[flyhi152]

I had a confirmed reservation for a flight with Air India from Los Angeles to Frankfurt (non stop). My connecting flight to Spain would have been about 3.5 hours after arriving in Frankfurt.

When I arrived at the airport in Los Angeles I was advised that the flight had been canceled because the plane had been damaged a day before and the replacement plane would not fly to Frankfurt. Instead, it would fly to London several hours later. When I asked the manager why this plane would go to London instead of Frankfurt (Air India never had any route Los Angeles - London at that time) the answer was: "there are only 10 passengers scheduled for Frankfurt, that's why we are sending the plane to London". This still did not make sense to me: If there was a scheduled flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt, why wouldn't the replacement plane not be able to do that flight ??? I felt that this explanation was complete nonsense.

Finally I was rebooked onto a flight with Air France to Paris with a layover in Paris and a connecting flight to Frankfurt. When I arrived in Frankfurt about 4 hours later than planned, my connecting flight to Spain was gone. I had to spend the night in Frankfurt, buy myself a new ticket to Spain and lost the money for my reservations in Spain.

Later I tried to make a claim and submitted copies of the receipts for my expenses. Air India never paid me a single cent, not even a goodwill voucher or anything similar. Their position was: you had 2 separate tickets and we are not responsible for your loss. I believe that this Airline should make it into the Guiness Book of records for the worst airline customer service.

[stonecold_1981]

While I think that Air India is one of the worst airlines ever in terms of customer service, in this case, their explanation is valid.
If you booked two separate tickets Los Angeles to FRA and then FRA to Spain, the first airline is only required to get you to FRA - flight delays are always part and parcel of flying
Had you booked ONE ticket LA to Spain connecting via FRA, Air India would have to fly you to Spain or return your ticket costs

[flyhi152]

Yes, legally they are right, but was the legal situation created by airline customers ? I believe it is more the result of Airline lobbyists. It is very common to travel with different tickets, especially if the final destination can not be reached with one single airline. Their explanation why the replacement plane could not fly to FRA was total nonsense and it showed me what kind of moron airline this is: changing a scheduled destination from FRA to London for no other reason than the "lack of passengers" ???? Probably only an Airline like Air India is capable of doing that.

[flyhi152]

By the way: you don't even have to travel with different airline and still be forced to purchase two different tickets to get to your destination: for example

1.) Jet Blue flies to Phoenix and Bogota, yet if you want to go from Phoenix to Bogota you will have to buy two separate tickets from them. I called them several times to find out why and the only answer they had was "we can't send the luggage directly from PHX to BOG"

2.) Condor flies to Las Vegas (LAS) and to Palma de Mallorca (PMI). But if you wanted to go from Las Vegas to Mallorca you would have to purchase 2 separate tickets. Probably there are numerous other examples. The whole airline industry and their rules are set up the way that if something goes wrong it is the passenger's loss, and the airline does not have to pay for any damages.

[stonecold_1981]

Originally Posted by flyhi152

Yes, legally they are right, but was the legal situation created by airline customers ? I believe it is more the result of Airline lobbyists.

--> Ok. But that doesnt mean that Air India is liable for compensation.

Agree with you on Air India though, they are they worst and they wouldn't even compensate for a genuine situation.

[flyhi152]

Another thing: according to European laws the Airline has to compensate a passenger if he arrives over 4 hours later than scheduled at his destination. (Which was the case). But this law does not apply for Airlines that operate out of non-european countries.... Why ? The damages for the passenger are the same, they could have made this rule for any airline that flies to Europe. Air India knows exactly that this rule does not apply to them and so they care a s**t about a passenger who arrives over 4 hours later at his destination. All what they are willing to offer to such a passenger is a "SORRY-FOR-THE-INCONVENIENCE" but they won't pay a single cent.

[jimworcs]

Actually, they could not make the rule apply to airlines not based in the EU. Regulation of international airlines is covered by treaty. If you want that protection, you have to fly on an EU registered carrier.

[flyhi152]

And who makes the treaty ? Passengers ???? When did I say that Air India was liable ? I posted my story so that other people know what kind of treatment they can expect from this Airline. It is a shame that the "treaty" allows airlines to cancel a flight if they feel that it won't turn out profitable enough for them and that they don't have any obligation to take a passenger to his destination within four hours of the schedule.

[jimworcs]

Is that response a reply to my post? If so, I suggest you read my post again because your response makes no sense.

[flyhi152]

yes, it was a response to your post, read it again and it will make sense to you. By the way: Are you an airline - sympathizer ? I see that you are having a problem with my post.

[jimworcs]

Ok, let's play...

1. You are either very unlucky, a liar or a nitpicking numpty. The number of posts describing a series of recent journeys around the globe with a catalogue of disasters stretches credulity, but I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you are unlucky. I suspect however, you may well be all three.

2. I am hardly an airline sympathiser, which any reading of my posts would reveal.

3. WTF are you talking about where you go postal about where I said that you said Air India were liable? Read it again... I never said anything of the sort. The same goes for the rest of your rambling nonsense. My only point was that the EU only has the legal right to legislate about EU based carriers, and could not have extended the law to cover airlines based in other countries

4. You might consider not responding to my posts until you are sober

5. Cathay Pacific is owned 41% by Swire. This is a company going back a couple f hundred years and began in Liverpool, which is in the West. It continues to bridge western and eastern ownership and cultures. Perhaps your latter, more positive experience demonstrates that you are quick to leap to the wrong conclusion and adopt a bolshy attitude, with very little evidence. That is certainly what you did in your reply to my post.

[A320FAN]

Originally Posted by flyhi152

By the way: you don't even have to travel with different airline and still be forced to purchase two different tickets to get to your destination: for example

1.) Jet Blue flies to Phoenix and Bogota, yet if you want to go from Phoenix to Bogota you will have to buy two separate tickets from them. I called them several times to find out why and the only answer they had was "we can't send the luggage directly from PHX to BOG"

The JetBlue flight to BOG is: JFK-MCO-BOG sold as a through flight.
The reasons you do not see PHX-BOG being sold, is: 1.) PHX-JFK is a red-eye flight, and arrives in the early AM hours into JFK. Flight 1783 JFK-MCO-BOG leaves arround 1:00pm and the gap on the connecting flights is too great. Now the way around this is to fly PHX-JFK-MCO on 1 ticket, and seperately buy a 2nd ticket from MCO to BOG. Now keep in mind currently JetBlue only flies MCO-BOG-MCO 5Xs weekly and the dates you may have had in mind the BOG flight is not offered. 2.) The other reason is that JetBlue does not interline with an airline offeres service to BOG.

[flyhi152]

Dear jimworks: this website is about complaints not about compliments. I travel quite a lot and I have been very satisfied with many airlines, for example with Philippine Airlines, an airline that does not have a good reputation or with Southwest Airlines. I see that you are unhappy with my report about Air India and don't understand why you are getting personal. You talk like an airline employee and I would not be surprised if you get blocked sooner or later like some other guys who tried to discredit people who write something negative about particular airlines. You can call me all kind of names but you won't stop me from telling other people about my experiences. This is exactly what Airlines don't like: Their marketing people try to build up this image of happy passengers, always nice and helpful airline employees, great deals on fares and when passengers complain, there is nothing wrong with the airline but with these passengers.

[jimworcs]

Dear flyby,
Thank you for your advice. As I appear to be working for an airline, does any know where I might find out where my pay cheques are going? They seem to be going missing like checked baggage at Delta.

[flyhi152]

jimworcs,

why don't you write something that others might be interested in, instead of trying to offend members who try to share their bad experiences with certain airlines. You talk exactly the way how airlines respond to a customer who has a complaint: Since it is legal to cancel a flight without compensating the passenger for the damages (at least for non-european airlines) there is nothing wrong about it. Great ! I am so happy that it was legal when I had to buy a second ticket after Air India felt that their scheduled flight would not turn out profitable. I will be happy to get this experience again and recommend this airline to other passengers who want to experience what the legal situation is. And yes, I agree with you, I am a liar: Air India compensated me for all of my damages and offered me free flights for the next 20 years, I was only drunken when I wrote my report.

[jimworcs]

Later I tried to make a claim and submitted copies of the receipts for my expenses. Air India never paid me a single cent, not even a goodwill voucher or anything similar. Their position was: you had 2 separate tickets and we are not responsible for your loss. I believe that this Airline should make it into the Guiness Book of records for the worst airline customer service.

. Posted 11th Feb 2011.


y

[jimworcs]

Later I tried to make a claim and submitted copies of the receipts for my expenses. Air India never paid me a single cent, not even a goodwill voucher or anything similar. Their position was: you had 2 separate tickets and we are not responsible for your loss. I believe that this Airline should make it into the Guiness Book of records for the worst airline customer service.

. Posted 11th Feb 2011.

Air India compensated me for all my damages and offered me free flights for the next 20 years

. Posted 15th Feb 2011

Wow fly hi. What a remarkable negotiator you are. Air India offered you free flights for the next 20 years. Amazing. The only drawback is, you would have to fly for the next 20 years on Air India. Just think what they would have offered you if your flight had been delayed longer than 4 hours. You might have got free flight for the rest of your life. Perhaps this explains why Air India is practically bankrupt and needs a massive injection of cash from the Indian Govt. Every time they are more than 4 hours late they offer the passengers free flights for 20 years.

[flyhi152]

No, in fact I lied again - in fact they offered me free flights in First Class (for me and my family members) for the next 100 years to any destination worldwide. Are you happy now that you have exposed me as a drunken liar ?

[jimworcs]

Yes indeed.. I am utterly ecstatic!

[victoria stiles]

This is really very depressing situation when you have to cancel and compromise with your plans just because of transport means.

[samson smith]

Originally Posted by flyhi152

I had a confirmed reservation for a flight with Air India from Los Angeles to Frankfurt (non stop). My connecting flight to Spain would have been about 3.5 hours after arriving in Frankfurt.

When I arrived at the airport in Los Angeles I was advised that the flight had been canceled because the plane had been damaged a day before and the replacement plane would not fly to Frankfurt. Instead, it would fly to London several hours later. When I asked the manager why this plane would go to London instead of Frankfurt (Air India never had any route Los Angeles - London at that time) the answer was: "there are only 10 passengers scheduled for Frankfurt, that's why we are sending the plane to London". This still did not make sense to me: If there was a scheduled flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt, why wouldn't the replacement plane not be able to do that flight ??? I felt that this explanation was complete nonsense.

Finally I was rebooked onto a flight with Air France to Paris with a layover in Paris and a connecting flight to Frankfurt. When I arrived in Frankfurt about 4 hours later than planned, my connecting flight to Spain was gone. I had to spend the night in Frankfurt, buy myself a new ticket to Spain and lost the money for my reservations in Spain.

Later I tried to make a claim and submitted copies of the receipts for my expenses. Air India never paid me a single cent, not even a goodwill voucher or anything similar. Their position was: you had 2 separate tickets and we are not responsible for your loss. I believe that this Airline should make it into the Guiness Book of records for the worst airline customer service.

Bad situation!! Your flight is canceled and you also lost the compensation!