After 16 months of forced separation Mrs AF books just last week with Emirates in J to get home and be with me, Mr AF, here in The Philippines. On the basis of the flights being sold on Emirates’ website. In Business.

Less than one week later, Emirates send us an email saying that due to operational changes she is forced to have a 21h30 layover in Dubai.

Apart from being sold flights to the Philippines that we find subsequently have not been operational since January 2021 there is no possibility of hotels. So what does she do, camp out somewhere? For over 21h?

Now, I fully appreciate the situation of the airlines. But hey, selling a product online that is not approved deliverable or otherwise is not acceptable. And more, if we had known this underhand tactic in advance we would never have booked the ticket. Never. Not in a million years.

Now, what? Paid almost 3k for flights. Stuck with flights we don't want would never have booked don’t fit our needs. Emirates reply will be interesting.

Allez

Has she not been offered Dubai Connect?

Thank u Will. Nope, she has been offered nothing. Frustrating right?

not permitted I believe, to leave the terminal. UAE is on Philippines� red list.......

Not sure if the hotel in the terminal is open, you could plead with them to give you that. Call the call centre and explain the situation. No harm in trying. If that is closed, well at least in J she has got the lounge.

Just cancel for a full refund. Easy.

Where is your wife connecting from? Possibility of moving the first flight?

She flies into DXB from D�sseldorf. Only 1 flight per day. She misses this new DXB MNL connection by 2h30 hence the 21h30 layover. The connecting DXB-MNL flight we had booked had around 5-6h layover if I remember correctly but it appears that flight hasn�t been operational since the end of Jan 2020. Quite why people have been allowed to book it, only Emirates can answer that. But it leaves a somewhat sour taste knowing that if we knew the layover was going to be that long we would never have booked it. Not in a million years.

In response to other posts made, valued feedback from all, however:
- the ticket is changeable for a fee but not refundable.
- the original ticket with shorter layover was 300� more than the cost of the 21h layover flight MrsAF has been bumped to. I find that somewhat underhand if not just a tad unscrupulous with Emirates knowing full well that at the time of booking the flight wasn�t operational. With the ticket terms being changeable for a fee then dumping this change on the pax it�s kind of like taking your money under false pretences

And yes at least she does have the lounge but it�s questionable that she will accept to stay 21h30 in transit. I wouldn�t do it and I see no reason why she should either.

Very disappointed.

if we could, I would, and put the refund towards alternative (albeit much more expensive now) options.

However the ticket is not refundable. Only changeable for a fee and you can be sure Emirates won�t change it at their cost (but will be worth a try). So we are stuck with it.

Confessing I don�t know much about Germany or Emirates operations- are they willing to switch you to another origin? Frankfurt?

Indeed. What are options from FRA or MUC?

It doesn't matter that the flight is non-refundable, if there is a considerable change in the departure or arrival time, you are entitled to a full refund.

Have you actually asked EK for a refund?

this is very helpful thank you and no we haven�t. But based on your advice, I will.

And I�ll let the forum know how we get on.

Merci

Beware that a full refund may take up to 3 to 4 weeks to process

My understanding is that all EK tickets are currently fully refundable under the Covid-19 policy.https://www.emirates.com/se/english/...icket-options/