Lennys26v2

I recently flew a multi-leg trip with 4 PAX which was booked and paid-for in business (R & I fare class). For reasons not important here, I needed a change to the destination of the final leg to a minor airport near the original and after speaking with customer service who confirmed the availability (which I also confirmed via a dummy booking), I was told that this request needed to go via email to the 'Duty Office'. I contacted them and they quickly and efficiently changed my flights, however they stated that there were only 2 business class seats available. I agreed as to which PAX would take them and agreed that the others would be in economy. There was no charge for the change and the rebooking was done. This is all documented in the email conversations.

When we were ticketed at the airport, it turned out that all PAX were put in economy despite, the conversations, and also despite that there did appear to be open seats in the business cabin during the flight.

When the flights credited to BAEC, we all received economy credit as a G fare class, which is the lowest possible earning.

I don't mean to be greedy, and appreciate the destination change, but....am I wrong to think that I (we) should be credited as business class (R) since this is what was originally booked and paid for, and also later discussed with the Duty Office?

corporate-wage-slave

I would say in this circumstance you should get what you travelled in, G, but get a refund from the business fare, though presumably that's not a lot. Because it seems to have been a voluntary change then that's different but I presume after the change you received e-tickets in Club./ business class. There may be some fare incompatibilties which may explain this, depends on the details, but what may look business class at BAH would look different to another airline, e.g. Aer Lingus.

orbitmic

Unfortunately, you are mistaken as far as credit is concerned: if you were rebooked in economy that’s the accrual you should get.

however there seems to have been a bigger problem in terms of being promised a split booking and two pax rebooked in business. That’s the part I’d be discussing with customer service if you have evidence you’d get the split and that was confirmed.

Lennys26v2

Thanks for the feedback corporate-wage-slave and orbitmic . Disappointing, but it is what it is. The PAX that were expecting the business cabin were a PAX with an infant-in-lap and an elderly PAX, but the flight was short (45mins) and there was no cabin/seating difference in this aircraft anyhow, so no big deal from that end. It was a CRJ-1000 Iberia Regional/Air Nostrum flight.

I am surprised that I didn't notice this earlier, but rechecking my boarding pass now, it indicates Y class, so at some level I guess there was valid mis-credit done anyhow (Y vs G).

I have a case open with BA/BAEC to question the lack of business seating when this is what was discussed (and available during the flight), but this is wrapped with another mess (My Other post). Let's see if they ever respond.

Globaliser

A boarding pass usually only indicates the cabin, not the booking class. So Y class on the boarding pass may simply mean that you were seated in the economy cabin.

corporate-wage-slave

Iberia. ok, that's relevant since there is a known issue with crediting to BAEC, so when you do talk to them that's a point to make since their GDS isn't passing over the frequent flyer data. It's not Nostrum incidentally, since they don't have their hands on the GDS. But for this issue, again what matters is the e-ticket, not the boarding pass, which should have been reissued after your airport change. If that said Business then you can claim EC261 for the downgrade under the Mennens formula, more details in the EC261 thread. If it was reissued in an economy fare bucket and you didn't pick this up at the time then you won't be in a strong position.