Ethiopian Airlines ripped me off. Please help!!
Nov 9, 2015, 10:44 am
#31
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: PDX
Programs: kayaker
Posts: 851
I may be wrong, but as I recall the 50% coupons for domestic travel are a buy-1-get-1-free setup, i.e. you have to be travelling with a companion. I don't know if they give you 50% off a single ticket. Regardless, the 50% is only off the base fare, not the airport taxes or fees so the actual discount will only end up being something like 20-30%.
Nov 9, 2015, 10:44 am
#32
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: New York/Vancouver
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 77
Let me try to clear a bit the situation
The rebooking ticket was with British (DUB-LHR-LAX) and the second leg was operating by American and NOT United as stated in my first post. Sorry for the confusion.
The flights were : BA 831 and BA 1545 which was operated by American.
They ripped me of because :
1. They knew that the initial flight will not depart cause the plane never departed from Ethiopia but they did not inform any passenger.
2. They rebooked me with a flight with another alliance when there was the option to travel with another star alliance partner (LH,LX,SK).
3. I did not have any access to the business lounge which is part of my traveling experience and one reason that i am paying MORE in order to book a flight with star alliance.
4. I did not received the miles i PAID for according to the fair i i chose. If i new that i won't receive any miles for the first leg i would definitely choose another airline-flight.
So the questions are remaining :
1. Is there any hope to get the 5150miles for the flight DUB-LAX?
2. Is there any change to get a cheap mile run and earn around 4000miles till 24th of November for my A3G card in order to maintain my gold status?
Thank you and sorry again for the confusion about the LHR-LAX flight.
Chris
The rebooking ticket was with British (DUB-LHR-LAX) and the second leg was operating by American and NOT United as stated in my first post. Sorry for the confusion.
The flights were : BA 831 and BA 1545 which was operated by American.
They ripped me of because :
1. They knew that the initial flight will not depart cause the plane never departed from Ethiopia but they did not inform any passenger.
2. They rebooked me with a flight with another alliance when there was the option to travel with another star alliance partner (LH,LX,SK).
3. I did not have any access to the business lounge which is part of my traveling experience and one reason that i am paying MORE in order to book a flight with star alliance.
4. I did not received the miles i PAID for according to the fair i i chose. If i new that i won't receive any miles for the first leg i would definitely choose another airline-flight.
So the questions are remaining :
1. Is there any hope to get the 5150miles for the flight DUB-LAX?
2. Is there any change to get a cheap mile run and earn around 4000miles till 24th of November for my A3G card in order to maintain my gold status?
Thank you and sorry again for the confusion about the LHR-LAX flight.
Chris
Nov 9, 2015, 11:40 am
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 22
I may be wrong, but as I recall the 50% coupons for domestic travel are a buy-1-get-1-free setup, i.e. you have to be travelling with a companion. I don't know if they give you 50% off a single ticket. Regardless, the 50% is only off the base fare, not the airport taxes or fees so the actual discount will only end up being something like 20-30%.
The 50% coupon can be used for 1-2 persons. The discount applies for both.
Nov 9, 2015, 1:21 pm
#34
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: PDX
Programs: kayaker
Posts: 851
"The coupon offers a 50% ticket discount for you and your companion, on Aegean or Olympic Air domestic flights. Enter the promotional code in the relevant box during the reservation and the discount will be applied on the selected fare. The discount coupon applies exclusively to the fare amount, thus the airport taxes and any additional fees are not eligible for discount. The coupon is valid only for online reservations through Aegean’s official website and can be used once. It is clarified that, in cases of ticket change, ticket cancellation and non-show, the discount is cancelled. The use of coupon cannot be cancelled; once used cannot be removed."
The 50% coupon can be used for 1-2 persons. The discount applies for both.
The 50% coupon can be used for 1-2 persons. The discount applies for both.
Nov 9, 2015, 2:41 pm
#35
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ Diamond/*G, IHG Diamond Amb, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,239
Nov 10, 2015, 5:37 am
#36
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: U.K.
Programs: QR P; HH D; IHG SpAmb
Posts: 774
While surely the tone of the OP could be kinder, i'm not sure why there is a certain hostility apparent here against the OP.
Also, not all of the advice is really useful. I think you certainly have a case for ORC. You need to request that with your FFP, ie. with A3 and not (as was suggested several times) with ET, they would then liase with the original carrier on your behalf. Whether you will actually be successful is of course a different matter. I personally had several ORCs credited where i was rerouted on a different airline, although i did not have any dealings with either A3 or ET.
Also, not all of the advice is really useful. I think you certainly have a case for ORC. You need to request that with your FFP, ie. with A3 and not (as was suggested several times) with ET, they would then liase with the original carrier on your behalf. Whether you will actually be successful is of course a different matter. I personally had several ORCs credited where i was rerouted on a different airline, although i did not have any dealings with either A3 or ET.
Nov 10, 2015, 6:14 am
#37
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,477
I agree with the point Kiwi Flyer, in particular, has made several times - you are entitled to Original Routing Credit here.
What you must do, and I don't think it's been specifically mentioned, is state to A3 that this was an involuntary re-routing. You should have, somewhere, some paperwork from ET that states this was the case. If you've mislaid that, your struggle will - I'm afraid - suddenly become an awful lot harder.
Unless the rules have changed since I last claimed ORC (it has been a few years, thankfully), A3 should submit the claim to ET for comment. If ET fails to respond within 14 days, A3 can automatically credit your account and claim the money from ET for the miles they've awarded you. You may have to insist this happens - airlines are reticent to do this unless pushed. If ET responds denying the claim, then you'll be in a position where you'll have to submit all the evidence you have and be prepared to fight.
Given most members' year-ends are fast approaching on A3, you should really do this as soon as you possibly can. As others have said, be factual and not antagonistic - the latter will not help your cause one iota. This is not about emotion - it's about getting what's rightfully due to you.
As to other methods of re-qualifying, it really depends on how many miles you actually have - if you were relying on the 10k or so to reach the lower limit and had already flown the four A3/OA sectors, then you have no realistic choice but to fight for these miles as quickly as you can.
If you are ATH based and have enough miles to qualify on segments, for the cost of a few domestics I'd be hopping on a plane this weekend. Incidentally, if you do this your companion voucher will not work for just you - you have to have someone travelling with you.
What you must do, and I don't think it's been specifically mentioned, is state to A3 that this was an involuntary re-routing. You should have, somewhere, some paperwork from ET that states this was the case. If you've mislaid that, your struggle will - I'm afraid - suddenly become an awful lot harder.
Unless the rules have changed since I last claimed ORC (it has been a few years, thankfully), A3 should submit the claim to ET for comment. If ET fails to respond within 14 days, A3 can automatically credit your account and claim the money from ET for the miles they've awarded you. You may have to insist this happens - airlines are reticent to do this unless pushed. If ET responds denying the claim, then you'll be in a position where you'll have to submit all the evidence you have and be prepared to fight.
Given most members' year-ends are fast approaching on A3, you should really do this as soon as you possibly can. As others have said, be factual and not antagonistic - the latter will not help your cause one iota. This is not about emotion - it's about getting what's rightfully due to you.
As to other methods of re-qualifying, it really depends on how many miles you actually have - if you were relying on the 10k or so to reach the lower limit and had already flown the four A3/OA sectors, then you have no realistic choice but to fight for these miles as quickly as you can.
If you are ATH based and have enough miles to qualify on segments, for the cost of a few domestics I'd be hopping on a plane this weekend. Incidentally, if you do this your companion voucher will not work for just you - you have to have someone travelling with you.
Nov 10, 2015, 7:02 am
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 22
Thank you very much for your replies :
Actions completed today :
1. Send my claim to ET in order to get the compensation of 600EUR for the flight delay.
2. Send my initial flight ticket to A3 miles centre and also the revised one in order to check if they can credit the miles for the first leg. They told me that they may be able to credit my miles if the initial fare was eligible and if i was not responsible for this change. They also told me that I have to send a statement that I won't claim miles miles for these flight to any other carrier in case they reply that the miles can be credited.
A3 will reply within the week so we may have some good news for the miles claim.
Last but not least , I would like to know if I am also eligible to request refund for the first leg of the ticket. I have been told that the 600EUR compensation is just for the delay and that i may be eligible to get back the amount paid for the first leg.
Is it possible?
Since i got the rebooked flight i thought that i had not right to claim a refund for the ticket paid for the first leg.
Thank you in advance.
Chris
Actions completed today :
1. Send my claim to ET in order to get the compensation of 600EUR for the flight delay.
2. Send my initial flight ticket to A3 miles centre and also the revised one in order to check if they can credit the miles for the first leg. They told me that they may be able to credit my miles if the initial fare was eligible and if i was not responsible for this change. They also told me that I have to send a statement that I won't claim miles miles for these flight to any other carrier in case they reply that the miles can be credited.
A3 will reply within the week so we may have some good news for the miles claim.
Last but not least , I would like to know if I am also eligible to request refund for the first leg of the ticket. I have been told that the 600EUR compensation is just for the delay and that i may be eligible to get back the amount paid for the first leg.
Is it possible?
Since i got the rebooked flight i thought that i had not right to claim a refund for the ticket paid for the first leg.
Thank you in advance.
Chris
Nov 10, 2015, 7:22 am
#39
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,477
You have no right to a refund for the first flight - ET got you to your destination.
The EC261 compensation is purely for the inconvenience you suffered due to the delay.
Incidentally, as has been said, there is still absolutely nothing stopping you 'double-dipping' the miles on the BA/AA flights and crediting them to a Oneworld FFP. Where A3 has asked you to confirm you will not claim miles elsewhere, they mean the ORC to another *A FFP - not the revised flights to a Oneworld one, which will be completely invisible to A3. For your own peace-of-mind, you may wish to retro-claim these once your mileage with A3 is sorted.
The EC261 compensation is purely for the inconvenience you suffered due to the delay.
Incidentally, as has been said, there is still absolutely nothing stopping you 'double-dipping' the miles on the BA/AA flights and crediting them to a Oneworld FFP. Where A3 has asked you to confirm you will not claim miles elsewhere, they mean the ORC to another *A FFP - not the revised flights to a Oneworld one, which will be completely invisible to A3. For your own peace-of-mind, you may wish to retro-claim these once your mileage with A3 is sorted.
Nov 10, 2015, 2:24 pm
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 22
You have no right to a refund for the first flight - ET got you to your destination.
The EC261 compensation is purely for the inconvenience you suffered due to the delay.
Incidentally, as has been said, there is still absolutely nothing stopping you 'double-dipping' the miles on the BA/AA flights and crediting them to a Oneworld FFP. Where A3 has asked you to confirm you will not claim miles elsewhere, they mean the ORC to another *A FFP - not the revised flights to a Oneworld one, which will be completely invisible to A3. For your own peace-of-mind, you may wish to retro-claim these once your mileage with A3 is sorted.
The EC261 compensation is purely for the inconvenience you suffered due to the delay.
Incidentally, as has been said, there is still absolutely nothing stopping you 'double-dipping' the miles on the BA/AA flights and crediting them to a Oneworld FFP. Where A3 has asked you to confirm you will not claim miles elsewhere, they mean the ORC to another *A FFP - not the revised flights to a Oneworld one, which will be completely invisible to A3. For your own peace-of-mind, you may wish to retro-claim these once your mileage with A3 is sorted.
Thank you.
Nov 11, 2015, 5:42 am
#41
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MRY - CNX - TXL
Programs: UA 1K / *G / Marriott PE / Expedia Gold+ / Hertz PC
Posts: 7,058
[QUOTE=looter;25675112]
3. I did not have any access to the business lounge which is part of my traveling experience and one reason that i am paying MORE in order to book a flight with star alliance.
/QUOTE]
Why not? You didn't get booked into BA J? You mentioned your ET flight was in J but in all your talking points aren't asking about downgrade compensation.
3. I did not have any access to the business lounge which is part of my traveling experience and one reason that i am paying MORE in order to book a flight with star alliance.
/QUOTE]
Why not? You didn't get booked into BA J? You mentioned your ET flight was in J but in all your talking points aren't asking about downgrade compensation.
Nov 11, 2015, 6:39 am
#42
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,848
I believe it was quite clear that the OP was booked in Y on ET and was rebooked to BA/AA in Y - hence, the inquiry regarding lack of lounge access (the OP would have had lounge access as A3 gold when travelling on ET).
The OP was delayed, not downgraded. I'm quite confident that the OP would have made that very clear if downgrade also occured...
The OP was delayed, not downgraded. I'm quite confident that the OP would have made that very clear if downgrade also occured...
Nov 11, 2015, 8:36 am
#43
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MRY - CNX - TXL
Programs: UA 1K / *G / Marriott PE / Expedia Gold+ / Hertz PC
Posts: 7,058
I believe it was quite clear that the OP was booked in Y on ET and was rebooked to BA/AA in Y - hence, the inquiry regarding lack of lounge access (the OP would have had lounge access as A3 gold when travelling on ET).
The OP was delayed, not downgraded. I'm quite confident that the OP would have made that very clear if downgrade also occured...
The OP was delayed, not downgraded. I'm quite confident that the OP would have made that very clear if downgrade also occured...
Nov 12, 2015, 5:07 am
#45
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
There is no legal entitlement to be 'paid' with miles in a certain alliance. Sure uber-frequent flyer Kiwi Flyer has gotten it, I did not ... but affirming that it is a right, goes a tad far for my taste.