chinafish

Hello all,

I am due to travel on 17 Jun. This is my itinerary:
VS121 MAN BOS 1425 - 1655
B6 381 BOS RIC 2112 - 2256 (separate ticket on JetBlue. Last flight of the day for any airlines)

I took advantage of the UC sale for £999 a while back on the MAN BOS segment. Then had to book the BOS RIC segment separately due to no DL flights out of BOS to RIC by the time I land in BOS.

After seeing @Sealink 's posts about his VS121 that got cancelled, and he got rerouted MAN - LHR - BOS, that prompted me to start thinking about, if in the event the same thing happens to me, what my options are.

I don't want to be caught out the day before my trip to then have to start thinking about what I could potentially do. I know it's unlikely, but I like to be prepared.

First off, I live in London, and am going to have to travel up to MAN to take this flight. So a cancellation could work in my favour.

Here's what I've got after doing a bit of research around flights:

1. LHR BOS on VS is on VS11, 1725 - 1925. That would give me at BOS, less than 2 hours to clear immigration, collect checked bag, bag drop at JetBlue, clear security, which is too close for comfort for me.

2. LHR BOS is also served by DL59, 0940 - 1217. This would allow me the option of arranging same day change between myself and Jetblue, to earlier flight of B6 1281 1901 - 2050.

3. BOS RIC is served by DL on these flights. They depart before MAN BOS lands:
DL6090 BOS RIC 0855 - 1045
DL6130 BOS RIC 1450 - 1641

4. Looking at my entire trip of LHR - RIC, these flights operate on that day by VS / DL:
VS3 LHR JFK 0905 - 1140, DL4165 JFK RIC 1459 - 1637
DL1 LHR JFK 1030 - 1330, DL4165 JFK RIC 1459 - 1637
DL31 LHR ATL 1250 - 1722, DL1198 ATL RIC 1914 - 2054
VS45 LHR JFK 1400 - 1640, DL 4155 JFK RIC 1929 - 2125


My questions:
1. I assume VS would be happy to book me to go out from LHR, instead of making me travel up to MAN and fly me back down to LHR.

2. Would VS be only interested in getting me to BOS?

3. If they simply rebook me on the VS11, that will give me no contingency time to change to the last BOS RIC flight of the day. Since it is quite a long travelling day I would prefer a direct flight to RIC after my TATL.

4. If they rebook me on DL I assume that would be on DL 59 in J. How do their TATL J on 767 (DL 59) compare to the VS flights on 789 (VS11) or A346 (VS3)?

5. Would it be reasonable to request to be routed through to RIC?

6. Overall, I think in order of most preferred to least preferred, if there are no restrictions, this is how my itinerary would go (B6 would be on my existing ticket, DL would need to be covered by VS):
1. VS3 LHR JFK 0905 - 1140, DL4165 JFK RIC 1459 - 1637
2. DL1 LHR JFK 1030 - 1330, DL4165 JFK RIC 1459 - 1637
3. DL59 LHR BOS 0940 - 1217, B6 1281 BOS RIC 1901 - 2050
4. DL31 LHR ATL 1250 - 1722, DL1198 ATL RIC 1914 - 2054
5. VS45 LHR JFK 1400 - 1640, DL 4155 JFK RIC 1929 - 2125
6. DL59 LHR BOS 0940 - 1217, B6 381 BOS RIC 2112 - 2256
If VS would not get me to RIC then I would really only have options 3 or 6 above.

Any advice? Any angles I haven't considered?

Thanks,
Fish

craigthemif

It's always good to have exhaustively researched your options.

However VS has a contract to deliver you from MAN to BOS. Whilst they might be happy to transport you from LHR to BOS (not guaranteed), they definitely won't agree to send you to RIC. There's no point even contemplating that, due to the separate tickets and JetBlue.

VS may or may not be willing to rebook you on DL. ex-MAN would probably be ok, but asking for a different airline AND ex-LHR might be beyond what VS are willing or able to do.

You might want to research what the MAN-LHR-BOS timing would be. You could probably reject anything earlier than a 14:25 departure (you have a meeting or something in MAN you can't escape from early) and therefore hope for a long enough delay to get EU261 compensation, which might cover an overnight in MAN, LON or BOS and the new flight to RIC.

Otherwise don't do checked luggage, so you that have a chance at making your RIC-BOS flight after the late VS flight from LHR. Or pay one of those luggage transport services to deliver your bag to you in RIC.

Make sure that you know the options for a MAN-LHR-BOS that works with your positioning flight up to MAN.

Long story short, you need to research your options for MAN-BOS and hope that they work with your positioning flights both ends. (high risk, to be honest, to be same day positioning on separate tickets at both ends of the journey) If not, travel insurance, EU261 and fingers crossed...

UKtravelbear

Your separate flights to RIC are of no concern to VS - they have to get you to BOS as that is your contract with them.

There is a VS flight to JFK from MAN that day that leaves at 13.40 so they could just move you to that one then likely fly you DL to BOS.

The vast majority of flights are cancelled on the day so you would already be in MAN so that is where you need to research acceptable options from not LHR.

Often1

OP - Unless there are well-known issues in advance, the vast majority of cancellations and significant delays occur not only on the day of travel but right about the time of travel. Therefore, should something untoward happen, you will almost certainly be in MAN. For that reason, look at options MAN-BOS.

1. Do not plan on VS rebooking you to any place other than BOS. That is the termination of your ticket and it would be extraordinary for VS to accept any responsibility for getting you to any place other than BOS. Depending on the reason for the cancellation (delay), you may be entitled to EC 261/2004 compensation and that may help you with the additional costs you will likely incur with B6 and for time spent at BOS (which are not VS's to deal with).
2. Check your B6 fare rules. Depending on the fare rules for the ticket you have purchased, the cost of making a change may not be particularly high if made prior to scheduled departure, but the ticket is forfeited if you simply no show. If you know that you will no show for the flight, call and rebook. Far better to pay the smallish rebooking fee than to purchase a new ticket.
3. None of this is to suggest that you should not ask VS about other rebooking options, including to IAD (only a 90-minute drive to Richmond -- if that is your actual destination). Do a bit of research on cheap one-way car rentals.

chinafish

Thanks for all the input!

I'm doing a week of dancing in RIC, I'll have gear with me so it'll be a miracle if I can travel HBO. I'll look into it but highly unlikely.

I am going to go up to MAN by train so I have a positioning train ride instead of a positioning flight...!

I thought as much that they'll only try to get me to BOS. I suppose in the unlikely event that it does cancel I'll know that asking for traveling through to RIC will be a cheeky request, I'll certainly bring it up on the off chance they'll agree but not expect it.

I am traveling on Saturday as my course starts Sunday morning, so I need to arrive Saturday night. Having to overnight anywhere will be hugely annoying as that means I'll arrive stressed and missing at best half a day and at worst all of the first day. I think for me I'd much rather get there by any means than waiting for a delay for EU261.

And thanks for mentioning luggage transport service. I've never heard of such a thing and shall look it up. Under flight cancellation circumstances would I have to bear the cost myself or would VS pay for it / compensate me for it?

Thanks for the point that the cancellation could happen while I'm on the way / already at MAN. My train arrives at Manchester Piccadilly at around 11am. I should be at the airport by 12noon. That means MAN LHR on BA1399 1545-1650, in tight time for VS11 at 1725. If I miss that there's 2 BA flights left for the day LHR BOS, and I won't be in time to catch any BOS RIC flights.

chinafish

Alas I do not yet have a driver's license, still learning! So car hire from IAD is out of the question. I do however have a friend in IAD who might be able to help out, I shall certainly bear that in mind.

I suppose once I hear of any IRROPS VS will be my first contact and then B6. I've got a non refundable ticket (should do have gone for a flexible ticket, it didn't cost much more, but I didn't think properly until a few days after I bought it. I live and learn.). I'll be then at their mercy for rebooking.

Thanks again all, at least I know what to expect.

Fish

rapidex

Perhaps you could get Virgin to reroute you to Washington IAD and take the train to Richmond.Not sure if its 2 or 4 trains per day.Journey time 2 hours 30 mins.Might help with your driving situation.

Dont forget to pocket the EU261 600 Euros if VA cancel at less than 14 days notice.

craigthemif

Careful with that kind of statement. Compensation depends on how quickly VS gets you to your destination.

I would also be careful with random speculation about changing the destination. I have never heard of anybody being successful with a "Ah, Boston is cancelled, I actually fancy flying to Washington DC, do you mind?". Perhaps in an extreme weather scenario, but otherwise it's very unlikely. The contract is for MAN-BOS, not somewhere convenient for the OP.

rapidex

Not in the case of cancellation at less than 14 days notice.EU261 is payable.

Airlines will sometimes reroute passengers to a different destination in the event of a cancellation.I did say perhaps.

:D!

No, whether EC261/2004 compensation is payable depends on how the passenger is rerouted. If cancelled with 8-14 days notice but the passenger's rerouting causes them to arrive less than 4 hours later than the original scheduled arrival, no compensation is payable. If with 7 days notice or less, this is reduced to 2 hours.

craigthemif

Thank you, as I couldn't be bothered to look it up.

As a hypothetical, if VS cancel a LHR-JFK and re-book you on a BA that arrives at roughly the same time as your original flight = no EU261 compensation.

chinafish

Interesting. As another hypothetical, would airlines rebook a passenger on a different airline, as opposed to another later flight on their own airline / partner airline, to avoid paying out EU261?

Hawes7701

For what it's worth, my VS121 in October was cancelled. I proactively asked for LHR departure which they agreed to. However, it's a later flight and when I was told of the time I declined - only having a two day break and landing in the evening wasn't great.

I asked if if I could switch to flying to IAD instead and after speaking with a supervisor it was agreed and tickets issued.

Essentially I went from MAN-BOS to LHR-IAD. I think I got lucky though and didn't expect them to be so accommodating and certainly would bank on it again.

Overall it it was the perfect outcome. I live in the south and although Boston would have been nice Washington would have always been my preference. (Been to Boston a few times and only booked cos of £999 sale)

UKtravelbear

Yes - it happened to me. But more because the partner was fully booked and I activly suggested alternatives to them.

BUT if the cost of the rebooking to another airline is more than the EU261 then guess which they will choose.

craigthemif

Much depends on when/where the cancellation occurs.

At the airport, whatever option is acceptable to the passenger and gets there fastest...

In advance via a call centre, much more effort is made to keep you on the original carrier.

Completely YMMV though... But there are more than a few Flyertalkers who have taken "original routing credit" from the ticketing airline, whilst also earning an extra set of miles from the new operating carrier.