Z Class Mess
Oct 2, 2004, 7:43 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2000
Programs: UA 1K, DL DM, EK PL
Posts: 227
Z Class Mess
Question for the pro's out there. I'm a CO Platinum (with 250K flight miles so far this year) all in paid C or Z. Here is what happened to me las week. I know the EWR agents are infamous, but just wondering how you would best resolve this or if I'm in the wrong anyway....
I was scheduled to fly from Newark to Amsterdam on September 27, 2004 in a Business Class seat, Z Fare.
2 days prior to departure, I changed my ticket to depart on Sep. 26. I was waitlisted in Business Class, and had a seat reserved in Coach class.
Upon arrival at check in on Sep 26, the agent told me that Business Class was full, and I would have to travel in coach – which I had expected. She then told me that I could not fly in Coach although I had a confirmed reservation, because there were no Z Class fares available in Coach. This is in spite of the fact that already had a Business Class ticket paid for. The agent got on the phone with CO HQ, who confirmed that I could not travel on my existing ticket in Coach. I was told that my travel agent should have re-booked my Coach reservation on another class ticket, so it was the fault of my travel agent. I was also told that I needed to purchase a one-way Coach ticket in order to travel back to Amsterdam that evening. This exchange and waiting for an answer from CO HQ took over 30 minutes, and I finally conceded to purchasing a ticket because I needed to get back to Amsterdam the following day. I was then informed that in fact they had closed the flight already, and there was no way I would be allowed on the flight – even if I purchased a new ticket at a rate of $1,600 for coach one-way.
A supervisor and then the main concierge all joined the conversation, and I was told that the entire flight back to Amsterdam on the following day (the only flight) was oversold. They informed me that the only way I could get back to Amsterdam even on the following day would be to purchase a NEW ticket. After inquiring if my fully paid for Business Ticket could be used on a leg to another airport (i.e. Newark to Paris), I was told no, and that my Z Class ticket prevented that. The lowest fare I was quoted to get back to Amsterdam was in excess of $1,500 for a one-way coach fare on the Newark Paris flight. They continued to blame the issue on my Z Class ticket and the fault of my travel agent, and said there was nothing they could do.
I then called my travel agent, who found a one-way coach ticket from Newark to Heathrow (and then I'd book another ticket to AMS on KLM) on Virgin (Continental Co-share) that evening for $700. My agent made the reservation for me on the CO flight number, and told me to go the CO desk to pay for the ticket. When I approached the CO counter, the same agents informed me that Continental does not fly to Heathrow, nor do they co-share with Virgin.... They told me I had to go to the Virgin terminal and could only purchase my ticket at that counter. I did this and of course later I later found it was unnecessary.
Now of course, the agents could have just been helpful (there were Econ seats available that evening, just no business). But they werent. The question though is, were they right? Do I have a claim to get back the paid Virgin ticket I had to purchase and the remaining Z leg I paid for on the CO flight? Or is it a Kellner issue?
Help would be great....
I was scheduled to fly from Newark to Amsterdam on September 27, 2004 in a Business Class seat, Z Fare.
2 days prior to departure, I changed my ticket to depart on Sep. 26. I was waitlisted in Business Class, and had a seat reserved in Coach class.
Upon arrival at check in on Sep 26, the agent told me that Business Class was full, and I would have to travel in coach – which I had expected. She then told me that I could not fly in Coach although I had a confirmed reservation, because there were no Z Class fares available in Coach. This is in spite of the fact that already had a Business Class ticket paid for. The agent got on the phone with CO HQ, who confirmed that I could not travel on my existing ticket in Coach. I was told that my travel agent should have re-booked my Coach reservation on another class ticket, so it was the fault of my travel agent. I was also told that I needed to purchase a one-way Coach ticket in order to travel back to Amsterdam that evening. This exchange and waiting for an answer from CO HQ took over 30 minutes, and I finally conceded to purchasing a ticket because I needed to get back to Amsterdam the following day. I was then informed that in fact they had closed the flight already, and there was no way I would be allowed on the flight – even if I purchased a new ticket at a rate of $1,600 for coach one-way.
A supervisor and then the main concierge all joined the conversation, and I was told that the entire flight back to Amsterdam on the following day (the only flight) was oversold. They informed me that the only way I could get back to Amsterdam even on the following day would be to purchase a NEW ticket. After inquiring if my fully paid for Business Ticket could be used on a leg to another airport (i.e. Newark to Paris), I was told no, and that my Z Class ticket prevented that. The lowest fare I was quoted to get back to Amsterdam was in excess of $1,500 for a one-way coach fare on the Newark Paris flight. They continued to blame the issue on my Z Class ticket and the fault of my travel agent, and said there was nothing they could do.
I then called my travel agent, who found a one-way coach ticket from Newark to Heathrow (and then I'd book another ticket to AMS on KLM) on Virgin (Continental Co-share) that evening for $700. My agent made the reservation for me on the CO flight number, and told me to go the CO desk to pay for the ticket. When I approached the CO counter, the same agents informed me that Continental does not fly to Heathrow, nor do they co-share with Virgin.... They told me I had to go to the Virgin terminal and could only purchase my ticket at that counter. I did this and of course later I later found it was unnecessary.
Now of course, the agents could have just been helpful (there were Econ seats available that evening, just no business). But they werent. The question though is, were they right? Do I have a claim to get back the paid Virgin ticket I had to purchase and the remaining Z leg I paid for on the CO flight? Or is it a Kellner issue?
Help would be great....
Oct 2, 2004, 2:06 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Bryn Mawr PA & Wailea HI
Posts: 15,726
Your post is a little confusing since Z must be purchased oodles of time in advance with mucho onerous conditions. If you change almost anything except your B/F seat number, I believe it invalidates the Z fare Rulez and it gets very costly.
Never-the-less welcome to the wonderful exciting world of NonePass(tm).
MisterNice
Never-the-less welcome to the wonderful exciting world of NonePass(tm).
MisterNice
Oct 2, 2004, 7:49 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: United Airlines - It's Time to Fly
Posts: 219
I'm a bit confused - did the TA book you into Y (i.e., did your ticket reflect a Y fare basis and booking class code) and waitlist you for Z or just keep you in Z and give you a Y seat assignment? If the TA did the former, then you would have grounds to raise hell with CO, as your Y booking should have been honored like any other. However, if your TA kept the booking in Z and simply gave you a Coach seat assignment, then the TA is in the wrong, and CO's actions were proper.
Oct 3, 2004, 12:25 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: CO Plat - AW Plat - AA Gold - SPG Plat - HH Gold - HY Gold - WBR - Alpha Phi Omega - GO CANES!
Posts: 558
I think the Z fare is a little bit of a joke. I was told by a CO agent that Z's to AMS were $1500. I checked the other day for a flight a month from now and they were like $2600, which was no different than a regular refundable business was a couple months ago. I ended up buying a $350 coach.
Greedy idiots.
How was Virgin?
Greedy idiots.
How was Virgin?
Oct 3, 2004, 7:14 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA *G 1MM LT United Club & Global Entry
Posts: 2,756
Greedy Idiots?
Originally Posted by suitcasejockey
I think the Z fare is a little bit of a joke. I was told by a CO agent that Z's to AMS were $1500. I checked the other day for a flight a month from now and they were like $2600, which was no different than a regular refundable business was a couple months ago. I ended up buying a $350 coach.
Greedy idiots.
Greedy idiots.
The range for EWR-AMS "Z" fares (when offered) seems to be $1,600 to $2,600. "Z" is discounted BF, and is not always available as it is considered to be an "on sale" price with restrictions.
You refer to a fully refundable $2,600 BF fare a couple of months ago. Bet you anything that the "Z" fares were $1,600 at that time.
This seems to be a case where the lowest BF price is not available on your dates of travel, but on the bright side the $350 coach tix seems to be the lowest price coach offered these days.
SunLover