Involuntary Downgrade Issue
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: EXP 2.9MM
Posts: 145
Involuntary Downgrade Issue
My daughter was involuntarily downgraded flying from LYS-YUL. She was on an award ticket that I paid 220K miles and almost $1300 for. I filed a case through the AC website and received a response yesterday apologizing for the inconvenience and offering 45,000 miles as a "gesture of good will." I tried to respond to the email but the email was returned because the address was either invalid or couldn't be found--[email protected].
What is appropriate compensation for this incident? She was downgraded on the LYS-YUL leg from business class to premium economy. She flew YXU-YUL-LYS and returned LYS-YUL-YOW-YXU.
Anyone have a working email address for customer service? I called this morning and couldn't even get put on hold due to high call volume. If it matters, I have Elite 50k status.
What is appropriate compensation for this incident? She was downgraded on the LYS-YUL leg from business class to premium economy. She flew YXU-YUL-LYS and returned LYS-YUL-YOW-YXU.
Anyone have a working email address for customer service? I called this morning and couldn't even get put on hold due to high call volume. If it matters, I have Elite 50k status.
#2
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: YYZ most of the time
Programs: AC SE100K MM, Princess Elite
Posts: 3,921
At a minimum there should be a "refund" of the points difference between J and PY. The difference is 35k. Based on that.... a 10k compensation seems a bit low.
I'd send another request, including that an offer of 45k is not reasonable considering there should have been a refund of 35k. If they came back with 35k + 20k as compensation I'd probably take it.
The taxes likely wouldn't have been much different
I'd send another request, including that an offer of 45k is not reasonable considering there should have been a refund of 35k. If they came back with 35k + 20k as compensation I'd probably take it.
The taxes likely wouldn't have been much different
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE 2MM
Posts: 16,652
If you paid 220,000 points was that for two people? Did they both get downgraded or only one?
the EC 261 regulations should apply to your situation and I think it is worth pointing that out to them. At a minimum you should be getting back 75% of the price of the ticket excluding taxes and fees. Assuming You paid 110,000 points per ticket, that is 55,000 each way, so the "goodwill gesture" is 82% of the price. Thank them for the goodwill gesture and go back for an additional 41,250 points as per EC261 and see if you can get back part of the "carrier surcharge" as well.
https://refundor.com/news/flight-dow...re-your-rights
the EC 261 regulations should apply to your situation and I think it is worth pointing that out to them. At a minimum you should be getting back 75% of the price of the ticket excluding taxes and fees. Assuming You paid 110,000 points per ticket, that is 55,000 each way, so the "goodwill gesture" is 82% of the price. Thank them for the goodwill gesture and go back for an additional 41,250 points as per EC261 and see if you can get back part of the "carrier surcharge" as well.
https://refundor.com/news/flight-dow...re-your-rights
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*SE 2MM
Posts: 16,652
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: EXP 2.9MM
Posts: 145
At a minimum there should be a "refund" of the points difference between J and PY. The difference is 35k. Based on that.... a 10k compensation seems a bit low.
I'd send another request, including that an offer of 45k is not reasonable considering there should have been a refund of 35k. If they came back with 35k + 20k as compensation I'd probably take it.
The taxes likely wouldn't have been much different
I'd send another request, including that an offer of 45k is not reasonable considering there should have been a refund of 35k. If they came back with 35k + 20k as compensation I'd probably take it.
The taxes likely wouldn't have been much different
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
This may a function of a request for compensation rather than an EC 261/2004 request for a refund. As noted above, that is 75% of the base segment fare or roughly 82,500 miles. Any of the $1,300 in cash which is not for government fees & taxes is also subject to the 75% refund. You should be able to see the breakdown of taxes on the e-ticket receipt and thus calculate the refund due.
Doubtful that the taxes will change on an xLYS ticket. Indeed an xLHR ticket would be subject to lower APD (departure tax) based on lower class of service, but I don't think that the French departure will vary.
She, not you, should file a claim and keep it to the very specific, e.g., downgrade and request for specific refund of miles + cash.
Doubtful that the taxes will change on an xLYS ticket. Indeed an xLHR ticket would be subject to lower APD (departure tax) based on lower class of service, but I don't think that the French departure will vary.
She, not you, should file a claim and keep it to the very specific, e.g., downgrade and request for specific refund of miles + cash.
#8
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,768
I'd bet the tax difference is substantial. I was flying from LHR-ORD last month and was lucky enough to be flying in F on British Airways. The FA explained to me that they can be fired for upgrading someone because of the tax issue. She had been told it was something equivalent to misreporting tax revenue.
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: EXP 2.9MM
Posts: 145
If you paid 220,000 points was that for two people? Did they both get downgraded or only one?
the EC 261 regulations should apply to your situation and I think it is worth pointing that out to them. At a minimum you should be getting back 75% of the price of the ticket excluding taxes and fees. Assuming You paid 110,000 points per ticket, that is 55,000 each way, so the "goodwill gesture" is 82% of the price. Thank them for the goodwill gesture and go back for an additional 41,250 points as per EC261 and see if you can get back part of the "carrier surcharge" as well.
https://refundor.com/news/flight-dow...re-your-rights
the EC 261 regulations should apply to your situation and I think it is worth pointing that out to them. At a minimum you should be getting back 75% of the price of the ticket excluding taxes and fees. Assuming You paid 110,000 points per ticket, that is 55,000 each way, so the "goodwill gesture" is 82% of the price. Thank them for the goodwill gesture and go back for an additional 41,250 points as per EC261 and see if you can get back part of the "carrier surcharge" as well.
https://refundor.com/news/flight-dow...re-your-rights
It was for one ticket.
Total for 1 Adult - Fixed Mileage Flight Reward - Business 220,000
Carrier Surcharge - $1,120.00 Canada Domestic/International Air Travel Security Charge - $25.91 Canada Harmonized Sales Tax - $0.91 Canada Domestic/International Airport Improvement Fee - $7.00 France International Passenger Service Charge - $21.98 France Air Passenger Solidarity Tax - $65.81 France Domestic & International Airport Tax - $24.08
- $26.28
Subtotal
$1,291.97
#12
Moderator, Air Canada; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE MM, FB Plat, WS Plat, BA Silver, DL GM, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, Accor Silver
Posts: 16,768
If it were Market Fare, it would have said "Market Fare" rather than "Fixed Mileage". I'm guessing you have status (but not SE) and used a Priority Reward to get access to seats on certain dates on a flight to or from YXU? Priority Rewards open up more seats in Y for Aeroplan bookings but double the price.
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: EXP 2.9MM
Posts: 145
If it were Market Fare, it would have said "Market Fare" rather than "Fixed Mileage". I'm guessing you have status (but not SE) and used a Priority Reward to get access to seats on certain dates on a flight to or from YXU? Priority Rewards open up more seats in Y for Aeroplan bookings but double the price.
#14
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: YEG
Posts: 3,925
@chet do you have any status with AC? The only reason I can think of that you would be charged double mileage is if you booked this as a Priority Reward (referred to as IKK around here). When I had status (lower than SE) I did occasionally see business Priority Rewards available at twice the regular mileage. In those cases there was a business seat available via regular inventory, but a connecting flight needed IKK to get a seat in Economy, and that doubled the required mileage on the entire trip.
EDIT - I see that chet answered my question as I was typing my post.
EDIT - I see that chet answered my question as I was typing my post.
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: EXP 2.9MM
Posts: 145
@chet do you have any status with AC? The only reason I can think of that you would be charged double mileage is if you booked this as a Priority Reward (referred to as IKK around here). When I had status (lower than SE) I did occasionally see business Priority Rewards available at twice the regular mileage. In those cases there was a business seat available via regular inventory, but a connecting flight needed IKK to get a seat in Economy, and that doubled the required mileage on the entire trip.
EDIT - I see that chet answered my question as I was typing my post.
EDIT - I see that chet answered my question as I was typing my post.