gard

Hi
I have just come back from a business trip to Asia. I flew to Asia using SAS on economy extra and when I arrived I decided to upgrade to business on the way back. So I got the travel agency to confirm this and everything was OK. But then I had to change the date for going back to Europe and on this day the SAS flight was full. So I was moved over to Thai Airways and as there were no seats left on business I was moved to economy. The result....I ended up paying 4200 US dollars for this trip, I have only gotten economy points for the trip back and I didn't get access to the lounge. Is this standard procedure? I don't mind flying economy but I do mind paying more than I should. So I am a bit annoyed at my travel agency but they are just saying that it is not possible to downgrade a ticket :-<

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

W9London

My sympathies to you, gard.
I know how you must have felt after shelling out so much to fly coach in the end. However, I'm afraid mileage points are given for the "actual class flown". (Though it was probably intended to say you won't get extra point for a freebie operational upgrade.) Also, it doesn't look like it was airline that bumped you but rather your schedule that necessitated change in date/carrier/class.
Though I think you should seriously consider writing to SAS.

gard

Hi

I have already sent a mail to SAS about this

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

mrwunrfl

Did you pay an upgrade fee to go from economy to business class? Or did you exchange the economy ticket for a business class ticket and pay a difference in fare (plus maybe a change fee)?

gard

Hi

I'm not sure how it was done. I just told the travel agency that I wanted business tickets on the way home and this was confirmed and about 1100 dollars was taken from my credit card.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

mrwunrfl

I suggest that you need to find out what you paid for. Keep your boarding passes and receipts and everything. I'd contact the travel agent first. If you traveled on an economy ticket with a paid upgrade then almost certainly you wouldn't get the bonus. If you traveled on a biz class ticket then you would. But you went in economy, so it sounds like you are due a refund, but probably not the full 1100 since changing the economy ticket was going to cost you something.

Kate_W

I'm not sure I agree with W9London. Actually, miles are usually awarded for "class paid for", not "actual class flown". Example 1: I buy an economy ticket but I'm upgraded to business at no charge at the airport because economy is full. I get economy class miles, not business class miles. Example 2: I buy a business class ticket but I'm involuntarily downgraded (which might have been your situation) and I don't receive a refund of the difference between the class I paid and the class I flew. Many airlines in such circumstances will award you mileage according to the class you paid for. Example 3: I buy an economy ticket and for some reason that is the airline's responsibility, they have to put me on a different airline with whom they don't have a partnership. I should still get miles for the flight I was supposed to take the airline I booked on. It depends on the fine print in your mileage club rules, but these examples are relatively common.

Now, in your situation, it is possible that your travel agent bought you a discounted business class ticket. (Full fare tickets often are listed as "J" class. Discounted business class tickets might be listed as "C". There are some other categories, too.) I don't know SAS rules, but I know that on some airlines in the same alliance, some categories of discounted business class only gets you economy class miles. If that's the case, you're out of luck. However, if you bought a ticket with a business fare class that is eligible for business class miles and you were involuntarily downgraded to economy with no refund on the ticket cost, then I think you're probably entitled to business class miles.

So, as others have suggested, check your records and contact your travel agent. Be sure to read the rules for the SAS mileage club carefully to see what you're entitled to and check as well your plane ticket stub and booking documentation to see if there's any reference (like J or C or something similar) to the fare class booked.

gard

Hi

When I changed the ticket to business this is what I got from the travel agency:

SUN 26NOV BANGKOK TH-COPENHAGEN DK 0025 0615 SUVARNABHUMI INTL COPENHAGEN APT
NON STOP TERMINAL 3 DURATION 11:50
NON SMOKING
RESERVATION CONFIRMED- C BUSINESS
ON BOARD: HOT MEAL/BREAKFAST
EQUIPMENT:AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A340-300
SEAT 02B NO SMOKING CONFIRMED

And yes, this business ticket was with conditions as it was only possible to use it for business via Scandinavia or Germany on the way back.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

W9London

Kate_W,

Thanks for the correction. Class paid, not flown makes sense--otherwise you'd get lucky and get extra points for a freebie upgrade.

Kate_W

Gard, it looks like your confirmation says "C" class (discounted business). But the SAS website for its MileagePlus programme says that C class tickets are supposed to get 10,800 points for Copenhagen-Bangkok (and, presumably, vice-versa) - the same number of points as J class tickets get. So you definitely should follow up and get either a partial refund or credit for the missing business class points.

gard

Hi

I sent in a question to SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) to get their comment on this issue. Today I got the answer. Here is a quote (translated into English of course ): "If you choose to fly economy even if you have paid for a business class ticket, then it is your choice" . I guess this proves that we Norwegians are not very focused on service and keeping customers happy. I was hoping for an answer with a bit more explanation..but I guess that is too much to ask for.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures