Condor (DE) Partnership (Announced 3/20/2017)
#196
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: YOW
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 583
Tried that, but don't have the option on either the Condor or Lufthansa website, which was expected since my booking was in Y. I'll just wait and call them in 2 hours once they're open.
#197
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: MVP Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 169
I have had issues when they are open as well. I had to call back a couple of different times to get an agent that would be able to do the seat reservation. Might not worth it for most, but for $120, they will give you an "XL Seat" which is an exit row.
#199
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: British Columbia
Programs: AS MVPG100K, Marriott Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold
Posts: 7,263
James
#200
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: YOW
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 583
Condor partnership has been around for a few months now, but having just returned on a Condor redemption thought I'd add my brief experience.
Flew a reward YVR-FRA return for 25k each way. OLCI for the flight to FRA wouldn't process (for me) and had to check-in and have seat assigned at the check in counter at YVR. Had the option of calling in ahead and paying $50 for a seat but figured I'd chance it and just hope for an aisle at check in (I got one). Flight to FRA was uneventful and left on time, which seems like a rarity with Condor flights. I sat in 29H on the outbound, not a ton of legroom but having the aisle to extend your leg definitely helps. The hot meal served was very basic, just pasta with some tomato sauce dumped on top along with a cold potato salad-type side, a bun, and a desert. I think they did drink service 3-4 times on the flight. There was also a small meal about 2hrs out of FRA. IFE had 1 free movie and 1 free TV show, unless you bought an entertainment code for 8 euro onboard. I had numerous movies downloaded on Netflix, so didn't bother. Arrived at remote stand in FRA and had to be bussed through to customs and baggage claim.
Flew in the window seat 29K on the return FRA-YVR, didn't have the option to change my seat but at least OLCI worked when departing FRA and was able to print BP using the self service counters. The return flight was delayed by an hour due to late inbound from ANC. I had checked flightradar earlier and it was showing a different aircraft would be operating our flight that had been on the ground overnight, so I was surprised when the delay was posted, but I guess Condor can shift their fleet around on a whim at FRA. Bus gates for loading again, and we stood on the bus next to the aircraft for 15 minutes while cleaning staff finished onboard. Got onboard and ended up sitting around for another hour so maintenance could fix a broken overhead bin. When we finally got airborne we were about 2.5 hours late. Hot meal served on this flight was pasta again, but this time the sauce seemed creamier (and better) and there was also some cheesed mixed in. Came with the potato salad, piece of cheese, a bun, and a desert. Second meal served prior to landing was the potato salad again and 2 cold sausages with mustard, along with a pretzel pastry type thing. Landed in YVR about 2 hours late and luckily no bus gate, but the bags did take a while to arrive.
Overall, Condor is certainly a budget airline and you can notice it during your flight (at least in economy). Flights are regularly delayed, legroom tight, and IFE isn't free, but if you're looking for a cheap redemption to Europe I'd certainly fly them again. Just thought I'd add my voice to the other posts here in case anyone was thinking of booking an economy redemption with them!
Flew a reward YVR-FRA return for 25k each way. OLCI for the flight to FRA wouldn't process (for me) and had to check-in and have seat assigned at the check in counter at YVR. Had the option of calling in ahead and paying $50 for a seat but figured I'd chance it and just hope for an aisle at check in (I got one). Flight to FRA was uneventful and left on time, which seems like a rarity with Condor flights. I sat in 29H on the outbound, not a ton of legroom but having the aisle to extend your leg definitely helps. The hot meal served was very basic, just pasta with some tomato sauce dumped on top along with a cold potato salad-type side, a bun, and a desert. I think they did drink service 3-4 times on the flight. There was also a small meal about 2hrs out of FRA. IFE had 1 free movie and 1 free TV show, unless you bought an entertainment code for 8 euro onboard. I had numerous movies downloaded on Netflix, so didn't bother. Arrived at remote stand in FRA and had to be bussed through to customs and baggage claim.
Flew in the window seat 29K on the return FRA-YVR, didn't have the option to change my seat but at least OLCI worked when departing FRA and was able to print BP using the self service counters. The return flight was delayed by an hour due to late inbound from ANC. I had checked flightradar earlier and it was showing a different aircraft would be operating our flight that had been on the ground overnight, so I was surprised when the delay was posted, but I guess Condor can shift their fleet around on a whim at FRA. Bus gates for loading again, and we stood on the bus next to the aircraft for 15 minutes while cleaning staff finished onboard. Got onboard and ended up sitting around for another hour so maintenance could fix a broken overhead bin. When we finally got airborne we were about 2.5 hours late. Hot meal served on this flight was pasta again, but this time the sauce seemed creamier (and better) and there was also some cheesed mixed in. Came with the potato salad, piece of cheese, a bun, and a desert. Second meal served prior to landing was the potato salad again and 2 cold sausages with mustard, along with a pretzel pastry type thing. Landed in YVR about 2 hours late and luckily no bus gate, but the bags did take a while to arrive.
Overall, Condor is certainly a budget airline and you can notice it during your flight (at least in economy). Flights are regularly delayed, legroom tight, and IFE isn't free, but if you're looking for a cheap redemption to Europe I'd certainly fly them again. Just thought I'd add my voice to the other posts here in case anyone was thinking of booking an economy redemption with them!
#201
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, Aeroplan
Posts: 44
Why You Don't Want to Book on Condor and Condor is a Poor Partner Choice for AS
Condor partnership has been around for a few months now, but having just returned on a Condor redemption thought I'd add my brief experience.
. . .
Overall, Condor is certainly a budget airline and you can notice it during your flight (at least in economy). Flights are regularly delayed, legroom tight, and IFE isn't free, but if you're looking for a cheap redemption to Europe I'd certainly fly them again. Just thought I'd add my voice to the other posts here in case anyone was thinking of booking an economy redemption with them!
. . .
Overall, Condor is certainly a budget airline and you can notice it during your flight (at least in economy). Flights are regularly delayed, legroom tight, and IFE isn't free, but if you're looking for a cheap redemption to Europe I'd certainly fly them again. Just thought I'd add my voice to the other posts here in case anyone was thinking of booking an economy redemption with them!
So the
The next morning was as close as I have come to seeing a riot in an airport. A
The takeaways are (1) both AS and Aeroplan had great representatives, (2) Condor has no (zero/zilch/nada) customer service, (3) Condor has no plan, ability, or desire to rebook onto other airlines, so don't plan on service like if you had booked with AA, BA, Cathay, JAL, or the rest of the AS MP Partners, and (4) it will be a cold day in an otherwise hot place that I am in a seat on a Condor plane. The future takeaway is that, although the EU 261 rules require Condor compensation for the delay in this case (at the least, it ceased being mechanical when the opted and then reversed their decision to have the rested crew fly the plane out at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday to avoid having a pair of planes with EU 261 liability), I think we will be denied by Condor until we get some small claims judgments and then have the King County Sheriff seize the Condor plane to satisfy the judgment (it apparently happened in Salzburg for a disgruntled customer). Condor really isn't an airline partner; at best they are a charter airline running charter quality service on routes that may be regularly scheduled but are as regularly delayed as they are scheduled.
#202
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,822
Sorry about your bad experience. I don’t think US authorities are going to help you with EU 261/2004 claims. Perhaps try the German mediator at https://soep-online.de/welcome.html. If Condor doesn’t respond to your complaint. I was downgraded on a revenue ticket and didn’t have problems getting EU prescribed compensation from them.
imagine you had been booked on BA on AS award tickets and the BA flight had been cancelled. What are the chances BA would have booked you on a non-partner airline like LH? They would have had to buy you revenue tickets. I have no personal experience with that but from recalling other FT threads it seems unlikely they would do that.
The takeaways are (1) both AS and Aeroplan had great representatives, (2) Condor has no (zero/zilch/nada) customer service, (3) Condor has no plan, ability, or desire to rebook onto other airlines, so don't plan on service like if you had booked with AA, BA, Cathay, JAL, or the rest of the AS MP Partners,
Last edited by notquiteaff; Oct 4, 2018 at 8:38 pm
#203
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,193
imagine you had been booked on BA on AS award tickets and the BA flight had been cancelled. What are the chances BA would have booked you on a non-partner airline like LH? They would have had to buy you revenue tickets. I have no personal experience with that but from recalling other FT threads it seems unlikely they would do that.
So it's not a great situation for the OP. We had a marginally acceptable business class award experience on Condor six months ago. Among other smaller annoyances and challenges, it included something happening to our return tickets from Frankfurt to Seattle that required last-minute work at the airport counter in Frankfurt by a Condor rep to make them valid for travel. She originally didn't see our tickets in her system. Which was odd, because the outbound tickets were fine, and we were given no explanation of what the problem was on the return. Condor is marginal as a scheduled airline, overall.
#204
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: Lifetime AS 1MM & MVPG, AS MVPG100K, AA, DL, HH-G
Posts: 8,250
I also have a similar experience, except with AF. A few years ago I flew AF LAX-CDG in J and was booked on the return. The outbound was fine. While in France I was notified by AF that there was a strike scheduled and my return flight was cancelled by AF. They told me that they would not help and that I needed to figure out my own way home. I spent an hour on Skype with AS and they finally found me an EK flight MUC-DXB-LAX. MUC0DXB in J, DXB-LAX in F. I booked the train to MUC to get home (at my expense).
It is not fun being stranded half way around the world and having the carrier you were depending on to just walk away from their duty to their customers. this was before EU261 so I got nothing from AF for their problem.
It is not fun being stranded half way around the world and having the carrier you were depending on to just walk away from their duty to their customers. this was before EU261 so I got nothing from AF for their problem.
#205
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, Aeroplan
Posts: 44
My rebooking experience has generally been better. I had AA get us to the gate late in ORD on an award ticket, and put us on the later LH flight to Frankfurt. The same was true with Air France 3-4 years ago. I also have had other rebooking experiences to different airlines, although they have not involved force majeure type events like a strike. Last year, JAL rebooked us to Cathay in a southeast Asia hurrican situation on an award flight, so I think it is certainly airline dependent. Where I might disagree is whether the airlines have to buy full revenue tickets, as my understanding was most airlines have accommodation policies that aren't full fare revenue tickets.
#206
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, Aeroplan
Posts: 44
I don't anticipate Condor responding to the EU 261 claims, but I do anticipate educating a judge here locally. The curious thing is Condor is not registered to do business in the State of Washington, so that is a bit unusual in trying to figure out who to serve. But I'll give them another 30 days to respond, and then pursue the matter locally if they don't. At least Condor has assets that are regularly in Seattle that can be used to satisfy a judgment.
#207
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, Aeroplan
Posts: 44
Just a footnote to the Condor debacle and our EU 261 claims. Two of us just received checks from Condor for $680.00 representing the value of our EU 261 claim. They have been rushed to the bank in the hopes they will not be dishonored. However, the other two in our party received an email from Condor denying their claim. Condor's reasoning was that although they were unable to operate the flight as planned, and were not going to be able to operate the flight until a minimum of 32 hours after its scheduled departure from Seattle, they owed no damages for the EU 261 delay because the booking of an independent flight to salvage the vacation was a withdrawal form the contract of carriage. They will be going to small claims court for this.
We'll keep you posted as we continue to avoid Condor.
We'll keep you posted as we continue to avoid Condor.
#208
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,844
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.rte.ie/amp/1028035/
Looks like Thomas Cook is seriously looking at selling Condor to raise money. If interested IAG, Ryan Air, or the Lufthansa group would seem likely candidates to take it over.
Looks like Thomas Cook is seriously looking at selling Condor to raise money. If interested IAG, Ryan Air, or the Lufthansa group would seem likely candidates to take it over.
#210
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Portland, Or USA
Posts: 1,800