Cost for airlines transferring you to a rival

[Melburnian1]

Airlines don't like having to transfer you to an 'unrelated' rival, as it costs.

In such circumstances, do airlines rely on presigned or agreed contractual arrangements? What fare would they typically be charged for each passenger: for instance, for someone travelling in Y, full tote odds, best fare of the day or an agreed amount?

As examples, say it was the start of Christmas holidays and a QF flight SYD to LAX was cancelled. QF was booked solid for the next three days, and so, oddly, was AA. But DL and UA have spare seats available on the day, and there's "just" enough time to place QFi passengers on the latter two, so QFi decides to.

These problems can cut both ways, so the next time it occurs, it may be UA cancelling a flight in similar circumstances.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Good question!

The reluctance to transfer on day of travel is something not seen in the USA. You are routinely offered connections on other airlines… anything to get you moving and to your destination. I once had an award on United TATL and they offered me AA and BA as alternatives!

I know airlines have agreement pds in place to accept each others tickets, but don’t know how it’s reconciled.

 

[Buzzard]

On a Monday, arriving late into SYD from BNE, the connection to MIM was missed.
The next flight to MIM wasn't until Wednesday. QF wouldn't pay the $400 for an available Rex flight.

 

[Saab34]

On a Monday, arriving late into SYD from BNE, the connection to MIM was missed.
The next flight to MIM wasn't until Wednesday. QF wouldn't pay the $400 for an available Rex flight.

Out of interest did they pay for accommodation and other costs?

 

[Buzzard]

Out of interest did they pay for accommodation and other costs?

Ended up being put on a flight to CBR (by requesting it) and was picked up there and driven to MIM.

 

[wenglock.mok]

Airlines don't like having to transfer you to an 'unrelated' rival, as it costs.

In such circumstances, do airlines rely on presigned or agreed contractual arrangements? What fare would they typically be charged for each passenger: for instance, for someone travelling in Y, full tote odds, best fare of the day or an agreed amount?

As examples, say it was the start of Christmas holidays and a QF flight SYD to LAX was cancelled. QF was booked solid for the next three days, and so, oddly, was AA. But DL and UA have spare seats available on the day, and there's "just" enough time to place QFi passengers on the latter two, so QFi decides to.

These problems can cut both ways, so the next time it occurs, it may be UA cancelling a flight in similar circumstances.

It's an interesting question that I've often wondered myself.

I once missed a connection in MEL on a QF ticket SYD-MEL-HKG-TPE (yes, asking for trouble I know...) with CX operating the HKG-TPE leg. Unfortunately, the 7am A332 SYD-MEL flight ran late as mechanics were onboard to look at some seats after we had already boarded and we needed an air start cart to come by to help start the engines, which could only happen after we had been pushed back from the bay.

Credit where credit is due - the staff at the service desk at MEL T1 were awesome. The options available on the day were very limited and so after consulting EF on my phone at the counter, I ended up asking them if they would put me on BR instead from BNE-TPE and without flinching, they rebooked me into full-fare C, including on the QF MEL-BNE leg.

It was a very interesting experience and I've since read that they pay either a nominal fare or nothing, but have some sort of arrangement where they accrue credits on each other (i.e. QF would then owe BR one FIM carriage some time in the future).