Plane delayed likely to miss connection? What should I do?
Apr 28, 2019, 2:55 am
#31
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: AY Platinum Lumo (LTG) OW Emerald, SPG Platinum (LTG), UA Silver
Posts: 380
You can find the previous flights from multiple sources.
This is one: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/OHLWE
This is one: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/OHLWE
Apr 29, 2019, 8:52 am
#32
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Unio Europaea
Programs: BA GGL, AS, Hertz Cirque Présidentielle
Posts: 1,445
(If not more. 
) Don't rely on ORC when you're a close shave away from retaining your status. It's always safer to have an updated itinerary. In this case flying HEL-OSL-HEL was indeed your best call in all circumstances. Just get the hotel expenditure in Oslo from your travel insurance and you're all good. Other options would have required working out some more complex reroute for the TPs and it wouldn't have been feasible.
May 6, 2019, 5:40 am
#33
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: London
Programs: Executive Club - Gold, HH - Gold, Marriott - Gold
Posts: 372
I asked Finnair for compensation and this is what they said:
"By virtue of EC regulation 261/2004, no compensation will be paid in the case of a cancellation or delay due to extraordinary circumstances Finnair is unable to influence even if all reasonable and necessary measures are taken. Such unusual conditions include weather conditions, strike, air traffic restrictions and safety risks. The cancellation of flight the flight from Helsinki on was due to The political situation in Pakistan. after that the flight was delayed due to air traffic control restrictions.
As these are extraordinary circumstances, the standard compensation will not be paid."
Is that correct? I'm not aware of my flight coming or going to Pakistan! But I'm not an expert here so I'd appreciate help in getting compensation. Thanks.
"By virtue of EC regulation 261/2004, no compensation will be paid in the case of a cancellation or delay due to extraordinary circumstances Finnair is unable to influence even if all reasonable and necessary measures are taken. Such unusual conditions include weather conditions, strike, air traffic restrictions and safety risks. The cancellation of flight the flight from Helsinki on was due to The political situation in Pakistan. after that the flight was delayed due to air traffic control restrictions.
As these are extraordinary circumstances, the standard compensation will not be paid."
Is that correct? I'm not aware of my flight coming or going to Pakistan! But I'm not an expert here so I'd appreciate help in getting compensation. Thanks.
May 6, 2019, 6:03 am
#34
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,016
Your delay was on the LHR-HEL route, right? The aircraft on that route often arrives to HEL from somewhere outside Europe in the morning, does HEL-LHR-HEL during the day and then leaves for somewhere outside Europe in the evening. It could very well be that the incoming morning arrival to HEL had crossed Pakistani airspace.
May 6, 2019, 7:50 am
#35
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: London
Programs: Executive Club - Gold, HH - Gold, Marriott - Gold
Posts: 372
My flight wasn’t cancelled.
Furthermore according to @Aviating it didn’t come from Pakistan. And the delay was aircraft rotation before it left Helsinki.
Can anyone one who understands this better figure out what’s correct?
Furthermore according to @Aviating it didn’t come from Pakistan. And the delay was aircraft rotation before it left Helsinki.
Can anyone one who understands this better figure out what’s correct?
May 6, 2019, 8:28 am
#36
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: AY Platinum Lumo (LTG) OW Emerald, SPG Platinum (LTG), UA Silver
Posts: 380
Accoring to Flightaware the aircraft was actually was late leaving Singapore, this two flights before your flight.
It did fly on its way SIN-HEL over Pakistan.
EDIT: Before leaving from SIN the plane was on the ground @SIN for almost 7 hours.
How much back does the airline want to go in the analysis?
It did fly on its way SIN-HEL over Pakistan.
EDIT: Before leaving from SIN the plane was on the ground @SIN for almost 7 hours.
How much back does the airline want to go in the analysis?
Last edited by Aviating; May 6, 2019 at 8:34 am
May 6, 2019, 8:42 am
#37
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,749
I remember having seen some precedence about these kinds of situations somewhere. No source, but off the top of my head: if AY leaves HEL late due to weather, SIN-HEL is seen as extraordinary. (Or if the flight is affected by Pakistani airspace closure, which in itself is, in my books at least, extraordinary). The reason for this is that AY does not have a hub at SIN.
But once the plane is back at HEL, the following flights are considered independent because HEL is AY's hub, and AY has, or might have, or should have, other planes available. So HEL-LHR-HEL cannot be blamed for something that happened earlier in that plane's life.
But once the plane is back at HEL, the following flights are considered independent because HEL is AY's hub, and AY has, or might have, or should have, other planes available. So HEL-LHR-HEL cannot be blamed for something that happened earlier in that plane's life.
May 6, 2019, 9:08 am
#38
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: try to stay home
Programs: AY, M&M, BAEC ...and don t care of status anymore
Posts: 2,042
Exactly. The HEL-LHR-HEL rotation has nothing to do with Pakistan space closure. Weather would only be a point if the weather either in HEL or LHR would cause the delay.
May 6, 2019, 12:00 pm
#39
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,016
Similar case: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/othe...t-airport.html where a U2 Belfast-Paris flight was delayed due to bad weather in Amsterdam.
May 6, 2019, 1:43 pm
#40
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: London
Programs: Executive Club - Gold, HH - Gold, Marriott - Gold
Posts: 372
Does this mean I have grounds to open a complaint on this?
Because the journey from Singapore didn’t make any difference to the plane sitting on the ground at Helsinki. And the delay was caused by the aircraft rotation not weather or dangerous flight space....
Because the journey from Singapore didn’t make any difference to the plane sitting on the ground at Helsinki. And the delay was caused by the aircraft rotation not weather or dangerous flight space....
May 6, 2019, 3:35 pm
#41
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,016
I found something in the FAQ in the BA compensation thread:
This sounds very similar to the situation here, where an LHR-HEL flight was delayed to HEL due to airspace restrictions in Pakistan.
15) What about knock-on effects?
This relates to disruption caused by aircraft being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, leading to you being disrupted. For example if you are due to fly from Cape Town to London but your aircraft is still stuck in New York due to a blizzard. In that situation you should be entitled to compensation.
This relates to disruption caused by aircraft being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, leading to you being disrupted. For example if you are due to fly from Cape Town to London but your aircraft is still stuck in New York due to a blizzard. In that situation you should be entitled to compensation.
May 6, 2019, 10:51 pm
#42
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,598
AY behaviour is ridiculous. It is somewhat understandable to be stuck at outstation due to late incoming aircraft than at HEL where they can swap planes IF they want but choosing not to take such measures or other fix is a deliberate choice and all but extraordinary IMO
May 6, 2019, 11:22 pm
#44
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: try to stay home
Programs: AY, M&M, BAEC ...and don t care of status anymore
Posts: 2,042
They can take other measures as well, AY has plenty of time to replace the aircraft, as they know about the delay 12hours+ in advance. The delay on the HEL-LHR route has nothing to do with the delay of the incoming plane from SIN if we are talking about compensation.
May 6, 2019, 11:39 pm
#45
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Helsinki-Vantaa APT, Finland
Programs: AY LUMO
Posts: 6,056