Has anyone had this happen and if so what was the result. We have had a partner of TWA issue four tickets on TWA for travel to Cairo from Los Angeles using the partners miles. Two tickets are in First Class and two in coach, the tickets have been issued but the TWA / American consortium announced yesterday they are discontinuing service on this route before we get to use these tickets. What happens next. We would still like to take this trip, will they put us on another airline? At least the miles and taxes should be refunded? Any suggestions?

My understanding is that TWA just let travelers who had reservations to Tel Aviv after they canceled the TLV route return their tickets for credit. They did not put them on other airlines. If you were in Israel they did get you back (though there were serious problems for people with e-tickets as there were no TWA employees around to issue you a paper ticket).

I had first-class award tickets from SFO to Athens on TWA a few years and they canceled service there about six months before my travel dates.

It took several phone calls and letters but I ended up getting first-class travel on TWA to Rome and then they booked me in coach on Alitalia to Athens. I was very insistent that I did not want them to simply cancel the trip and reissue the miles as it was a very difficult award to get and so I had booked 330 days out. My argument was a) part of their cost of doing business in making this decision was reaccommodating those already booked on that route and b) we had a contract. I don't know if they have as much interest now in making people happy, but it's worth a try.

There's another thread on this topic in general on the Travel Board that might interest you.

Spoke to TWA this morning they said they would "protect" the two coach tickets on Delta or British Airlines but could not protect the two First Class tickets. If we are willing to accept downgrade to coach they will book us on one of the mentioned airlines and put the difference in miles back in our FF account. We really wanted first class and booked way in advance. Does this sound reasonable or should we still complain. Really no accomodation is being made other than TOUGH LUCK. I would point out that we have tickets issued for First Class.

How about asking if they could put you in F on one of AA's partners like SR. I've heard they have a pretty good F product!

UPDATE:

TWA just called back! They say they have no responsibility for free tickets from a partner airline. They say the miles will be credited back to my account but nothing else can be done. We have already paid for a cruise and tour while we were to be in Egypt. There are some very stiff cancelation penalties. TWA has indicated this is my problem. I wonder about these ethics. I have asked to have supervisor contact me and am awaiting call!!!!!

Very strange:
I thought in the event of cancellations / delays etc., I thought free tickets had the same "rights" as paid tickets.

I suggest that you read over your contract of carriage carefully to find out what you are/aren't entitled to before pursuing this further. If you can bust them on specific infractions, you'll probably make out pretty well (because the contract of carriage is a legal document). Good luck!

cy-gone, why are you cross-posting this? You already got some responses here:

Do airlines accommodate when they discontinue service to a city?

JS
If you note when I started this thread it was before I ever read or posted to the travel thread. Someone in an earlier post suggested I read the travel thread you are referring to, and I posted my predicament. The thread you are refering to actually talks about a ticket purchased with a voucher. This thread is for mileage related topics and my ticket was purchased with miles. I hope this answers your question.

OK, I see what you're saying.

I had this happen to me on my honeymoon. I booked a trip using USAir miles on ANA from BOS to DPS in business a year in advance. They confirmed me and I thought I was on my merry way. About a month before, they called and told me ANA was cancelling their flights from Tokyo to DPS. They would either refund the tickets, or get me as far as SIN, although they couldn't confirm me in Business on the Tokyo to SIN outbound. I called back becuase I thought they were out of their mind. It was a month before the trip, there was no way they'd leave me hanging. Sure enough though, they had absolutely no concern for my situation. They told me that they not protect me when taking an Award trip on a partner airline unless they had another partner that flew the route. I then called ANA and they promptly said they had no control over the reservation and it was USAir's responsibility. I called another USAir agent, but she also was no help. I then called consumer affairs and the woman rudely told me USAir would do nothing for me except return the miles, and I could go fly another airline if I didn't like it.

My new wife and I almost cancelled the trip and went to the Carribean, but something in me told me to go anyways. I booked a flight from SIN to DPS. It turns out we had the best vacation of our lives (so far), and there was a hurricane in the Carribean.

Needless to say, I almost never fly USAir anymore unless there is no other choice. I can sympathize with your situation and wish you the best of luck in finding another avenue to get to your destination.

Regards,
Chris

I'm a little surprised that TWA won't honor the ticket. Was this a LatinPass award? If so, maybe you can reserve the seats on KLM. I believe they fly LAX to Cairo with one connection in AMS.

[This message has been edited by dhacker (edited 09-05-2001).]

This may be true for same-day cancellations or delays, but it's not the case when the route is dropped well in advance of the date of travel.

Have you called American Airlines? They have many international partners that would probably give you a few options. Since AA bought TWA, you could return your tickets to TWA then move them to AAdvantage account.

TWA cancelled their JFK to Rome route last year, and I had 4 bus tix (upgrades) booked. They couldn't get me into Rome within 2 days of when I needed, would only use 1 (or 2?) other airlines, and in coach. They offered me Milan (coach) and get to Rome on your own. A friend said that I'd get my seats, and I called a supervisor who thought I should. I did, a couple of days later. If they still flew to Tel Aviv, I'd suggest you fly there, but perhaps they fly somewhere nearby - unfortunately there's no perfect solution that's likely to be reached.