WingnutSYD

Seeking advice on a reservation next weekend. Ticketed with UA, 3/4 segments on UA metal, first segment was on Flybe. As you may have heard, Flybe just ceased operations effective immediately. Checking the reservation on UA, I can see the Flybe segment is now gone and the trip now originates at the departure airport of the second segment. It appears some amount of the ticket amount was refunded. I'm wondering if there's any particular best practice or recourse here? There are no reasonable options available anymore that will get me from original origin to the second segment's origin, so I'm not so sure what to do. Is United on the hook for anything here? Is this something I could leverage credit card coverage for?

Any and all advice greatly appreciated!

findark

United was under contract to transport you from the original origin, so if they can no longer do that you have a right to a full refund of unflown segments, but unfortunately you have few rights beyond that. UA will generally work with you to fix the problem if you can come up with a reasonable solution.

Depending on the terms, an insurance policy might cover alternative transportation for the first segment. How are you actually going to travel?

jsloan

Forget the second segment's origin. Are there other routes available from your origin to your destination? If you'd like to provide the cities and dates, people can likely make some suggestions.

WingnutSYD

EDI-LAX, March 15. (As currently booked, via LHR).
There are definitely other options but I'm not sure how many UA would make available to me. And also a bit price sensitive on this one. Or would I be eligible for alternative routing at original cost?
I'm also now seeing an alternative EDI-LHR on BA that could work if I re-check bags etc. Would United help out in any way there, or it would be entirely up to me?

aacharya

UA will take you EDI to EWR to LAX.

tods27

Time to pick up the phone and call to see your options. If you get an agent that isn't very helpful, HUACA hoping for a better agent. I have had agents try to tell me that my only recourse is to get a refund when another airline drops a route (similar to going under). Sounds like you booked with UA, so I assume that the ticket is on 016 stock.

jsloan

Yes, you should be eligible to re-route without any additional charge.

UA could potentially put you on EDI-(BA)-LHR-(UA)-LAX, in which case your bags would be transferred automatically. Don't buy a ticket from BA and hope to get reimbursed by UA, though. Call them and ask to make a change.

This would definitely be their first preference. If that routing works, it should be straightforward to get it.

emcampbe

Wait, OP got a refund already. That's pretty impressive in one way.

This isn't normally what happens, is it? Don't they normally just cancel the segment, and contact (or wait for you to contact) to work out arrangements. OP paid for EDI-LAX, shouldn't they get the option to change to a different routing that UA can provide without any fare adjustments (and in this case, all on it's own metal). The contract specifies they need to get them from EDI, but apparently the fare paid is now just from LHR. How does that work?

I'd expect UA should book OP on their own metal EDI-EWR-LAX. Initially, I'd suggest it should be at original price paid (no matter what the current fare is), but given there is already a partial refund, it would be a nice gesture if they'd just rebook that, without any additional $ changing hands (ie., total price would be original price paid - whatever they got in refund, which I'd suspect on EDI-LHR isn't much anyway).

jsloan

I suspect that was a misunderstanding. UA can't even seem to issue refunds for about a week when they're warranted, let alone when they're not.

No. I've never heard of it.

Yes.

It wouldn't.

I agree. Although, like I said, I think there was a misunderstanding. OP: Can you clarify why you think that it was refunded? Did you get something back on your credit card already? Did you get a message about a refund from UA?

Often1

The entire refund issue is confusing. Regardless and presuming that OP still wants to fly EDI-LAX, he should proceed as follows and, if need be, have the credit reversed or simply pay it as an add/collect to the reissued ticket.

First, UA will handle the rebooking as it is the ticketing carrier.
Second, you should do the research first and propose options to UA rather than asking for options. While you may not get what you ask for, you are more likely to do so when you provide specific flight numbers.
Third, UA will almost certainly rebook on its own metal via EWR (presuming availability) and on LH via FRA if not.

Given that there are many others in your situation, it is better to call and get this taken care of now rather than later. Be prepared to accept the reroute on the spot so that you are ticketed and this is no longer an issue.

WingnutSYD

Sorry all - much ado about nothing! Found some time to call and they got me rebooked on EDI-EWR-LAX as expected, no cost. Regarding the refund, I could very well have been mistaken - this ticket had been re-ticketed a few times in the past so receipt trail is a bit confusing - but it did look like the invoice on the EDI-less res was for a lower amount than before. I'll have to double check.

Anyway, thanks very much for all the info and advice!

paperwastage

Does ec261 apply in this situation, or is it considered extraordinary ?

Op is 10 days away when flight was technically cancelled (well, airline was cancelled)

Often1

Yes, but Flybe is in administration. All depending on the ultimate time-frames, it may be that OP is due as much as EUR 300 (50% of EUR 600 as the cancellation is outside 7 days, but under 14). However, his claim would be an unsecured debt and thus the chances of collecting it in administration less than slim and likely nothing or a tiny pittance at some time in the distant future.

Thus, legally yes but practically no.

AceReport

I would just add that I have had UA book me on BA for GLA-LHR when there was a delay in my itinerary a few years ago. Granted that was as a 1k but I suspect that the right agent will be willing to put you on UA's EDI-EWR or EDI-LHR on BA.

To repeat a suggestion that others have already made you are generally better off if you are equipped with a suggestion for the agent to act on rather than leaving it up to their imagination.

catocony

OP, did they rebook you on BA?