qwest01

Friends just arrived to join us on vacation in Thailand. Their routing out here was BA to Shanghai in F using a 2-4-1 and return on Sat 23rd Feb. Shanghai to BKK via HKG was with KA and Royal Jordanian using Avios - all went well to BKK.

Return was on 23rd Feb on CX BKK - HKG - PVG using Avios followed by an overnight in Shanghai and then BA PVG- LHR on Sun 24th.

CX changed the flight time from BKK to HKG which reduced the connection time to 40 mins and simply cancelled their flight from BKK to HKG and their flight from HKG to PVG (all on one Avios award ticket). They neglected to inform him nor did they advise BA. It was only by chance that he happened to check his bookings and see that there was now a gap between BKK and PVG.

CX washed their hands of the problem and BA were unable to get award seats for them on any CX flight on Sat 23rd from BKK to PVG via HKG. They finally got award seats but on Sun 24th. But then they would misconnect with their flight from PVG to LHR with BA. Finally BA secured two F seats for their Avios and 2-4-1 on the flight from PVG - LHR on Mon 25th Feb. No costs to my friends but an extra night in a hotel in BKK at their own expense and not a word of appology from CX at all.

So a very Well Done for BA for getting them home despite the efforts of CX to leave them stranded in BKK.

Swiss Tony

Hmmm.... Foesn't sound good, but what a routing to be stuck with in the first place. I'd also wager that trying to fix this 2 weeks before departure is probably the hardest time to do it - by 2 days before departure they can probably get on the nonstop BKK-LHR!

qwest01

As his "personal travel consultant" that routing was the best I could get when booking last June for Feb this year. We had to be creative. Of course we wanted LHR - BKK in F for his 2-4-1 but that was never going to be available nor was SIN nor HKG direct - but we could get PVG in F with his 2-4-1. So then it was a case of how to get from PVG to BKK using avios for Bus class seats for 2. The KA and Royal Jordanian were a surprise but we took what we could get on the day. The CX return leg looked good also until they pulled the plug on his flights.

However all is well in the end - sounds like You First were the ones that came to the rescue and persuaded ticketing at BA to release an additional F seat from PVG back to LHR on 25th Feb for them. Also no charges for making the changes. They also get a night in the Oriental in BKK which is a bonus but it will cost a few ££££££s

correctioncx

Sounds a bit strange as CX would've protected your friend in anther Pvg flight. Must be some screw up. Did you actually call CX directly to sort it out?

qwest01

Al the bookings were BA Avios. Three separate reservations. I deliberately allowed plenty of connection time on the way out which all went fine considering there were three airlines involved. I put an overnight stay in PVG on the return to allow for any delays but CX threw in a spanner by canceling the BKK - HKG - PVG after the flight time for the BKK leg was changed leaving only a 40 min connection time at HKG. The big issue was the lack of communication from CX. BA were not informed and since the bookings were all Avios and done on BA.COM BA had to sort it out but it was a stressful few days.

A well done to BA but nil points to CX.

correctioncx

Did you contact CX? Also I find it strange BA was not informed since CX moved to amedaeus the cancellation would've triggered some alert in bA automatically. Whilst someone at CX might've dropped the ball it really does not sound normal.

qwest01

Whilst BA have recovered the situation very well it may be that BA originally dropped the ball but we do not know. All we know is that the flights dissapeared from my friends MMB. He fortunately spotted this about 2 weeks before departure to PVG from LHR. So BA had time to recover this.

More friends arrived yesterday on BA9 from LHR to BKK - booked in WT+ were downgraded to WT and stuck right down the back of WT. Given a paltry £75 each as compensation. Now I will have to advise them on how to ensure they get full compensation from BA.

LostAntipod

Irrespective of who is at fault , this could become a real trend that will discourage high-miles-earning pax from valuing the Avios programme. Here is what i mean : It's one thing having to try and book 355 days out for SYD or BKK or JHB or SIN or HKG or whatever because availability is so scarce. But its another thing when we get creative with our routings because of this unavailability, and then it all goes to pieces if there is a change , cancellation, or system glitch while travelling. For example if i see more reports like this OP, I will consider ditching the Amex PP , as I already earn enough avios in the normal course of business to take the missus to the US or EU for jollies and in this scenario it wont be worth the hassle to plan longhaul trips anymore.

stargold

A bit too late if everything has been changed/booked, but I see availability for up to 3 seats in J on:

MH797 BKK KUL 0620 0930
CX722 KUL HKG 1345 1735
KA894 HKG PVG 1900 2115

Did this possibility not exist when they were speaking to BA originally?

binman

I am a huge fan of CX and think they are the worlds finest airline ...in the air... They are however absolutely awful on the ground especially when they make changes to their regional service in Asia, which they do a great deal.

M experience was a downgrade from F to not just J, but J cradle seats. They did inform BA (and whatever BA told the OP they will have informed the,) however it is via a message in systems and BA handle these messages in priority order, so often the passenger will see the change before being informed.

CX simply abdicate all responsibility for these issues and indeed even letters to the GM in London and customer relations received a terse reply.....it was for BA to resolve. BA did to their credit ( I have often felt that if you linked BA customer relations to CX in flight product you would have the worlds best airline)

CX customer relations are notorious for being difficult and I suspect it stems from being so damned good much of the time that hey simply refuse to accept that it can and does fall apart!

Whatever the reason CX need to sort this out as it is not acceptable. Well done to BA but whatever the rights and wrongs CX are still IMHO the best in air bar none.