themoosieman79

I was due to fly from Koh Samui to Guangzhou via Phuket yesterday.

One option was cheaper and faster, but had a 64 minute connection at Phuket.

Was flying Bangkok Airways, the Hainan Airways. Bangkok Airways do codeshares with a million airlines and across alliances.



It's a small airport, it's domestic to international, so seemed possible.



Carefully studied the ticket before buying as was counted as one ticket, one confirmation number, and not a self transfer, or something to make it hard.



While I HATE booking from 3rd parties, ticket was only available this way.



Got a confirmation code for the flight valid with Bangkok airlines and another with Hainan, both showed the entire routing.



Got to the airport 4 hours early to check in all the way through and to ensure any China entry issues were resolved.

But Bangkok Airways say they can't check through and I'll need to collect bags and rush to check into new flight at Phuket.



Because of this, the connection was now impossible, checkin closed the same time we collected bags despite the flight being on time.



Bangkok Airways say the flight wasn't their ticket and they have no idea why I was able to buy it , but it's Hainan Airways

Expedia say it's not their issue, it was my idea to buy a route with a short connection and suggested I was stupid for buying it and essentially said it's not their issue it's mine.

Hainan say I was a "did not show" for "their" flight from Phuket to Guangzhou and say it's not their issue I was late.



Which airline can best resolve this? Seems a little mad to me this itinerary was possible to buy ( aware many connections are missed this way) but even more mad is nobody thinks it's their issue to sort. I just wanted to be put on the next flight

SK AAR

If you want to try to get rebooked to the next Hainan flight, only Hainan can do it. PG can't/will refuse and Exp is not going to take any responsibility here.

It seems that it was PG at fault because refused to tag bags to final destination on a through ticket. There was only 1 ticket and it was on Hainan ticket stock /the ticket No. starts with 880?

But I doubt you will get very far with this. Only option seems to rebook the Hainan flight - or buy a new ticket to China if cheaper.

erik123

MCT at HKT for Bangkok Airways is 90 minutes - so the ticket was not valid. Also, they don't interline with Hainan so no checking bags.

Strangely it does seem bookable on Expedia.

https://www.bangkokair.com/through-check-in

I would call Expedia - ask for a supervisor (this is key!), get a case number, and request a refund as they sold you an invalid ticket.

SK AAR

Thx - interesting.

If the OP traveled/has used 1st segment, no refund is due. Exp might have to swallow the rebooking costs though; it will not be easy.

themoosieman79

I paid on AMEXPLT , so will take it up with them and challenge payment and see what happens. Don't have time for this stuff. Amazed they wouldn't just put me on the flight the next day, so ended up paying for a new ticket .

Quail

MCT is 60 minutes in this specific scenario. PG1403 to HU466 is valid as far as MCT is concerned.
PG has some 90 min overrides, but none of them apply and the airport default is 60 min.

erik123

Using ITA I can pull it up so correct it is valid. It must be due to incompetence at USM.

Jack L

Just thinking aloud - is it one of these cases where it would have been possible without checked bags?

SK AAR

I believe so. Assuming that OLCI is possible, 60min at HKT is plenty of time to walk from the domestic part of the terminal, pass immigration and security checks to the gate at the international part. HKT airport is quite compact. If OLCI with Hainan is not possible, the pax would have been SOL regardless if checked luggage or not.

As the incoming flight from USM was on time, the reason that the Hainan flight to China was missed, was because the check-in was closed by the time the pax reached the counters with their luggage.

bhomburg

Yes. BTDT - 60-minute connection from PG to MH and had no issues but had no checked bags. With bags, this is impossible, especially when there is extra bag screening set up before being able to enter the check-in counter area. HKT isn't really set up as a transfer airport.
PG messed up by not tagging the bags through which they should have done on a valid single-ticket itinerary.

SK AAR

I believe this is the true conclusion.