of the parties involved.
Aug 15, 2015, 9:47 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,846
Yes, we may not hear from the OP again but - but if the rant is true - this incident was treated very badly by Vueling and BA.
There is no MCT issue there. Yes, it was a tight connection, but fully legal.
This was a single BA ticket (on 125-ticket stock) so BA had the obligation to rebook the pax when the Vueling BCN-GVA flight arrived late at GVA and the OP missed the BA connection to LHR and PHL.
Although Vueling was only 40 min. late, I believe it was their obligation to rebook the pax. Vueling may not have been able to rebook as this was a BA ticket, but at least Veuling/Iberia should have sorted this out together with BA. However, I perfectly understand that Vueling is trying to escape liability by arguing that their flight was not significantly late and they fulfilled their part of the contract by delivering the pax to GVA within reasonable time - but I dont think that EU Reg 261/04 works this way/in favour of Vueling in this situation. I assume that Vueling could also have issued a FIM in order to bypass the BA ticket issue (but obviously a FIM would have been at the cost of Vueling).
The OP needs to file a claim for reimbursement of the costs incurred + EUR 600 compensation for delay against Vueling. I would include BA as well. The claim should be filled in Spain or Switzerland (preferably the latter). The OP may contact one of the many air collection agencies to get some help with this - or should contact a Swiss lawyer to lodge the claim.
I don't think this is an Expedia issue as most likely Exp would not have been able to do anything without authorisation from Vueling or BA. Once the first segment is flown Expedia is no longer in control of the ticket. BA claiming that Expedia needs to deal with this, is b**.....
To the OP: Good luck. I'm quite confident that your costs will be reimbursed and you will get compensation according to EC Reg. 261/04 if you file a claim against Vueling in Europe.
Please let us know the outcome of this unfortunate incident.
There is no MCT issue there. Yes, it was a tight connection, but fully legal.
This was a single BA ticket (on 125-ticket stock) so BA had the obligation to rebook the pax when the Vueling BCN-GVA flight arrived late at GVA and the OP missed the BA connection to LHR and PHL.
Although Vueling was only 40 min. late, I believe it was their obligation to rebook the pax. Vueling may not have been able to rebook as this was a BA ticket, but at least Veuling/Iberia should have sorted this out together with BA. However, I perfectly understand that Vueling is trying to escape liability by arguing that their flight was not significantly late and they fulfilled their part of the contract by delivering the pax to GVA within reasonable time - but I dont think that EU Reg 261/04 works this way/in favour of Vueling in this situation. I assume that Vueling could also have issued a FIM in order to bypass the BA ticket issue (but obviously a FIM would have been at the cost of Vueling).
The OP needs to file a claim for reimbursement of the costs incurred + EUR 600 compensation for delay against Vueling. I would include BA as well. The claim should be filled in Spain or Switzerland (preferably the latter). The OP may contact one of the many air collection agencies to get some help with this - or should contact a Swiss lawyer to lodge the claim.
I don't think this is an Expedia issue as most likely Exp would not have been able to do anything without authorisation from Vueling or BA. Once the first segment is flown Expedia is no longer in control of the ticket. BA claiming that Expedia needs to deal with this, is b**.....
To the OP: Good luck. I'm quite confident that your costs will be reimbursed and you will get compensation according to EC Reg. 261/04 if you file a claim against Vueling in Europe.
Please let us know the outcome of this unfortunate incident.
Last edited by SK AAR; Aug 15, 2015 at 9:57 am
Aug 15, 2015, 9:48 am
#10
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
This morning we received an email message from Vueling apologizing for what happened. They asked for banking coordinates and copies of the invoice for the airfare and said they'd wire transfer the $5,600 we had to spend to buy new tickets. This is ironic because Vueling is the party we figured was LEAST likely to accept responsibility. (No idea why they want to do this via wire transfer. It'd be a lot easier to simply credit our Amex, but who's arguing?) Both BA and Expedia contacted us last week after they saw our Facebook and Twitter posts and said they'd "research the issue." No idea how long that'll take. American Express and Allianz both said we should expect them to get back to us within 10 days.
Aug 15, 2015, 9:39 pm
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,409
Is this really the way Vueling would process a refund, especially when it's potentially an EC261 claim? I would never send a credit card number via email and I don't think one should do this with bank account numbers either.
Aug 16, 2015, 7:15 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,846
I consider it relatively safe to send your bank account No. via email whereas I would never send my cc details.
To my knowledge airlines process compensation via bank remittance rather than a credit to a credit card. I doubt they are able/prepared to do it via cc when the cc is not present.
To my knowledge airlines process compensation via bank remittance rather than a credit to a credit card. I doubt they are able/prepared to do it via cc when the cc is not present.
Aug 17, 2015, 6:29 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
Don’t use EXPEDIA or fly on BRITISH AIRWAYS—unless you want to be left stranded on the other side of the world with no way to get home!!!! We flew to Barcelona to take a Mediterranean cruise, and our return trip was: Barcelona – Geneva; Geneva – London; London –Phoenix. We made our reservations through Expedia. The Barcelona – Geneva leg was on an airline called Vueling (contractor for Iberia, according to our tickets) and the rest of the trip was on BA. Our Vueling flight was late due to mechanical difficulties. Therefore, we had 15 minutes to make our connection in Geneva. This proved to be impossible because we had to change terminals and because Vueling had refused to issue our boarding passes for the BA flights. That’s when the “fun” began. BA refused to honor our reservation and ultimately cancelled it. They blamed Vueling and Vueling blamed BA, and both blamed Expedia. We spent FOUR HOURS on the phone with Expedia and all they did was put us on hold and blame BA! We ultimately had to buy tickets on KLM to get home. We requested that Amex reverse the charge our tickets and also filed a claim with Allianz (travel insurance) for all the associated expenses and the outcome on both is still pending. Here are the details. Please share! http://tinyurl.com/neska3v
I booked a ticket on Kayak which directed me to the BA website and it was teh exact same cost to book via BA.Com than Expedia. Being directly booked with BA they would be able to help you quicker as opposed for you having to contact Expedia for every single issue.
Since you booked separate airlines(is Vueling part of One World Alliance?) BA did not know you showed up for the Vueling flight and Vueling wouldn't know you boarded your BA flight unless the systems are connected.
When you book a separate ticket there is no way for BA to know you checked in for Vueling 3323 and no way for them to know about your bags unless you showed the agent both itineraries. What you can do for next time is to call each airline and ask them to add in the remarks that you are booked with BA for Vueling and Vueling you are booked on BA along with the flight info and PNR while this is no guarantee for connections etc it may help to explain why your flight was delayed and perhaps get some sympathy and be able to be switched to the next flight.
Remember each ticket has a different Ticket#and Confirmation Code just like if you bought a Laptop at Best Buy Office Max won't know you bought your laptop there unless you told them.
Aug 17, 2015, 6:36 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
Sorry, but in no event does this have anything to do with BA. You are barking up the wrong tree.
If you were on one ticket BCN-GVA-LON-PHX, it was the late-delivering carrier's responsibility to rebook you to PHX. That was Vueling and not BA.
If you were on two tickets BCN-GVA and then GVA-LON-PHX, you had no protection and when you no showed for your GVA-LON, your remaining segments on BA were cancelled, leaving you stranded.
It is entirely possible that Expedia booked you on separate tickets but presented you with a single itinerary. If you look at your e-ticket receipts, you should see one or two e-eticket numbers. A BA ticket would begin with 125-.
This is the reason when I book online not to bash OP I always look to be sure I am put on an airline that is part of the Alliance and has full luggage nterlining.
For instance I could book on a Delta Ticket Stock and be flown on Air France.
So the OP would look for DL 8599 operated by Air France 84 using their equipment from SFO-CDG
Delta 8200 Operated by Air France 4344 from CDG-FCO
Delta 3344 Operated by Air France 3433 FCO-CDG
Delta 8598 Operated by Air France 83 CDG-SFO
Sometimes Expedia will fly you out using the two one way tickets .
For instance
Lufthansa 455 SFO-FRA
Luftahnsa 343 FRA-LHR
BA 2312 LHR-EDI
BA 2232 EDI-LHR
BA 2864 LHR-FRA
LH 454 FRA-SFO
(Notice how you were transferred to BA to make the LHR-EDI portion and vice versa). Since British Airways and Lufthansa are part of different alliances one would not know if you were checked in or made the flight.
Lets say your EDI-LHR flight was delayed and the LH flight took off to Frankfurt Lufthansa may or may not know you made the flight or not.
As to booking through third-party vendors such as Expedia: don't do it. When things go wrong, nobody takes responsibility and it may be that nobody has responsibility.
The chargeback won't like work as BA was ready to transport you but you did not appear and KL sold you a ticket which you flew. Whether travel insurance works will depend on the specific policy and whether you were on one or two tickets.
Please let us know what happens.
If you were on one ticket BCN-GVA-LON-PHX, it was the late-delivering carrier's responsibility to rebook you to PHX. That was Vueling and not BA.
If you were on two tickets BCN-GVA and then GVA-LON-PHX, you had no protection and when you no showed for your GVA-LON, your remaining segments on BA were cancelled, leaving you stranded.
It is entirely possible that Expedia booked you on separate tickets but presented you with a single itinerary. If you look at your e-ticket receipts, you should see one or two e-eticket numbers. A BA ticket would begin with 125-.
This is the reason when I book online not to bash OP I always look to be sure I am put on an airline that is part of the Alliance and has full luggage nterlining.
For instance I could book on a Delta Ticket Stock and be flown on Air France.
So the OP would look for DL 8599 operated by Air France 84 using their equipment from SFO-CDG
Delta 8200 Operated by Air France 4344 from CDG-FCO
Delta 3344 Operated by Air France 3433 FCO-CDG
Delta 8598 Operated by Air France 83 CDG-SFO
Sometimes Expedia will fly you out using the two one way tickets .
For instance
Lufthansa 455 SFO-FRA
Luftahnsa 343 FRA-LHR
BA 2312 LHR-EDI
BA 2232 EDI-LHR
BA 2864 LHR-FRA
LH 454 FRA-SFO
(Notice how you were transferred to BA to make the LHR-EDI portion and vice versa). Since British Airways and Lufthansa are part of different alliances one would not know if you were checked in or made the flight.
Lets say your EDI-LHR flight was delayed and the LH flight took off to Frankfurt Lufthansa may or may not know you made the flight or not.
As to booking through third-party vendors such as Expedia: don't do it. When things go wrong, nobody takes responsibility and it may be that nobody has responsibility.
The chargeback won't like work as BA was ready to transport you but you did not appear and KL sold you a ticket which you flew. Whether travel insurance works will depend on the specific policy and whether you were on one or two tickets.
Please let us know what happens.
Aug 18, 2015, 1:26 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,053
If Kafka were alive and writing today, "The Trial" would probably tell the story of a third party booking gone wrong.
Imagining a loved one caught up in a situation like this, with no help in sight, and no idea who's actually responsible for what, makes me cringe. One of the reasons I try to stay away from third party bookings whenever it's even remotely reasonable.
Imagining a loved one caught up in a situation like this, with no help in sight, and no idea who's actually responsible for what, makes me cringe. One of the reasons I try to stay away from third party bookings whenever it's even remotely reasonable.