TEDisgone

Oh...so this is why it's been tougher than usual to find J space on Finnair way in advance: Finnair Restricts Partner Business Class Awards In Advance

Many thanks to OMAAT for solving the mystery of why I couldn't find J space in November or December.

mattoo

I've booked HEL-CTS in business on AY using my AS points. Does anyone know if it is ok/easy to add the LHR-HEL segment as part of the award. It only has economy availability at the mo but that is fine. I want to guarantee the connection on one PNR. I'm also hoping it won't cost any more miles as it is still a Europe start point. Will they do it/charge fees for adding?

Many thanks for your help.

eponymous_coward

You’ll pay a lot of UK APD taxes. No more miles but a three digit number of US dollars.

mattoo

That's fine, we are used to that in the UK! I just want to guarantee my connection. I had book BA LHR-HEL but they've now cancelled that route entirely, which means I'm left with few options.

Mister P.

Hi, I had couple of award tickets (J) booked on AY62 HND-HEL for June 30th but they were cancelled as Finnair has discontinued the route through the end of June. I contacted Finnair and asked whether they could rebook us early July, once this service resumes (in theory). Finnair replied they couldn't touch the ticket as it was on Alaska stock, and to contact Alaska partner desk and have them put the seats on standby on the desired date of travel.

Alaska agent replied they do no have such function, and explained only way to book will be when with Finnair releases award space. Right now there is no award space (J) available on any of Finnair's international routes (HND / SIN / HND) from July 2020 onwards. Oddly, Alaska has award space (Y) on Finnair AY74 NRT-HEL for July 2020 although it's not entirely clear Finnair will be resuming this route. Any tips / suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

nerdbirdsjc

AY cannot touch the ticket, but they CAN add the reprotection segments to the PNR and request AS reissue the ticket.

Mister P.

Thanks, unfortunately I already cancelled the ticket. When I called Alaska insisted that it would be better to cancel it now, and have miles and taxes redeposited.

mattoo

Apparently there will be a raft of Finnair route cancellations announced tomorrow right up to 31 March 2021. Ive got HEL-CTS booked in J on Finnair with AS miles. I'm already expecting a battle and to be passed back and forward to get a rerouting instead of cancellation and redeposit. Anyone got any experience of successfully rerouting recently? It should not matter that award availability isn't available, as Finnair have duty of care under EC261 regs to get me to CTS.

Flying for Fun

When are your flights? Is your nationality prohibited from entering Japan? AS will cancel & redeposit your miles and refund your fees and taxes. AS may also work with AY to reaccomodate. Beyond that, you will likely need to work with AY. If the AY cancellation is more than 14 days from departure, you aren't eligible for compensation under EU261. I am unsure if AY still has an obligation to fly you there with extraordinary circumstances. Perhaps others can chime in there.

The bottom line, though, is if you are prohibited from entering Japan, you won't be boarding any flight even if it is operating.

James

tom911

My nonstop SFO-HEL end of September is gone. Will have to rebook something via JFK which should be operating 4 days a week once I see if the dates work.

Finnair Long & Short-Haul Plan July 2020 – March 2021

eponymous_coward

Alaska Airlines issued your ticket. They’re not bound by EU 261, being neither an EU carrier or flying there. What is your theory that Finnair is responsible to get you to Sapporo here? Alaska’s obligation under US law is a refund should they not be able to rebook you (and given the current pandemic that could be a safe assumption). Why do you think they’re going to not be bound by award availability?

mattoo

Operating airline is responsible for EC261 reroute. Flight is not til Jan 2021 so a lot can change with regards to whether Japan is open. I’m not looking for compensation (neither will it be applied due COVID which I agree) but I would like a re-route. Once you purchase your ticket (whether cash or points) then award availability it irrelevant with EC261. It’s not the customers fault, nor the booking agent that the flight was cancelled, it is Finnair hence they need to sort. But I was wondering hove people experience with this with other European airlines getting it sorted.

Flying for Fun

It is best to wait and see, I guess. As you say, a lot can happen between now and then so I wouldn't be in a rush to change things and have to repeat the process several more times before departure. If you are confident AY will take over an AS issued ticket, wouldn't it be best to take that route first? AYs schedule changes are through spring 2021. Doesn't it seem odd they would change/cancel that far out if they thought things would be operating normally before then?

Best of luck getting it sorted. AS is the issuing airline, not the Agent. Your Finnair ticket number starts with 027.

James

mattoo

Thanks James. Will see what happens. Who knows what the world will be like in 2021!

Flying Yazata

Actually there's no credit to be given to OMAAT, since they didn't inquire into it properly. Yet another half-baked work by the profiteering blogs. I myself investigated the situation way before that via BAEC and by being in touch also with AY. The T-60 deadline now applies not just to AY+ cabin upgrades (voucher or award credit redemption) and AY ticket redemptions with AY+, but also all partner redemptions in C on AY. The waitlist process used for AY+ is supposedly to be extended to partners as well, but the timetable and implementation is a complete mystery. I wouldn't count on airlines like RJ or AT being exactly practical in the future for any AY redemptions in C, but AS might be better at it. Either way, it's indeed T-60 now for everyone, unless being a AY+ status member, but then too availability may fluctuate more than under the previous policy.

Now for the sake of clarity: the EC261 liability is held by the operating carrier, not the ticketing carrier. The flight from HEL to CTS with AY falls under EC261 during the on-going SARS-CoV-2 pandemic as well, since the Commission (EC) issued guideline from March 2020 doesn't change the position regarding a reroute. The duty of care isn't waived due to the pandemic.

I haven't done a redemption via AS for other carriers, so my comment will be a best effort guess. I assume your best bet is to call AY customer service and ask them to look at the booking with your booking reference. Now they may proactively take the initiative to solve it directly or they may ask you to reach for AS. Assumably AS solving the issue requires inventory in the booking class U, so the best way is to call AY first and see what they suggest. If they don't suggest anything right away, then you could ask aren't they perhaps supposed to provide an alternative under EC261. Now I don't know the rest of your plan, but HEL-TYO-CTS with AY and JL would probably be what you want and get most easily. There's a plethora of other solutions as well, but I leave it at the easiest one. If AY isn't willing to work out the case at the time being, then of course a cancellation with AS is the most easy solution. All this of course depending on the rest of your plans.

In all seriousness, you should have that evangelist title revoked by spewing commentary like above. A demonstration of an attitude problem and unwarranted rage as a keyboard warrior. It's a perfectly valid issue the member in question has and, indeed, some of us do indeed have foresight and expect there to be a life to live in 2021 as well. The timing isn't perhaps ideal from some perspective, but it's indeed good to start working out new solutions for reaching CTS in early 2021 and is it even possible to do it.