Getting Downgraded
 

CO743 EWR-SDQ 11/19/05.
I purchased three "Z" fares three weeks ago.
When booked the metal was 757-200 (24FC).
After my booking about 20 of 24 seats were full.
I subsequently booked my other daughter on a reward ticket in FC on the same flight.

I checked my flight yesterday and saw the red, "your flight has changed" text.
I didn't notice a time change but did see that they changed it to a 757-300 (12FC).

My three seat assignments were gone and my daughter was put back in Y.

I called the elite desk today and after 10 minutes on hold they came back and told me that they gave my daughter a confirmed seat (otherwise she would have likely been put in Y) but they still couldn't assign seats for the rest of my family. They told me that the best they could offer was for me to check in 24 hr prior to the flight on line, show up early etc. They also said that if I we were put back in coach we would be refunded the amount of the fare difference.

It seems to me that there is a fair chance of some or all of my family being downgraded.

- When I booked the tickets the coach fares were about half of what the Z fares were but I assume that the coach fares are much higher now. How would they resolve the fare difference if we are downgraded?

- Should I try to get them to put me and my family in FC on a flight to SDQ the day before? Other airport?

- Any advice would be helpful.

Were it me, I'd decide the fairest scenario as if I were an independent arbitrator, without overreaching in self-interest, then stick to it in negotiations. I only ever allow self-interest to keep my mouth clamped shut, if things start to go even better than I expected.

Your position sounds reasonable enough to take to your credit card company, which you shouldn't have to do: You faced a choice matrix, $nnn in coach or $mmm in first, and made your choice. If CO can't deliver the product you purchased, but can deliver your backup alternative, you should pay what you would have had to pay to make that choice at the time.

Bring along printouts showing an analogous fare matrix looking the same time interval ahead from now, just in case you can deal with this in person somehow? You may be asked without much warning to accept some arrangement; that's the time to negotiate.

I'd call back and speak directly to a supervisor at the Elite Desk or at CO Customer Care - either you should be accomodated in F on that flight or else rebooked onto another carrier.

you should talk to ESD, maybe they can work some of their magic.

Buying an F ticket one is supposed to avoid the upgrade shenanigans... however, they are putting the screws to you.

That flight is now showing like this:
They have likely sold all 12 of the F seats and then some.

He would be an Involuatarily denied boarding. He would be entitled to much more that the fare difference, although I am not sure. But I have read other threads where yoy get money, vouchers etc.... Read the contract of carriage, get to the airport and see what happens. A lot of people in first class do not show up. I buy first last minute tickets and end up not going all the time.

But if they put you back in coach, you will be compensated. As a Z fare, you would be trumped by D and Fs.

From the Contract of Carriage, rule 27 A):
3) When a Passenger holding a ticket for carriage for a higher class of service between a point of Origin and a
Destination is required by the carrier to use a lower class of service for any portion of such carriage the
amount of refund will be as follows:
a) FOR ONE WAY TICKETS: The difference between the fare for the higher class of service and the
fare for the lower class of service between the points where the lower class of service is used.
b) FOR ROUND TRIP, CIRCLE TRIP OR OPEN JAW TICKETS: The difference between
50 percent of the round trip fare for the higher class of service and 50 percent of the round trip fare
for the lower class of service used.

What do they use for the fare on the lower class of service? If they use full Y it's likely the refund will be zero. That's certainly not very fair.

As they don't really say, I'd make a case based on the price of coach at the time you elected to purchase Z. As "Z" is restricted, that should be a reasonable argument. If you purchased full fare, they'd probably argue that full "Y" is appropriate. My guess is they'd be more willing to part with travel vouchers than cash.

Update
 

I called CO the other night regarding this issue. I clearly explained the siutation to the agent and first asked if me and my family had seats in FC on this flight. She said, "well since you certainly know the situation well I am not going to lie to you we are definitely oversold"

She offered to fully refund all of the tickets - which of course I declined.
She then offered to fly us on another airline in FC. I had previously checked other flights and the only other non-stop is AA from JFK which is not an option to me.

She was initially trying to get us off of the flight (which would have solved a large part of the problem for them) - but she was extremely nice and helpful.

I asked her how many unassigned seats there were in FC and she told me that there were three. I told her "I really shouldn't do this but give me and my family the three unassigned seats and I'll accept the bump from FC to Y for my daughter on the reward ticket." After 20 minutes she came back and told me they gave us 1 A/B/E and put my daughter back in Y. They put a note in the records to the EWR staff to not take our seats away.

She did highly recommend to arrive early as there will be about 8-10 FC pax being bumped and it won't be pretty.

I don't have a warm and fuzzy feeling about this.
We'll see....

Personally, I wouldnt have listed your seat assignments on here, let us know what happens! :D

WASJETBOY

I would make sure you check-in online the day before your flights and get to the airport nice and early. With boarding cards in hand showing your seat assignments, it will be much harder for them to bump you...especially being on paid tickets.

EWR agents can be a handful, even downright nasty. If the gate agents appear friendly, and end up paging your group for a downgrade/bump, perhaps you can workout some compensation. If they are members of team mean, I would avoid responding to any pages or calls (should that happen) and be among the first in line to board - if they took your seats away and your boarding passes make the machine beep, you may have to throw a fit at that point and get a supervisor involved.

The overbook is not your problem. You bought first class tickets fair and square, and they need to transport your group in the class you paid for. Be aware of your rights and privileges if you are involuntarily bumped - this part is important, because the agents will do their best to make an INvolunatary bump turn into a voluntary one, which takes away your rights to certain compensation. Be prepared to stand your ground and insist any downgrade is not acceptable and you are being involuntarily bumped from your flight and are expecting compensation accordingly. Be firm...but don't get into a screaming match with them, because that won't get you anywhere.