Short end of the Malaysian stick...or the pineapple!!

[takenbyaliens]

OK my first post...
I am a BNE bod. I have flown MH since 1998 and have been Gold MH since its inception and still am. I had two trips in the system when they announced BNE non Ops. So I get routed through SYD. Just back from the first. Was a points upgrade to I Business to use up some of them! On way back was on MH361 ex PEK...late as usual! ( is just about always late.) Arrived KUL 0906 plus taxi time etc. If I had been on MH141 to SYD...well it left at 0900. Luckily the last thing MH BNE did for me was realise that 361-141 was a dodgy connection so put me on 123 and gave me an STPC at Pan Pacific. Was also in Business on QF to and from SYD ( QF545/QF528 ). All relatively good.

Now my next trip is in Feb through to April. Again I am sopping up some points on the MH leg originally BNE>KUL...KUL>PEK>KUL>BNE. In the middle am on QR ( J ) through to Africa etc. Through SYD again. QF...will only fly me Y. MH on the return will not recognise the dodgy 361/141 connection. If I am late they say "you will be put on 123...but since it is a redemption most likely in Y as doubtful if any I left and will not use JDC etc classes in Business".

Issues: I need business on QF because of my luggage volume...business trip of close on three months. Documents etc. I cannot fly more than 2 hrs in Y as the reason I fly J etc is that my back is permanently wrecked due to a failed back operation. So Y in 123 no good.

Solution: I have to burn points to get an I seat BNE>SYD>BNE. I have to change to 123 and pay for a hotel in KL ( Sama Sama Express at around AUD177.)

Not happy pax here considering I could have opted to cancel because of Non Ops but chose to stay on MH only to cop this!

Needless to say my next trip BNE>CDG>PEK>BNE is not on MH !!

 

[Quickstatus]

Hi TBA,

Welcome and Excellent first post and you're using the language of AFF very well.

MH really has lost its Mojo over the years. The switch from *A to OW really did not help to get them out of the hole. The tragic 17/370 became a metaphor of the entire operation and the performance of the executive in front of the media when 370 was "taken by aliens" according to some conspiracy theorists painfully highlighted their ineptitude and mediocrity from years under government influence in a country where open dissent can be a crime.


Do you need to go via KUL?.

Have you considered CX?. CZ flies BNE-CAN-PEK but they are not on the QF best buddies list. MU is but you have to transit in SYD.

Let us know as QF is SYD centric and it will be interesting to see how a BNE bod negotiates travel without a solid QF hub.

 

[RooFlyer]

Welcome to AFF takenbyaliens

Sorry to hear of those issues - never good when an airline changes ops and flights.

 

[mannej]

Quickstatus, was MH ever part of Star?

 

[dajop]

Quickstatus, was MH ever part of Star?

Never. From memory they may have been an Ansett partner at some point, but never a member of Star Alliance.

 

[wenglock.mok]

MH really has lost its Mojo over the years. The switch from *A to OW

MH was never part of *A, but was pretty closely aligned with SkyTeam carriers until they joined OW. I believe they may still have a close relationship with KLM though...

 

[Quickstatus]

Hmm learn something new everyday!!!

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Now my next trip is in Feb through to April. Again I am sopping up some points on the MH leg originally BNE>KUL...KUL>PEK>KUL>BNE. In the middle am on QR ( J ) through to Africa etc. Through SYD again. QF...will only fly me Y. MH on the return will not recognise the dodgy 361/141 connection. If I am late they say "you will be put on 123...but since it is a redemption most likely in Y as doubtful if any I left and will not use JDC etc classes in Business".

It's not a question of "QF will only fly you Y" - they will fly you in whatever class MH are prepared to pay for so if you need to talk to anyone then it should be MH.

Issues: I need business on QF because of my luggage volume...business trip of close on three months. Documents etc. I cannot fly more than 2 hrs in Y as the reason I fly J etc is that my back is permanently wrecked due to a failed back operation. So Y in 123 no good. Solution: I have to burn points to get an I seat BNE>SYD>BNE.

You don't need to fly J BNE/SYD/BNE in order to get the J baggage allowance as MH is the most significant carrier so their allowance will apply in both directions.

I have to change to 123 and pay for a hotel in KL ( Sama Sama Express at around AUD177.) Not happy pax here considering I could have opted to cancel because of Non Ops but chose to stay on MH only to cop this! Needless to say my next trip BNE>CDG>PEK>BNE is not on MH !!

Before asking for a refund it's always a good idea to make sure you can get a similar fare on another airline as you don't want to cancel the first booking only to find that you have to fork out extra dollars for an alternative ticket. Have you tried calling MH again and asking them to rebook you J domestically on QF or have they flat out refused?

 

[Awesom Andy]

Perhaps a little late now, but in this type of situations, I would personally stick to my guns and ask them to fix the problems to my liking given that it's their change of operations that lead to the situation in the first place. Of course, the requests would also have to be reasonable.

In the future though, given the predicament MH is in, you may need to find a new airline of choice. Times change, business change, and I would dare say that eventually, all of us would have to go through this at some stage.

 

[takenbyaliens]

It's not a question of "QF will only fly you Y" - they will fly you in whatever class MH are prepared to pay for so if you need to talk to anyone then it should be MH.



You don't need to fly J BNE/SYD/BNE in order to get the J baggage allowance as MH is the most significant carrier so their allowance will apply in both directions.



Before asking for a refund it's always a good idea to make sure you can get a similar fare on another airline as you don't want to cancel the first booking only to find that you have to fork out extra dollars for an alternative ticket. Have you tried calling MH again and asking them to rebook you J domestically on QF or have they flat out refused?

MH were quite prepared to put me in Business on QF.. They went to QF who flatly refused as fare basis was originally Y. MH called me back and told me 'sorry'. I raised the issue of significant carrier as I know this rule. MH told me QF had said they would only allow me 30kg ( I get 40 kg plus 20 for Gold on MH ). I needed to get into KUL as I have a KUL>DOH>JNB then CPT>DOH>KUL section to carry on up to PEK.

 

[takenbyaliens]

Perhaps a little late now, but in this type of situations, I would personally stick to my guns and ask them to fix the problems to my liking given that it's their change of operations that lead to the situation in the first place. Of course, the requests would also have to be reasonable.

In the future though, given the predicament MH is in, you may need to find a new airline of choice. Times change, business change, and I would dare say that eventually, all of us would have to go through this at some stage.

I jumped ( nicely but firmly ) and MH moved. However they would not change the 141 to 123 as 361/141 is a valid connection (in their eyes ).

And yes am moving...CZ( codeshare AF/KLM ) for BNE>CAN>CDG>AMS>PEK>CAN>BNE ( with CDG>MRS>CDG side on AF and CDG>KEF>CDG side on IS ). Got CZ in Beijing in RMB. Paid around AUD4600 for Business but includes PEK>CAN in F on their internal A380. Hello Sky Team

 

[takenbyaliens]

So Here is another thought...MH 361 has an onetime rating of just 23% In the last week this 0130 flight ex PEK has left at: 0219, 0140, 0302, 0236 ( my last flight ), 0227, 0258, and today 0336. And they call it a VALID connection?????????? There may have been one day in the week when SYD bound 141 passengers would have made it.......

I think I am calling them again today...will keep you posted

 

[dajop]

What about trying for MH129 via MEL. That leaves a little later. I guess that would be problematic also because of the longer QF sector...

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I had two trips in the system when they announced BNE non Ops. So I get routed through SYD. Just back from the first. Was a points upgrade to I Business to use up some of them!

Luckily the last thing MH BNE did for me was realise that 361-141 was a dodgy connection so put me on 123 and gave me an STPC at Pan Pacific.

Was also in Business on QF to and from SYD ( QF545/QF528 ). All relatively good.

Was the first trip an award ticket in J from the outset BNE/KUL/PEK/KUL/BNE or was it a paid ticket in Y first and you used MH points to upgrade to J?

Either way you had a J ticket plated on MH on 232 ticket stock that had already been issed prior to them cancelling BNE/KUL vv non-stop flights?

After MH cancelled their non-stop BNE/KUL flight they rerouted you via SYD and you were also in J domestically on QF?

Now my next trip is in Feb through to April. Again I am sopping up some points on the MH leg originally BNE>KUL...KUL>PEK>KUL>BNE.

Through SYD again. QF...will only fly me Y.

So what is different about the first and second booking?

MH on the return will not recognise the dodgy 361/141 connection.

What did MH say when you told them they already set a precedent by doing just that on the first booking?

MH were quite prepared to put me in Business on QF.

Well that's easy as MH simply need to rebook you on QF flights in J and pay QF for those J sectors.

They went to QF who flatly refused as fare basis was originally Y. MH called me back and told me 'sorry'.

I raised the issue of significant carrier as I know this rule.

MH are being economical with the truth re calling QF.

You have MH flights plated on an MH ticket booked through MH and they want you to believe that they have to call QF and ask permission for you to travel in J???

They are just being stingy same as they are will not paying for the STPC in KUL. It seems they are trying to get out of paying for J sectors on QF because it's an award ticket vs a paid one however that should make absolutely no difference.

MH rebook all disrupted pax on the BNE/SYD/BNE sectors via their own system and re-issue a new eticket.

The most significant carrier is to do with baggage allowances not what class you shoukd be rebooked in.

MH told me QF had said they would only allow me 30kg ( I get 40 kg plus 20 for Gold on MH ). I needed to get into KUL as I have a KUL>DOH>JNB then CPT>DOH>KUL section to carry on up to PEK.

QF will honour what ever the MH allowance is irrespective of whether the BNE/SYD QF flight coupon says 30KG in Y or 40KG in J.

It's no different to BNE QF x/SYD AC YVR where your average Joe gets one piece but an AC elite gets 3 pieces. The QF system honours the AC elite allowance even if the ticket one says 1PC on both QF and AC flight coupons.

 

[takenbyaliens]

Was the first trip an award ticket in J from the outset BNE/KUL/PEK/KUL/BNE or was it a paid ticket in Y first and you used MH points to upgrade to J?

Either way you had a J ticket plated on MH on 232 ticket stock that had already been issed prior to them cancelling BNE/KUL vv non-stop flights?

After MH cancelled their non-stop BNE/KUL flight they rerouted you via SYD and you were also in J domestically on QF?



So what is different about the first and second booking?



What did MH say when you told them they already set a precedent by doing just that on the first booking?



Well that's easy as MH simply need to rebook you on QF flights in J and pay QF for those J sectors.



MH are being economical with the truth re calling QF.

You have MH flights plated on an MH ticket booked through MH and they want you to believe that they have to call QF and ask permission for you to travel in J???

They are just being stingy same as they are will not paying for the STPC in KUL. It seems they are trying to get out of paying for J sectors on QF because it's an award ticket vs a paid one however that should make absolutely no difference.

MH rebook all disrupted pax on the BNE/SYD/BNE sectors via their own system and re-issue a new eticket.

The most significant carrier is to do with baggage allowances not what class you shoukd be rebooked in.



QF will honour what ever the MH allowance is irrespective of whether the BNE/SYD QF flight coupon says 30KG in Y or 40KG in J.

It's no different to BNE QF x/SYD AC YVR where your average Joe gets one piece but an AC elite gets 3 pieces. The QF system honours the AC elite allowance even if the ticket one says 1PC on both QF and AC flight coupons.

OK it was originally booked through FC Corporate and was in S plated 922. Then it was upgraded by BNE MH and ticket now in I on MH plated 232. Then MH dumped BNE. New ticket issued in I on MH sectors plated 243 and QF was in S. I also had changes to a ticket for my most recent trip ( also an upgrade etc )....Interestingly the flights I just completed three days ago for the exact same routing had me in I on MH and QF.
The only differences between first and second bookings are:
1. First ( completed ) 361/123 with STPC and I on QF
2. Next trip 361/141 and S on QF

I agree that it should not make a difference re QF...in both cases I paid for a business class ticket via upgradeable S economy PLUS 80000 points.

The issue of 141 or 123 I am going to pursue! I have already redeemed the BNE>SYD >BNE flights with points.

 

[takenbyaliens]

Well off phone...my booking for the next trip was done after they announced BNE non ops. The BNE office nicely included BNE>SYD>BNE at no extra cost but in S.
re 361/141 vs 361/123...they say 361/141 is a valid connection...just like today?? 361 arrived 62 minutes after 141 left.

End....if I want 123...pay for your hotel room yourself! Not happy camper.