Cathay changed one of my flights mid-trip - any recourse?
Mar 13, 2018, 5:25 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 13
Cathay changed one of my flights mid-trip - any recourse?
I recently travelled from Singapore to DFW. My original trip was on Cathay from SIN to HKG and then an AA flight from HKG to DFW.
Due to a 2.5hr delay of the original flight, Cathay moved me to a UA flight from SIN to LAX and then AA to DFW. While at the airport, I complained as I would have been stuck in a middle seat and I was concerned about all the EQM miles I would have lost by not flying on AA.
They eventually found an alternate route for me with 3 legs:
1) SIN to HKG on Cathay
2) HKG to LAX on AA
3) LAX to DFW on AA (last flight of that day)
it meant long layovers, but I was satisfied. It should be noted that when I asked them print an itinerary for me, it included these flights AND the previous UA route.
i flew the first two legs but when I got to LAX, I was looking at the AA model app and noticed my LAX-DFW flight disappeared and I saw a new HKG-DFW flight for the next day. Odd as I was already in LAX at the time.
Someone at Cathay had changed my flight plans mid-flight.
I was able to talk to a AA rep and she confirmed that my flights had changed. Luckily she had a seat available on the LAX-DFW flight and was able to put me back on the flight so I can get home, but that incident was very distressing. I could have been stuck in LAX until the next day if there were no seats. My new trip was already adding 12 hrs and being stuck in LAX would have easily added yet another 12 hrs at least.
DoI have any recourse for any sort of compensation? Do I just suck it up and probably never fly Cathay again?
Another question.....if I had taken the original UA would I have had any recourse to get the EQM miles on AA anyway....this leg would have been at least 8,000 EQM miles. I pretty much only fly AA when I can so I can get elite status on them.
Due to a 2.5hr delay of the original flight, Cathay moved me to a UA flight from SIN to LAX and then AA to DFW. While at the airport, I complained as I would have been stuck in a middle seat and I was concerned about all the EQM miles I would have lost by not flying on AA.
They eventually found an alternate route for me with 3 legs:
1) SIN to HKG on Cathay
2) HKG to LAX on AA
3) LAX to DFW on AA (last flight of that day)
it meant long layovers, but I was satisfied. It should be noted that when I asked them print an itinerary for me, it included these flights AND the previous UA route.
i flew the first two legs but when I got to LAX, I was looking at the AA model app and noticed my LAX-DFW flight disappeared and I saw a new HKG-DFW flight for the next day. Odd as I was already in LAX at the time.
Someone at Cathay had changed my flight plans mid-flight.
I was able to talk to a AA rep and she confirmed that my flights had changed. Luckily she had a seat available on the LAX-DFW flight and was able to put me back on the flight so I can get home, but that incident was very distressing. I could have been stuck in LAX until the next day if there were no seats. My new trip was already adding 12 hrs and being stuck in LAX would have easily added yet another 12 hrs at least.
DoI have any recourse for any sort of compensation? Do I just suck it up and probably never fly Cathay again?
Another question.....if I had taken the original UA would I have had any recourse to get the EQM miles on AA anyway....this leg would have been at least 8,000 EQM miles. I pretty much only fly AA when I can so I can get elite status on them.
Mar 13, 2018, 5:41 am
#2
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posts: 909
I'd agree and just suck it up. Some stern words to a social media platform that it's unacceptable they change tickets mid-route should also do the trick.
As for the miles credit well probably not. It depends on what ticket stock it was (and it appears like it's Cathay) but if it was American then you could possibly apply for an ORC.
More details on ORC's here (read the Q&A at the top)
FAQ: Involuntary Reroute and Original Routing Credit (ORC) (master thd)
As for the miles credit well probably not. It depends on what ticket stock it was (and it appears like it's Cathay) but if it was American then you could possibly apply for an ORC.
More details on ORC's here (read the Q&A at the top)
FAQ: Involuntary Reroute and Original Routing Credit (ORC) (master thd)
Mar 13, 2018, 5:42 am
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: None any more
Posts: 11,017
The conditions of carriage say nothing about Cathay needing to offer you the best route to maximise your AA miles. When their flight was delayed they found you an appropriate alternative to get you to your destination as quickly as possible. You declined it. At that point anything else Cathay did was pure goodwill on their part - they could have just left you in Singapore since you declined equivalent travel at their expense.
Thankfully, the American lawyer-driven compensation culture is limited essentially to America. It doesn't get you very far elsewhere.
Thankfully, the American lawyer-driven compensation culture is limited essentially to America. It doesn't get you very far elsewhere.
Last edited by christep; Mar 13, 2018 at 6:32 am
Mar 13, 2018, 5:52 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 13
So ORC *MAY* have been an option if I had taken the UA flight originally offered. I’ll keep that in mind for the future.
I’m so pissed with Cathay about the fact that they change my flights mid-route, I don’t plan to fly with them anytime soon, I don’t often fly to Asia so it’s not going to be hard to avoid them. Any while the loss of one passenger is not going to bother them, it seems it is pretty much all I can do.
BTW I did submit a complaint to Cathay via their website. I’ll see how they respond.
I’m so pissed with Cathay about the fact that they change my flights mid-route, I don’t plan to fly with them anytime soon, I don’t often fly to Asia so it’s not going to be hard to avoid them. Any while the loss of one passenger is not going to bother them, it seems it is pretty much all I can do.
BTW I did submit a complaint to Cathay via their website. I’ll see how they respond.
Mar 13, 2018, 6:43 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: MNL / SFO / NYC
Programs: IHG Spire | Marriott Plat | UA Plat | AA Plat Pro
Posts: 533
Had you been stuck in LAX overnight, then CX may have been on the hook for any accommodation or food costs if indeed they were the ones who changed your HKG-LAX-DFW to a HKG-DFW flight thus making you miss the last flight out of LAX. Thankfully this didn't happen. You can always write into CX to relay your distress and disappointment, but don't expect anything from them as they have not given out comp for worse stories found here on FT.
Mar 13, 2018, 7:13 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 6,437
Mar 13, 2018, 9:53 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,848
It is beyond me why you would change a nice 2-leg itinerary for a 3 leg itinerary (and with AA for the TPAC flight - to be avoided at all costs). Miles/points could have been sorted out with a ORC once you were in the US and the middle seat at check-in (most like an isle or window seat would be avaiable to you).
Mar 13, 2018, 10:32 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 6,437
It is beyond me why you would change a nice 2-leg itinerary for a 3 leg itinerary (and with AA for the TPAC flight - to be avoided at all costs). Miles/points could have been sorted out with a ORC once you were in the US and the middle seat at check-in (most like an isle or window seat would be avaiable to you).
Mar 13, 2018, 10:50 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,848
I fail to see why the OP would have a "much higher chance of having no window / aisle" on the UA flight than on the AA flight HKG-LAX that OP was rebooked to? (the OP missed the original HKG-DFW AA flight so rebooking the TPAC flight was neccessary anyway).
Last edited by SK AAR; Mar 14, 2018 at 1:39 am Reason: spelling
Mar 13, 2018, 3:33 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SYD, Australia
Programs: VA Silver, QF FF, Priority Club
Posts: 923
What proof do you have that CX changed your flight?
Your HKG-DFW was on AA and potentially AA’s computer moved you to the next day’s HKG-DFW as AA worked out you would miss the original due to the delay ex SIN.
Your HKG-LAX flight was on AA so you would likely have been under AA airport control.
I have this feeling that the delay by CX ex SIN has coloured your view.
They offered you 2 different re routes and gave you your preferred one even though it took longer and the first one they offered was shorter.
You complain about delays now which would have been mitigated by taking the UA flight.
Sure middle seat is not ideal but AA could have put you into a middle seat as well - remembering that seat allocation is not guaranteed.
Your HKG-DFW was on AA and potentially AA’s computer moved you to the next day’s HKG-DFW as AA worked out you would miss the original due to the delay ex SIN.
Your HKG-LAX flight was on AA so you would likely have been under AA airport control.
I have this feeling that the delay by CX ex SIN has coloured your view.
They offered you 2 different re routes and gave you your preferred one even though it took longer and the first one they offered was shorter.
You complain about delays now which would have been mitigated by taking the UA flight.
Sure middle seat is not ideal but AA could have put you into a middle seat as well - remembering that seat allocation is not guaranteed.
Mar 14, 2018, 1:58 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,848
Sorry, but this is not a valid point. You deliberately declined the UA SIN-LAX option which would have gotten you into DFW with a delay of 3-4 hours. Instead you insisted on getting rebooked via HKG and LAX which meant that your arrival into DFW was significantly later.
I agree with the previous poster that the rebooking of HKG-DFW to the following day is likely to have been made by AA systems if the initial reserved flights SIN-HKG-DFW were still in the system somehow.
Move on and let it go. I actually think that CX did very well (besides for the delay of the SIN-HKG flight obviously) by rebooking you OAL when CX was not obliged to do this and then accepting to change it to a longer and more complex routing because you feared loosing out on miles/points and getting a middle seats!
Mar 14, 2018, 8:10 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 13
To clarify, I "assume" Cathay was the one that has cancelled my last leg as they were the only ones that I ever spoke to with regards to the new routes. It could have been some automated system either on AA or Cathay's side. I don't know.
Also, I was not aware of the ORC process and if I were, I probably would have taken the UA flight. Now I know.
I didn't mind the 3 legs and longer flight. As I mentioned in my OP, I was satisfied. The part that really bugged me was getting to LAX and finding that I didn't have that last flight.
Anyway, to wrap this up, Cathay is sending me a US$100 travel voucher triggered from my complaint on their website. I have no upcoming Asia trips and I don't plan to use them for a while so I wouldn't have a chance to use the voucher.
Also, I was not aware of the ORC process and if I were, I probably would have taken the UA flight. Now I know.
I didn't mind the 3 legs and longer flight. As I mentioned in my OP, I was satisfied. The part that really bugged me was getting to LAX and finding that I didn't have that last flight.
Anyway, to wrap this up, Cathay is sending me a US$100 travel voucher triggered from my complaint on their website. I have no upcoming Asia trips and I don't plan to use them for a while so I wouldn't have a chance to use the voucher.
Mar 14, 2018, 4:56 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
As I think through this, I actually think it's far more likely AA changed the OPs ticket than CX.
Glad it worked out to the OP. But I think this thread is a showcase for how screwy the entire industry is. CX sent $100 (admittedly in a voucher that I probably would say is worth 50 cents on the dollar, so let's call it $50) to a passenger whose anger I'm pretty sure was mistakenly directed at the wrong airline!
My other conclusion is CX did a pretty solid job here. Bummer the first flight was delayed but everything else they did was a spot on job. Although I can't tell from the OP, it sounds like he/she was flying economy and doesn't have any CX status. Not bad! If only CX could direct some of that diligence to their catering in J and F....
Glad it worked out to the OP. But I think this thread is a showcase for how screwy the entire industry is. CX sent $100 (admittedly in a voucher that I probably would say is worth 50 cents on the dollar, so let's call it $50) to a passenger whose anger I'm pretty sure was mistakenly directed at the wrong airline!
My other conclusion is CX did a pretty solid job here. Bummer the first flight was delayed but everything else they did was a spot on job. Although I can't tell from the OP, it sounds like he/she was flying economy and doesn't have any CX status. Not bad! If only CX could direct some of that diligence to their catering in J and F....
Mar 14, 2018, 5:08 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 13
Correct. I was flying economy. I have elite status on AA but I have never flown CX before and have no status with them. Cathay is of course part of the OneWorld alliance
I’m curious....I assume the only way to know who changed the flight is to ask say an AA or CX agent? If it was some sort of automated system that did it, will the agent know who’s automated system changed it?
When in was LAX and I spoke to an AA agent to get back on they flight, I didn’t think to ask her who changed it and she didn’t voluntarily tell me who did it, if she knew.
I’m curious....I assume the only way to know who changed the flight is to ask say an AA or CX agent? If it was some sort of automated system that did it, will the agent know who’s automated system changed it?
When in was LAX and I spoke to an AA agent to get back on they flight, I didn’t think to ask her who changed it and she didn’t voluntarily tell me who did it, if she knew.