I doubt any lawsuit would survive. It's probably preempted by some federal law or regulation. If filed in CA or NY state court, the airline would probably find a way to remove to federal court (I don't know anything about airline law, though).
Doubt a suit against TG would be removeable. The well-pleaded complaint would probably just state a claim for breach of contract, not a federal question. Assuming TG used a Thai corporation not an American sub to issue the tix, the damages wouldn't clear the $75,000 threshhold for diversity jurisdiction unless aggregated in some fashion.
There was a very forceful poster in the SQ forum who claimed to have secured a moral victory over SQ regarding the elimination of EE on the EWR nonstop and rebooking into plain old Economy on the JFK-FRA-SIN flight, but details were never provided. Thread now locked.
Last edited by MegatopLover; Jun 17, 08 at 8:03 am.
Welcome to FlyerTalk, pinaris! You're another new member of FT drawn into participating by TG's re-jigging of the USA routes.
Your post provides a helpful data point on the options TG is making available to similarly situated pax. What I don't understand is what you wanted TG to do. They offered PE on the LAX nonstop, which added a stop and some time to your journey. But you didn't want that. They offered a full refund. But you didn't want that (I wouldn't have either, frankly). They offered flights on ANA in Economy. But you didn't want that. Finally, they offered PE on ANA to NRT and then Economy from NRT to BKK (on ANA or TG?). You took that but you don't seem satisfied.
So what would have satisfied you? What did you want? TG wasn't going to fly the JFK flight. That was done and gone as an option. Seems like you made out pretty well, though I would have taken the LAX nonstop option, personally.
Companies and people breach contracts all the time. If you're not happy with the workarounds offered, you can always sue for damages. TG made an economic decision that it was losing so much money on the JFK flights that it made more sense to cancel them, try to get everyone rebooked amicably, refund those who couldn't be rebooked, and pay some damages to the few who sue. That's rational breach of contract. They can't be faulted. We can't expect them to keep losing money forever.
Now, as I have posted previously in this thread, the way TG dealt with the rebooking was inexcusable. Announcing the cancellation without having a plan for how to deal with everyone calling for rebookings was just plain stupid. They seem to be working things out now, slowly, painfully, on a case-by-case basis. My sympathy goes out to those who haven't been reaccommodated yet within their reasonable expectations. The persistent non-response shirokuma66 continues to get in Tokyo is unforgiveable. I hope he gets well compensated once a solution is finally on offer.
Thai in Bangkok was the problem, not Tokyo. Tokyo actually came through on one point. The Royal Orchid Plus free ticket I had booked to take the BKK-JFK flight was re-credited to my account, without a fee! A small victory.
Still have not heard "peep" from Bangkok, and have charged back my e-ticket via my credit card company.
All rebooked on JAL, painlessly, but at a premium (in their new premium economy)!
I have not, and don't expect to be, reimbursed for the Delta connecting ticket (worth around $225) that I bought, and now is valueless. Yes, I know I could use it toward another ticket domestically in the US, but with the change penalty isn't worth it. I feel Thai should reimburse me for that since it wasn't my fault my flight into JFK was cancelled. I'm not going to even ask. Why bother when I know the answer will be no, or no response.
Just wanted to straighten out the record. Bangkok was the problem NOT Tokyo city ticket office.
Just wanted to straighten out the record. Bangkok was the problem NOT Tokyo city ticket office.
Clarification appreciated. Bangkok sloughed me off on LA. Head office doesn't seem well-prepared to deal with this. LA is probably doing enough rebookings to know what will work and what won't.
Thai Air is working, in the Thai Air way , to get passengers re-accommodated. But if your connecting flight(s) are not on the same PNR as the Thai flight, you really are on your own. I always had to book my JFK-DCA connecting flights separately and was all too aware that if the BKK-JFK flight was late, let alone canceled, I would have to eat the cost of the ticket.
Programs: THAI Gold, Star Alliance Gold, WorldPerks
Posts: 720
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rampo
. . . But if your connecting flight(s) are not on the same PNR as the Thai flight, you really are on your own. I always had to book my JFK-DCA connecting flights separately and was all too aware that if the BKK-JFK flight was late, let alone canceled, I would have to eat the cost of the ticket.
I was always in the same situation. Kind of a moot point now, but I noticed on the ANA website, they offer all kinds of USA origin points, and offer *A feeder flights to get you to their international gateway, and (presumably) book it all on one PNR. Too bad THAI didn't/doesn't leverage it's *A affiliation more in selling it's USA flights.
Programs: Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus, United Mileage Plus, Northwest WorldPerks
Posts: 1
Hello Everyone,
I am new and like many of you I also purchased the JFK - BKK flight with continuation to CNX on the Thai Airways Domestic (I bought it in April and the credit card had been paid off). Now I called the LA office last week and the lady said that they will refund me my money. I actually don't mind the refund as opposed to them trying to find me a new flight with a re route LAX - BKK. I decided to save them the trouble and booked a Cathay Pacific flight instead JFK - HKG - BKK myself (using my own money without the refund). This leads to my second question. The lady said they would refund me but they didn't give me any receipt or anything or any proof that I will get my refund, what should i do, how am i going to be sure they are going to full refund me. I saw that my credit card got credited $100 or so last weekend and i assumed this was for my BKK - CNX - BKK flight (i had asked for a refund on this flight too) but how come they refunded that but not the JFK - BKK flight yet. I am worried because the JFK flight is for a much larger sum of money (even if i booked economy, i am still a poor college student haha). Whenever I try to call them I get the busy signal and the 1-800 number doesn't work for me. The NYC office is useless cause no one picks up. I have even faxed the LA office and no answer. Does any one else have this much trouble trying to get a full refund?
Programs: Thai Gold, NZ Silver, QANTAS Club Bronze
Posts: 2,885
Quote:
TG793 J 22DEC JFKBKK OK 1135 1645 +1 (23DEC)
TG401 J 23DEC BKKSIN OK 1940 2255
And I thought the flights BKK-JFK-BKK were all cancelled from 01 Jul indefinitely? Which makes the emailed re-booking for the_holy very 'strange' and perhaps worth re-checking....
And I thought the flights BKK-JFK-BKK were all cancelled from 01 Jul indefinitely? Which makes the emailed re-booking for the_holy very 'strange' and perhaps worth re-checking....
Cheers, TK
Flight 1 Saturday, August 23, 2008
confirmed
Departure: 15:30 Singapore, Singapore - Changi, terminal 1
Arrival: 16:50 Bangkok, Thailand - Suvarnabhumi International
Airline: Thai Airways Intl TG414
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200/200ER
Fare type: Business
Flight 2 Saturday, August 23, 2008
confirmed
Departure: 19:20 Bangkok, Thailand - Suvarnabhumi International
Arrival: 21:25 Los Angeles, USA - Los Angeles International, terminal B
Airline: Thai Airways Intl TG794
Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A340-500
Fare type: Business
Flight 1 Saturday, August 23, 2008
confirmed
Departure: 23:30 Los Angeles, USA - Los Angeles International, terminal 4
Arrival: 07:59 +1 day(s) New York, USA - John F Kennedy, terminal 8
Airline: American Airlines AA030
Aircraft: Boeing 767-200/200ER
Fare type: Business
I think they didnt bother to email me anymore to update..sigh..I found this on thai air website. I think those of you who have a reference number can check there. It really sucks having to take American Airline and missing my connecting flight from JFK
By the way, return trip is on Asiana to Seoul and TG from Seoul to BKK to SIN
I just noticed this thread has officially surpassed the "How to Catch a Cab at Bangkok Airport" thread in its number of posts (and that one has been going for over a year!)
Hello Everyone,
I am new and like many of you I also purchased the JFK - BKK flight with continuation to CNX on the Thai Airways Domestic (I bought it in April and the credit card had been paid off). Now I called the LA office last week and the lady said that they will refund me my money. I actually don't mind the refund as opposed to them trying to find me a new flight with a re route LAX - BKK. I decided to save them the trouble and booked a Cathay Pacific flight instead JFK - HKG - BKK myself (using my own money without the refund). This leads to my second question. The lady said they would refund me but they didn't give me any receipt or anything or any proof that I will get my refund, what should i do, how am i going to be sure they are going to full refund me. I saw that my credit card got credited $100 or so last weekend and i assumed this was for my BKK - CNX - BKK flight (i had asked for a refund on this flight too) but how come they refunded that but not the JFK - BKK flight yet. I am worried because the JFK flight is for a much larger sum of money (even if i booked economy, i am still a poor college student haha). Whenever I try to call them I get the busy signal and the 1-800 number doesn't work for me. The NYC office is useless cause no one picks up. I have even faxed the LA office and no answer. Does any one else have this much trouble trying to get a full refund?
Welcme to FT AndrewCarlson, sorry that you got stuck in this mess too, like so many others. Either in this thread or another there is a post about calling your credit card co to dispute the charge, because Thai says it can take 30-90 days to get your $$ back. That would be my suggestion.
Flight 2 Saturday, August 23, 2008
confirmed
Departure: 19:20 Bangkok, Thailand - Suvarnabhumi International
Arrival: 21:25 Los Angeles, USA - Los Angeles International, terminal B
Airline: Thai Airways Intl TG794
Aircraft: Airbus Industrie A340-500
Fare type: Business
Flight 1 Saturday, August 23, 2008
confirmed
Departure: 23:30 Los Angeles, USA - Los Angeles International, terminal 4
Arrival: 07:59 +1 day(s) New York, USA - John F Kennedy, terminal 8
Airline: American Airlines AA030
Aircraft: Boeing 767-200/200ER
Fare type: Business
That is a tightish connection in LAX given all the things you'll have to do.
As I had posted before, I paid for JFK-BKK-JFK in PE for this October.
I emailed e-tkt.thailand@thaiairways.com last Friday, and on Monday got a response saying I had been booked on ANA from JFK-NRT, and TG for NRT-BKK, same for return, but in Economy on all segments.
I replied to the email saying "what about PE?", and this morning I was surprised to see another email from Thai Air saying we're now on UA JFK-LAX, and on TG's non-stop LAX-BKK on an A345, and in PE on the LAX-BKK and BKK-LAX.
Very happy about that! It does seem like Thai Air is trying.
For those of you in similar situations, I advise you to be polite and gracious in your communications with Thai Air, and to be patient.
Thanks to all who have been posting, this forum has been quite helpful.
I will be checking my booking frequently, and let everyone know if there are changes that would be relevant to others.
Never again Thai Airways
It's over, really.
, to get passengers re-accommodated. But if your connecting flight(s) are not on the same PNR as the Thai flight, you really are on your own. I always had to book my JFK-DCA connecting flights separately and was all too aware that if the BKK-JFK flight was late, let alone canceled, I would have to eat the cost of the ticket.
