Finnair status run experience from hell

[JohnK]

I had booked a couple of BKK-HKG-BKK runs on AY for travel this week back in February.

Arrive at BKK airport 12:15pm yesterday for flight and am surprised to see that AY is not due into BKK for at least 9 hours after scheduled arrival. What!!!! Apparently they discovered that aircraft required urgent maintenance.

I am given a choice of 4 airlines to replace delayed flight but CX the only oneworld option is not really suitable. I ask if I can go to SIN instead but that is not possible. My main concern at this time is my SC's and QFF points not HKG as that is the only reason I picked this trip. Check in agent rings Finnair staff in BKK and is told that all will be OK. A photocopy of my passport and QF frequent flyer card is taken to be sent to Finnair as explanation. I'll believe it when I see it.

Finally we decide that the only suitable option is Emirates flight EK384 departing 13:45. I will be allocated return flight when I arrive in HKG. Arrive in HKG and I am allocated Cathay flight CX709 returning around the same time as my original AY flight. I have some extra time in HKG!

Am I likely to see SC's and FF points for this trip even though I flew EK and CX instead of AY. Is AY still responsible for crediting my SC's and Ff points? I think so! This 120 SC's would have taken me to QF Gold status. As my membership renews end May 2006 I cannot see a way I will make it without this trip. It has certainly put a very sour taste in my holiday so far.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar in the past? What was the outcome?

This reminds me of the time I used to organise mid week games of golf months in advance many years ago. I used to have a sickie from work to play and it rained 93 times out of 100. Serves me right for thinking I could make Gold status. That is only reserved for special people.

[Mal]

Interesting situation. Actually, I discussed AY delays in another thread yesterday over at FT.

"The plane lands at BKK on a flight from HEL. It really can be a flight from HEL, because I heard it was late by 4-5 hours twice in the last few weeks. Wouldn't have liked to be relying on it for a connection in SIN."

I think you have a good chance of seeing those SC's and miles. A request for the miles is standard practice when being rerouted onto other planes and most airlines do comply.

I've never done it myself though.

If you don't see the SC's in a few weeks or so, then contact Finnair and Qantas through their Australian contacts and explain the situation and request that the points be credited as per your original booking. You did not fly EK at your request, you were re-routed because the airline had difficulties.

You should see the points. You may also see points being posted from Cathay for your return flight, depending on what class you have been booked into, you may want to discuss this with Qantas if the need arises.

I assume you were re-accommodated in J on the other flights? Hope you enjoyed the CX J experience. Same with EK. The 2 flights will give you a different experience for J travel and something to compare AY to when you finally fly them. If you were put in Economy on those flights, then you also have something else to discuss with Finnair...

[JohnK]

You should see the points. You may also see points being posted from Cathay for your return flight, depending on what class you have been booked into, you may want to discuss this with Qantas if the need arises.

I assume you were re-accommodated in J on the other flights? Hope you enjoyed the CX J experience. Same with EK. The 2 flights will give you a different experience for J travel and something to compare AY to when you finally fly them. If you were put in Economy on those flights, then you also have something else to discuss with Finnair...

I was booked into J for both flights. I had a "D" class ticket and have a funny feeling that I was booked into "C" class on the re-issued but I may be wrong. Both boarding passes have "J" on them.

I am about to send an email to my Finnair contact in Singapore asking for explanation. Apparently I am classed as a Finnair frequent flyer because of my flights with them and I can email him direct rather than general support.

If you read another thread of mine the two trips on 777 business class were disappointing for me. I have flown AY business class before on an op-up and I enjoyed the experience.

Anyway no problem as long as I get status to get me Gold.

* edit very poor Thai spelling mistakes *

[Reggie]

John,

My experience was of a domestic nature and was a while ago when Ansett was still running. I was in J on a flight from Cairns to Darwin via Gove. The plane had problems when the pilots went to start again in Gove.

To cut a long story short, Ansett got me on the Qantas flight coming through about two hours later. I received Ansett points and status credits for the sector even though I didn't fly it with them, and also received the points and status credits from Qantas when I sent my boarding pass in.

Only time I managed to get points from both airlines for the same flight

[DPG]

JohnK...

As everyone else has mentioned, you should have no problems claiming your points. In this situation I have spoken to both airlines to ensure that the points are credited.

When doing this, I would also mention that the airlines that AY put you on were disappointing when compared to AY's J Product. Bu doing this, you are letting AY know that you think their product is great, but that the delay did cause you issues other than just the time factor.
(Back-Handed Compliment! Got to Love them!)

I can't see any reason why you will not get the points credited promptly. The AY staff in Australia (World Aviation) are very efficient...

Well done on SG!

D P G

[JamesF]

If you fax a copy of your boarding passes and original AY tickets (or receipt with ticket number) to QFF in melb, together with a letter explaining what happened, they will give you the points and SCs. I wouldnt wait for AY to take care of it. Happened to me two or three times in the states when I was booked on AA and the plane went U/S and I was rebooked on United. Faxed it through and within a week or so I had the QF points.

good luck
James

[Yada Yada]

The only issue you may have is timing. If QFF contact the other airlines to get proof of what happened, you might find it takes a while and does not come in before your annual cut-off.

However this might work to your advantage - QFF should promote you to SG and may well leave the SC's in your new FF year's activity statement, so you might get double benefit!

[Dave Noble]

TBH, I would not be surprised if he was unable to get credit for the flights

QF will provide QF credit when involuntarily rerouted off of QF onto a non partner flight quite happily, but I wouldn't necesarily bet that QF will give credit for a reroute by AY off of an AY to a non OW flight

Dave

[DPG]

The only issue you may have is timing. If QFF contact the other airlines to get proof of what happened, you might find it takes a while and does not come in before your annual cut-off.

However this might work to your advantage - QFF should promote you to SG and may well leave the SC's in your new FF year's activity statement, so you might get double benefit!

I would actually put in the claim a couple of days before reassessment. When you fax it through, call them to confirm the fax has been received, and let them know that these points would get you to SG.

As long as you can proove that the flights were flown before reassessment, QF will increase your status. As Yada Yada said, best case scenario is that they post the points after your reassessment and then back date your status, so you are well on your way for the next status year!

You should have no problems getting to SG in this case. It happened to me last year, and after the points posted, QF went back and gave me the extra 50% status bonus, as the flights that actually got me over the line for WP were flown before reassessment but posted afterwards!

Wow that last sentence is confusing!

D P G

[guy]

In answer to the Q re if flying on EK after delay on AY, well this is my experience, LA frlight Syd-akl-Syd, both flights delayed, first, LA was put on QF bus, no problams with points, even got the status bonus! However, return was put on the NZ 777 bus (v nice), wrote to NZ re points - no response, wrote to QF, no problems, they creditoed me with points and SC