venomtrilogy

I also just received the aircraft change notice for a YVR-HND trip in February. I am not particularly happy about it. I would've been repositioning from Chicago, so I figure there is zero chance they could move me to the ORD-HND flight. But SFO, SJC or even LAX would be better for me.

Any tips on getting them to budge on this, like happened above?

Marlin240

I'll let you know if my approach works a second time (though I'm aiming for a full refund on a non-refundable ticket rather than a switch to, for example, SEA-NRT). I'm pretty much saying I bought the ticket on the stated service: fully lie-flat, WiFi and privacy which ANA explicitly advertised on the YVR-HND route prior to this change.

kerufin

The equipment swap is official for YVR-HND and KUL-HND from 789 to 788 until March 24, 2018. Based on info on Japanese twitter It seems that:

• Folks who booked PE previously got upgraded to regional business class automatically, or a rerouting to routes with PE
• C got "downgraded" from staggered to cradle, either get rerouted and pay the fare difference or get a full refund, but YMMV
• Mixed results with Y/PE who upgraded to C with miles / upgrade points. Some were even told that they can only get the miles / upgrade points back unless the ticket is cancelled (with a full refund)

capedreamer

Nothing I haven't documented above.

A full refund should be much easier to achieve. They offered that up to me pretty early on in the conversation. My ticket was also nonrefundable.

armagebedar

Welcome to FlyerTalk kerufin, and thanks for the information!

Marlin240

You would think so. It was like pulling teeth both times and not offered. The first time was particularly difficult as there was lots of chit-chat offline and then the agent came back and said, so sorry, no chance. I kept it up though and eventually they caved. Second time was easier in some ways since I already had the first one as an example but they said absolutely never again.

Now I just have to decide whether I want to fly with ANA again through SEA for about $1K less than the ticket I just got refunded for...Any word if SEA is going to lose its 789 too? Possibly a less cost-conscious market?

capedreamer

SEA for $1k less?? How much did you pay for th YVR fares? Mine were really cheap ($2k). That's why I was not interested in the full refund. I wasn't going to buy a replacement ticket for that price at this point.

As for whether SEA might lose the 789...who knows? I ended up going with SJC, which has a 788 with Business Staggered, but that's just as risky. I think a 77W route would be your safest bet (SFO or LAX).

Marlin240

Basically, I buy when I told I have to book and it ends up being what it is. Refundable tickets are so expensive, it's just cheaper to keep paying for changes (typically I end up doing 1 or 2 when buying so far in advance).

So...another update. I've heard a different explanation from a colleague is that the aircraft is being changed to a 788 so that 789s can undergo maintenance from Aug. 31 through March 24. I checked it out and indeed a 789 is scheduled to run NH 115 again on March 25. March 24 is still a 788. Guess YVR-HND is not a high-yielding market for NH then compared to SEA-NRT.

Hope for me yet that my beloved YVR-HND routing with NH will come back.

Gotta say I'd much rather take NH than JL or AC, let alone any of the mainland Chinese airlines. CX is too expensive in general and BR still has that awful early morning flight around 01:00 - 02:00.

Edit: taken out "it's also the last day that a discounted fare is offered" I was looking at one-way fares by accident. No difference in price.

24left

And posted today at Routesonline


ANA late-Aug 2017 International aircraft changes

Posted: 31 August 2017 04:00 - Jim Liu


ANA starting today (31AUG17) is adjusting operational aircraft on selected international route, which sees Boeing 787-8 replacing -9. Based on schedule update filed this week, these changes will be maintained in winter 2017/18 season, on/after 29OCT17.

Tokyo Haneda – Kuala Lumpur NH885/886 787-8 replaces -9 (2 daily 787-8 instead of 1 daily each -8/-9)

Tokyo Haneda – Vancouver 787-8 replaces -9, previously reported

Tokyo Narita – Beijing 767-300ER replaces 787-8


http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...craft-changes/

hirohito888

I have a HND-YVR booked in January, seat map changed from 789 to 788. I would like to reroute or even terminate in SFO/SJC/SEA. However, my ticket was booked via UA, 016 ticket stock. Is NH able to make any change? Or do I need to call UA and explain to them, with likelihood that they can't do anything. At this point, I would rather fly UA 789 than NH 788 cradle seat.

24left

Someone can correct me but isn't the rule "ticketing carrier prior to departure, operating carrier on day of..." I would assume since you bought from UA, you have to deal with UA.

capedreamer

Which in this case might be a blessing. By all accounts, NH is being very rigid about this.

evergrn

Another lesson to be learned: NH changes aircraft ALL THE TIME. I've flown NH probably close to 10x since they began SEA-NRT. If I've booked a flight >6mo in advance, it's almost a guarantee they'll change the aircraft. Back and forth between 777 and 787. The past year or so, I began flying NH out of YVR, and I've been surprised to experience no aircraft change up until now. Well I too just got the aircraft change notice on my Dec flight, and I'd say get used to it based on what's been happening out of SEA. I fly economy, so I don't know how outraged I'd be to go from lie-flat to a regular J seat. But I've been downgraded from 2-4-3 777 to 3-3-3 787 before and, while bummed out, it didn't occur to me to do anything about it.

hirohito888

Thanks both, I'll give UA a call and see how it goes.

PDXmilespoints503

Caught up in this as well. But on a UA mileage reward ticket. I guess very small chance Ana will go back to 787-9 before feb 20?

if anyone is on an award ticket you have to call the issuing airline. Of course YMMV but UA will let me change my ity but of course no good availability. Ugh.