Involuntarily forced from business to economy

[JohnK]

No help to the OP, but this is the knowledge I'll always remember.

I would refuse to board.

This should never have to happen to anyone.

And if it does the airline should wear full cost and then some.

 

[N860CR]

Refusing to board in such a situation would also cause a delay to the flight as it would mean off-loading the bags. That may make a gate agent think twice.

I know some people are against it but I'd be looking into a credit card chargeback, subject to the EK T&Cs not providing them with wiggle room.

Absolutely. This is how we'll eventually fix these customer service problems. The banks aren't there to get involved in customer service disputes. It's a very simple "did the customer get what they paid for?" Yes/No? Question.

 

[Renato1]

True.

Whenever ai buy a premium ticket I also take a screen shot of the Discounted economy price for the same flight itinerary. If I ever get Treated like this there will be a letter of demand via lawyers for the difference between price paid and cheapest economy At the time of purchase

That's a really good idea.
Thinking about it, would it not also be worth taking a screen shot of the seat you had selected (proving that a seat was there and notionally yours)?

Then, rather than engage a lawyer, just write to them stating that it is your opinion that their action was plainly deliberate, and with the deliberate intention of extracting more money from their economy seats, and that unless the full amount of money from the lower economy fara at the time of purchase is refunded, that you will refer the matter to the ACCC for what is in your opinion a breach of Australian Trade Practices law? (All the "opinion" bits relate to their not being able to sue you in turn).
Regards,
Renato

 

[get me outta here]

Some good suggestions here for insurance in case this should happen to me. Would a refusal to board, assuming you have checked luggage, actually get you on the next flight assuming they're going to put you in the class of your original booking? If you had to carry through the off loading threat.

 

[cove]

Always negotiate the compensation prior to boarding. I did that and it worked out ok but not with Emirates.

 

[Danger]

Some good suggestions here for insurance in case this should happen to me. Would a refusal to board, assuming you have checked luggage, actually get you on the next flight assuming they're going to put you in the class of your original booking? If you had to carry through the off loading threat.

That is my fear, that you'd be offloaded permanently. However, I think travel insurance would have to kick in then. You'd need some paperwork from the airline, I guess. I would start off by saying "Unless you accommodate me in my original seat on this flight" or "Unless you re accommodate my X" I'm not boarding.

In fact, thinking about it a little further, if you could actually get them to refuse to carry you period, there's an open and shut case for a chargeback then. The cost of purchasing a new ticket may well be higher but, again, I'd hope travel insurance would come to the party.

 

[dajop]

No doubt, assuming OP's friend paid say, $7500 for J return to CPH, and used 65% of the distance of that ticket already ($4875), EK will happily refund of the difference ($2625) for the unused portion of the ticket. However, simultaneously will charge the OP's friend for the last minute one way fare full Y from DXB - CPH ($2879 according to expert flyer). As a gesture of goodwill for the inconvenience, they will of course wave the $254 fare difference the OP actually owes EK for the change in ticket.

I jest, but this sort of thing seems to be the logic that is applied in these situations ....

 

[vetrade]

There was a very lengthy thread a while back about an older couple (posted by their daughter IIRC) who got bumped by QF from J to Y on an LAX - MEL (or SYD?) flight and got offered very meager compensation. I think all the issues / angles were covered extensively there

 

[DC3]

There was a very lengthy thread a while back about an older couple (posted by their daughter IIRC) who got bumped by QF from J to Y on an LAX - MEL (or SYD?) flight ....

It was EmilyP who posted. Not sure if she's still here but that thread was eventually shut down, having run it's course with no new information.

 

[Mark3000]

That's why I like the beauty of the US when over booked, there can be some good compo deals when not enough people are volunteering to take one for the airline's greediness in overbooking.

This is such a good point. In the US where overbooking is common, they often have an auction in effect where they offer all passengers an increasing incentive to be voluntarily bumped. It is such a good system and everyone is happy. The airline is happy and the customer who is bumped is happy with their voucher. There are many circumstances where people on vacation or in no hurry to get back to work would be very happy with a voucher and / or a night in a hotel. In this case emirates handled it appallingly badly, to choose someone, potentially at random, or potentially due to lack of status and give them no choice was very cruel. They could not have cared that he had a full day of work seeing patients the next day and gave him no choice.
This is yet another reason to make me choose Singapore airlines to travel to Europe instead of going via Dubai with emirates. I cannot imagine Singapore airlines handling it this badly.

Thanks to everyone who contributed for some good suggestions.
I will let you know how it all turns out

 

[dfcatch]

I would chargeback - without hesitation - and in the first instance.

The chargeback procedure can be lengthy - I'd get it started.

I would then proceed with a customer care claim.

And some here who are more social-media-savvy would make a fuss on Bookface and The Twit

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

Any news on this situation?

 

[mickjoebill]

For those of us who rarley travel business and are keen to prevent being bumped,
1/ is approaching the gate before boarding begins and asking if you have a guaranteed seat in the class that you have paid for a form of contract?

2/If you give prior warning at checkin or gate that you won't travel in a lower class does it transfer responsibility of delayed departure to staff.
A good idea or making yourself a target?
Mjb

 

[Princess Fiona]

For those of us who rarley travel business and are keen to prevent being bumped,
1/ is approaching the gate before boarding begins and asking if you have a guaranteed seat in the class that you have paid for a form of contract?

2/If you give prior warning at checkin or gate that you won't travel in a lower class does it transfer responsibility of delayed departure to staff.
A good idea or making yourself a target?
Mjb

1. No I would not do this. Staff at the gate will page you if they are looking for you.

2. No it does not. It's not a good idea IMO.

Two things you can do which might help are :
Do online check-in once it opens.
Get to the airport bag drop when it opens.

Neither are guaranteed to work but at least the airline knows you won't be a no-show.

 

[Ex-bugman]

Just saw this, unfortunately the fact he got on the plane and accepted the seat means his claim is limited, his compo is from Qantas and not great. He had his chance when boarding because his bags (I assume) would have been loaded and so removing them a real issue for them. Old squeaky wheel issue I'm afraid.

 

[milart]

Hm, nothing changes.
Having flown EK from the get go when based in DXB it was not unusual for some Sheikh/entourage to rock up at the check in & demand a seat/s to BAH/KWT/LHR etc etc. In those days it was just F & Y, so, people just got bumped onto the tarmac. Fortunately my employers understood the "culture" so I always went F. As we used to say, you cannot expect the mentality to change just because they went from "donkeys to Dodge & camels to Cadillac" in just 50 years. I would certainly take this up with the ACCC as the ticket was purchased from QF in Australia & was obviously "not fit for purpose". Also, do not forget the ABC Checkout programme if you get nowhere. That may make young Mr Joyce sit up & take notice, another flaw in the unholy alliance with a State run business.

 

[Steady]

Also, do not forget the ABC Checkout programme if you get nowhere.

One I enjoy

 

[Lord Mud]

Potentially dumb question but wouldn't the OP have a BP given to them in CPH for the onward flights to BNE? I haven't seen that mentioned anywhere. I am used to getting BP's for all legs at the same time when checking in. If so, the the original BP should have a seat assigned to them on check in at CPH. Seat selected at that stage should be irrelevant. The check in process should have assigned seat and any overbooking issues shouldn't have been OP's problem by that stage. Airlines usually don't mess with transit passengers that are both checked in with luggage already in the hold arriving for somewhere else. If this was a DXB stopover it I could understand it..

Also once in the event of any changes made should have flagged you on entry to DXB Bus Lge where you should have been notified of any issues. So if the OP got as far as the gate without notification there is a major stuff up here. Lots of little if's

I suspect some VIP's decided to get onboard in F and this had a knockon effect into J. Would be the only explanation that makes sense to me for this kind of monumental stuff up

 

[Allegro Vivace]

This sorry saga confirms my decision never to fly EK, nor any other ME airline, to Europe.

If I can't fly QF all the way to Europe, then I will choose CX, OR SQ

 

[Quickstatus]

Has happened on other airlines as well. Especially QF