svanan77

*Long post alert*

Hi All,

What is a passenger's right in this case?

I have booked a Japan Airline flight to Kuala Lumpur on Mar 22, 2022 with the below route,

YVR - Depart:Aug 4, 2022 2.05PM (JL17)
NRT - Arrive:Aug 5, 2022 4.30PM, Depart:Aug 5, 2022 10.30PM (MH7093)
KUL - Arrive:Aug 6, 2022 4.55AM

This travel was booked via Royal Bank of Canada's Rewards website, www.rbcrewards.com/travel/ (i.e Travel Agent) to allow me to use my rewards points towards the flight ticket.

On May 21, 2022 the Travel Agent have sent an email stating there are flight changes, as below

YVR - Depart:Aug 4, 2022 2.05PM (JL17)
NRT - Arrive:Aug 5, 2022 4.30PM, Depart:Aug 8, 2022 10.20AM (MH71)
KUL - Arrive:Aug 8, 2022 4.45PM

Note: The major change was, my initial 6 hour transit now became 3 days lay over. The options given were to "Accept the change" or "Full Refund"

I am not looking for refund as I really want to meet my family in this post pandemic era whom I did not had a chance to meet since 6 years ago. I am keen to "Accept the change". The challenge here was the routing option given to me is not tenable. This is because
a) the Japanese Government does not allow tourist in their country due to their strict Covid-19 measurement. Hence I can't come out from airport
b) NRT airport shuts down at night meaning, I can't stay within airport, and
c) they don't have airport hotel that does not require passengers to come out from the airport to stay there.

Am puzzled why this routing option was given when its not tenable.

Have contacted JAL-American Region Reservation Center to confirm the updated Covid-19 rules and regulation in Japan and they have confirmed the above. As I have booked via a travel agent they can't assist me directly in finding a better route. JAL adviced me to contact my Travel Agent, and inform them to find a "same airport, same day departure" route for me. The Travel Agent was adviced they can contact JAL via Agency Helpdesk if they need any help.

I have contacted my Travel Agent to inform them on this information. The Travel Agent tried to find another routing option but sadly the pattern in NRT have changed for YVR-NRT-KUL,
a) the flight arrive in NRT on 4.30PM
b) depart to KUL on 10.20AM the next day.

The Travel Agent was trying their level best to persuade me to accept a refund citing they are having inventory problem. I did my independent checking and found there is the below route with additional transit in Singapore which I am willing to take,

YVR - Depart:Aug 4, 2022 2.05PM (JL17)
NRT - Arrive:Aug 5, 2022 4.30PM, Depart:Aug 5, 2022 7.00PM (SQ11)
SIN - Arrive:Aug 6, 2022 1.15AM, Depart:Aug 8, 2022 7.10AM (SQ104)
KUL - Arrive:Aug 6, 2022 8.10AM

Informed the Travel Agent and they had tried to contact JAL for advice/approval, since May 22, 2022 via email but apparently did not attract a reply but upon checking with JAL they claim no email reached them. I got the phone number of JAL and given to the travel Agent, when the Travel Agent said the JAL phone number did not go through.

When spoke with the Travel Agent July 22, 2022, they claims the request YVR-NRT-SIN-KUL was not accepted by JAL in pretext they are not JAL managed route and the Travel Agent once again was convincing me to take the refund. When I called JAL once again, they rubbished the claim stating, I am innocent as the re-routing option with 3 day layover in NRT was not initiated by me but the airline. On JAL side they indicated they seen these cases many times which they have helped.

The Travel Agent apparently need to seek "Waiver Quote: Due to Immigration Restriction" from JAL through Agency Helpdesk or Call to absorb the cost differences. According to JAL they would be willing to give approval for the waiver quote to use the YVR-NRT-SIN-KUL route.

JAL says I am not getting a good service from my Travel Agent and JAL could not hep directly to reroute this due to their policy as I got the ticket through the Travel Agent. But the Travel Agent claim JAL did not approve the Waiver Quote. Shouldn't a tenable rerouting option must be given?

What are my rights as a passenger in this case?

For the record, I have called my Travel Agent 8 times in the duration of 4 months speaking with the 8 different agents. Each time I need to explain the whole issue again seeking a resolution but of no avail. The wait time is an hour to get an agent not including couple more hours to wait while they are processing/understanding the issue.

I am getting worried as I have one week before travelling. I could not buy another ticket as the cost have went up 3x and I can no longer afford it. As have said, this travel is important as I have not my family for the last 6 years.

Hope you can advice.

Saravanan

Mwenenzi

A question for https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/japa...eage-bank-513/

Your Travel Agent must sort it out with JAL. Or a refund.
Many people are having issues with flights booked on JAL
Passenger is always responsible for visa - passport issues. JAL - TA do not what passport/passports- residency rights - visa you have.

irishguy28

Maybe I'm missing something, but has it occurred to you or the TA to try rebooking on a different carrier?

Is there some reason that neither you, nor they, appear willing to let go of the first JL17 flight?

Can you not ask them to rebook you on any other carrier?

Or does this bank only deal with JAL?

(Here's what Google suggests as the "best flights" for YVR-KUL on 4 August

irishguy28

The best that Google can do, sticking with using JL17, is an 18-hour overnight layover.

You really need to get your TA to completely ditch JAL, and rebook you on another airline.

irishguy28

Another option - have you checked for availability on the day(s) before/after?

Of course, you may not be able to travel earlier, and by travelling later you end up "losing" days of your holiday - but surely getting a direct routing a day or two later would be preferable to having an overnight or 2 day stopover in Japan? Or not travelling at all?

The very best of luck, and please let us know how this all worked out for you! Hope you see your family real soon.

svanan77

Mwenenzi - Do I require to repost this in the forum you referred? I will reach TA to push them to sort this out with JAL. The issue of not be able to enter Japan is not due to visa, but Japan government imposing immigration restriction due to Covid19 to not to allow layover foreign national to enter Japan for flight connecting purpose.

svanan77

irishguy28 - The itinerary change was done by JAL, as such in order for JAL to absorb the cost difference due to rerouting via Waiver Quotation, we have to stick with JAL. Otherwise the passenger would need to absorb the cost. As mentioned in the post, the cost now have tripled which I can no longer afford for family of 4. The TA is gladly encouraging me to go for a refund, and rebook with another carrier. I am flexible on the days but the pattern of JAL is consistent: arrive at NRT at 4.30pm and depart the next day at 10.20AM daily for my route. Hence its failing its own government immigration restriction,

moondog

Then, take the refund and book with a different airline. I like JL quite a bit, but staying in Japan for 3 days when you're not allowed to removes JL from consideration.

irishguy28

Your contract is with the travel agent - NOT with JAL.

If JAL is playing hardball, that's a problem for your travel agent, not for you. Your contract with the travel agent is to get you from Canada to Malaysia on August 4. You never requested to have a stopover in Japan, or to travel with JAL. Your travel agent must deliver what it agreed upon - and sticking with JAL through thick and thin is NOT what you asked them to provide you with.

Your travel agent must rebook you as necessary so that you can depart from Canada and arrive in Malaysia on the dates you selected. Just because they initially determined that they would put you on JAL, there is no requirement for them to insist upon keeping you on JAL services. Particularly when that means you have to enter Japan for a day or several days, which may or may not even be possible now based on Covid restrictions.

Insist upon being rebooked on other carriers that get you to your destination on the dates originally selected. Any decent travel agent would already have rebooked you, without quibble or fuss, and without asking for extra payment.

MSPeconomist

Part of the problem might be that the itinerary through SIN that OP is requesting has a stopover (over 24 hours) at SIN. This fundamentally changes the ticket and normally requires an additional fee or a higher fare class. OP should try to find a routing without any stopovers (over 24 hours is not a connection).

I'd also be careful about the EVA routing that someone posted above. Taiwan has strict rules regarding who can enter or transit there.

svanan77

Hi - All some updates.My TA is basically a bank providing a portal to buy travel ticket where I can partially use my credit card's reward points. I realize they are "not good" in resolving travel related challenges as their product portfolio is much large. JAL customer service is much more specialized I would say.After couple of friendly advice that I would need to escalate this to the bank's higher up, airline, politicians, social media and printed media. They seems to able to find a solution to this issue. Apparently the waiver quotation got finally approved to use for any JAL or MAS airlines. I told them to get me our of Japan to any 3rd country using what ever route per the approved waiver quote. Magically, they saw JAL going to SIN on the same day! Wasn't this was one of the option I told them to explore? Long story short I got the ticketed itinerary, with 11 hours stopover in Changi. I ain't complaining :-) I am going to see my family!

Apparently Changi is one of best airport for long stopovers. They have many family oriented activities..
Refer: www[dot]changiairport[dot]com/en/discover/attractions.html#/filter?tab=all

Trying to see opportunity to buy access for a Airport Lounge.
Thanks for all your advice.

A happy ending it is.

Mwenenzi

Good result. Enjoy the trip

The "bank providing a portal to buy travel ticket" have a large corporate travel agent in the background who does the work. Some company like Expedia or equal

SK AAR

To the OP. How did this go? You traveled as rebooked - and are now in KUL?