Bumped from Oversold First Class
Aug 7, 2002, 7:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Florida
Programs: AA EXP 10MM, BA GLD, SPG PLT, HH D
Posts: 359
Bumped from Oversold First Class
Wife and I were recently bumped from First Class on a long-haul intl flight. The F cabin was 2 oversold.
What type of compensation should we have expected?
What type of compensation should we have expected?
Aug 7, 2002, 9:00 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Bainbridge Island WA USA
Posts: 508
If you paid F fare for the tickets you probably should have been put on the next available flight on any airline. Maybe that means a flight to another city and transfer to another airline. When I have paid F and there have been cancellations or delays I have asked the desk agent to tell me what flights have availability on what airlines and made a choice that is acceptable to me.
Aug 8, 2002, 1:30 am
#3
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,179
Could you be a little more specific as to the date, time? and routing. I assume that this was British Airways as you are posting it here. What happened? What did they do with you? How soon before departure did you check in?
Whilst not unknown, this is very unusual.
Whilst not unknown, this is very unusual.
Aug 8, 2002, 1:57 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: Still a lowly Blue with BA but inching towards Bronze. Managed to get to KLM Silver!
Posts: 4,308
I remember reading a posting from Merry that BA never oversold First.
TrvlGuru - Were you on a full fare F, OWExplorer, Reward, or any type of ID or AD ticket?
TrvlGuru - Were you on a full fare F, OWExplorer, Reward, or any type of ID or AD ticket?
Aug 8, 2002, 3:55 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Florida
Programs: AA EXP 10MM, BA GLD, SPG PLT, HH D
Posts: 359
We were traveling on a OneWorld Explorer -A- class fare.
The routing was London Heathrow to Dubai.
We boarded our original flight in ZRH. Were issued boarding passes for the onward flight to Dubai in First Class. Original ZRH flight was cancelled. Were put on later ZRH flight. Arrived in London 1/2 hour prior to DXB flight. DXB flight was also delayed 3 hours due to crew problems. Had plenty of time to make connection due to late departure of DXB flight.
Made it to Concorde lounge, were told our seats were taken away because they didn't think we would make it from ZRH and flight was oversold.
I will tell rest of story after I hear more about what compensation you think I should have received.
The routing was London Heathrow to Dubai.
We boarded our original flight in ZRH. Were issued boarding passes for the onward flight to Dubai in First Class. Original ZRH flight was cancelled. Were put on later ZRH flight. Arrived in London 1/2 hour prior to DXB flight. DXB flight was also delayed 3 hours due to crew problems. Had plenty of time to make connection due to late departure of DXB flight.
Made it to Concorde lounge, were told our seats were taken away because they didn't think we would make it from ZRH and flight was oversold.
I will tell rest of story after I hear more about what compensation you think I should have received.
Aug 8, 2002, 4:18 am
#6
Join Date: May 2002
Location: If you want to sit up front THEN PAY FOR IT!
Posts: 429
It sounds to me like First wasn't oversold but maybe WT or CW. Because you connection flight was late in they assumed that you would not make it and upgraded people from CW to create room.
Did they offer you another flight? Did you ave too wait a long time?
COMPENSATION seems to be your motivation,Is this correct? I am not sure if they are obliged to give you anything if they got you to Dubai in a reasonable time. Terms and conditions state something like a reservation is not a garantee....... Maybe a refund of that part of the ticket would be appropriate but I wouldnt expect much more
[This message has been edited by CTEASDEL (edited 08-08-2002).]
Did they offer you another flight? Did you ave too wait a long time?
COMPENSATION seems to be your motivation,Is this correct? I am not sure if they are obliged to give you anything if they got you to Dubai in a reasonable time. Terms and conditions state something like a reservation is not a garantee....... Maybe a refund of that part of the ticket would be appropriate but I wouldnt expect much more
[This message has been edited by CTEASDEL (edited 08-08-2002).]
Aug 8, 2002, 4:45 am
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
To be honest, it doesn't sound like you would be entitled to compensation. You arrived late on your inbound service and only had 30 minutes before your flight was due to leave. The minimum connecting time is 45 minutes T4-T4 , 75 minutes interterminal (iirc) and so, from what I can tell, therefore had the right to offload you and rebook you on the next available service. The fact that the flight itself became delayed is irrelevant.
Dave
Dave
Aug 8, 2002, 4:56 am
#10
Join Date: May 2002
Location: If you want to sit up front THEN PAY FOR IT!
Posts: 429
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TrvlGuru:
We were told in the Executive Club before we left ZRH that the flight was oversold by two in First Class from LHR to DXB.</font>
We were told in the Executive Club before we left ZRH that the flight was oversold by two in First Class from LHR to DXB.</font>
You still haven't told us how they got you to DXB, if this was done reasonably then I dont think you will get your sort after compensation.
Aug 8, 2002, 4:58 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Florida
Programs: AA EXP 10MM, BA GLD, SPG PLT, HH D
Posts: 359
One more thing, there was no gate assignment at T4 upon our arrival. Gate did not open until approximately 2 hours after the original scheduled departure time. There was no way anyone could have been at the gate 45 minutes prior to dept. since there was no gate assignment. Check-in for all flights was done in ZRH about 8 hours earlier. There is no additional check-in requirement (except actual boarding at gate) once bps are already issued.
Aug 8, 2002, 5:01 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Florida
Programs: AA EXP 10MM, BA GLD, SPG PLT, HH D
Posts: 359
Yes we were told in ZRH that both F and J were oversold. Specifically F was oversold by two.
Regardless of what BA says, they do oversell F..especially on heavy no-show routes like DXB.
Regardless of what BA says, they do oversell F..especially on heavy no-show routes like DXB.
Aug 8, 2002, 5:03 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Edinburgh, UK
Posts: 232
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by CTEASDEL:
They told you in ZRH that it was oversold and the DXB flight was oversold?? This doesn't sound right to me, I am sure they DONT oversell F.
You still haven't told us how they got you to DXB, if this was done reasonably then I dont think you will get your sort after compensation.
</font>
They told you in ZRH that it was oversold and the DXB flight was oversold?? This doesn't sound right to me, I am sure they DONT oversell F.
You still haven't told us how they got you to DXB, if this was done reasonably then I dont think you will get your sort after compensation.
</font>
Aug 8, 2002, 5:28 am
#15
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TrvlGuru:
One more thing, there was no gate assignment at T4 upon our arrival. Gate did not open until approximately 2 hours after the original scheduled departure time. There was no way anyone could have been at the gate 45 minutes prior to dept. since there was no gate assignment. Check-in for all flights was done in ZRH about 8 hours earlier. There is no additional check-in requirement (except actual boarding at gate) once bps are already issued.
</font>
One more thing, there was no gate assignment at T4 upon our arrival. Gate did not open until approximately 2 hours after the original scheduled departure time. There was no way anyone could have been at the gate 45 minutes prior to dept. since there was no gate assignment. Check-in for all flights was done in ZRH about 8 hours earlier. There is no additional check-in requirement (except actual boarding at gate) once bps are already issued.
</font>
But you were on a flight which did not legally connect to the DXB flight thanks to a cancellation. The fact that the DXB flight got delayed did not affect this. Given that you didnt get to LHR within the MCT, it is unsurprising to me that you were selected to be denied boarding since you would not have been entitled to compensation.
Dave