NWplatinum

I booked a SEA-DXB and back in F with Alaska miles for end of April. I got a schedule change notice and was placed in business class. No mileage refund, and it was labeled a scheduled change. F is still operating, so I am assuming this is EK downgrading me.

has anyone else had something similar happen?

fly747first

EK has made numerous schedule changes to my award bookings ticketed through AS and every single time they put me back in F.

EK cannot refund your mileage; only AS can. I would phone AS and see if they can get EK to put you back in F unless you are ok staying in J and in which case, AS will return the mileage different to your account.

flytoeat

EK is using a 777-200 with business and economy only on the Seattle route. Not sure where you're seeing "F is still operating"?

SFO777

As noted, SEA-DXB EK230 is now two class only with no F. Try routing via LAX, SFO or ORD.

Flying for Fun

The 77-200LR 2-2-2 is a huge upgrade in Business Class to the 777-300ER 2-3-2. For EK redemptions, I always flew the A380 for a superior experience. I would be quite happy with the 777-200LR in J.

For the OP. If you are set on EK F you can see if other routings are available. I had a downgrade from F to J on CX LAX-HKG when CX changed equipment from a 4 Class to a 3 Class aircraft. Although CX changed me to J, AS still had to reissue the ticket on AS stock. In the process, the original 70K was returned to my account and 50K was taken to pay for the reissued ticket. I also had a CX F award and the flight was cancelled. CX protected me in F on a later same day flight and notified me directly. I still had to call AS to have the ticket reissued.

The miles differential between a J and an F redemption is significant. If you have never flown EK F before, you may find value in redeeming a lot of extra miles, but it won't be the same experience on the 777-300ER as it would be on the A380 with the shower suites & bar/lounge.

I understand that there is a time crunch for F redemptions with Mileage Plan but I would look for an itinerary beyond DXB with or without a stopover where the A380 is operating. I believe BKK/HKG is. That way, you can experience both. EK has a fifth freedom flight BKK<->HKG so you could fly DXB-BKK-HKG and experience the product twice if booked as a continuation of the NA to ME flight. EK also flies MEX-BCN-DXB either as a direct or on two separate aircraft.

James

minz56

The DXB/BKK/HKG route has been downgraded to a 3 class 777-300 until the end of October, having previously been scheduled with an A380, so what you suggest unfortunately wouldn't be possible.

NWplatinum

Thanks guys, I was getting worried EK is taking away our F awards

beckoa

Well, EK is no longer allowing booking into F at the end of the month...

fly747first

Right but they still have a contractual obligation to honor F bookings that were previously ticketed

eponymous_coward

The booking in question is still being contractually obligated- in the highest cabin on the plane flying the routing (J). OP should either pursue a refund or change the routing.

fly747first

I was referring to F award bookings in general assuming there is still an F cabin after a schedule change

Often1

OP needs to deal with AS because it is the ticketing carrier.

Either he finds some other routing which has AS redemption availability in F between SEA and DXB and proposes that or he takes the reroute offered by EK. Any mileage refund is for AS to make. I would do nothing about a refund until after the trip as one never knows what pops.

Flying for Fun

You can't wait until after the trip. AS will need to issue a new ticket in J if the OP decides to accept it as EK can't issue the ticket for the space it has reserved for the OP. AS will refund the old award fare and charge the new award fare. It isn't a simple matter of throwing the fare difference back into the MP account.

James

eponymous_coward

Right, but the point is this isn't actually happening. OP got an acorn dropped on their head by EK changing equipment on their routing (to a plane with no F). The sky isn't falling (the AS award wasn't being unilaterally changed to a J award for no reason on a plane with an F cabin).

Often1

For a simple cabin downgrade, there is no need to reissue the ticket. EK certainly will not require it.

OP is simply flying on an F ticket in the highest cabin, e.g. J. This happens fairly routinely.

Then, when back home, he can sort the miles refund with AS in due course, presumably having obtained paper boarding passes from EK and retained them.