Smeagol

I have just noticed (by chance) that my flights to Hong Kong have changed in November. This is due to Virgin cutting there twice daily flights to one. (Which i have just googled and found it was a press release on July 1st and as yet they haven't actually notified me!!) Any way i have 2 tix, 1 reward (100k miles) and 1 discounted upper class seats. The new flight now fly out late evening (i was due to depart afternoon so a lunchtime arrival in HKG which is now an early evening arrival and my departure means we arrive home in the uk very early a.m on the Sunday morning rather than the more pleasant 19.00 on the Saturday night, thus giving us a good nights sleep and Sunday before back to work Monday.
What are my options here? (i know its not the end of the world but part of the reason we chose the flights was convenience of flight times)
I also have connection fight which i will now miss and we not arrive in Hanoi til very late evening which is hardly how i wanted to start the holiday.
I am considering if i can cancelling a booking EVA via BKK as they have GREAT deals at the moment
What do you guys think?

alanRow

The first thing to do is contact Virgin and see if they will allow you to cancel without excessive charges

Then find out what they can offer you in alternative flights

Smeagol

I have spoken to Virgin, they will cancel without any penalty (which is an option) but then i am left with trying to get there by other carriers. I have checked Eva and the deal they had is LONG gone...
However it would be more convieneient to now fy Thursday but Virgin are saying there isnt a reward available for that day!!

My othe half thinks i should try and insist they open up a reward been as it's not my fault they cancelled the day flight.

DonTopaz

It does suck when they cancel flights and screw up the plans that were carefully made.

Although Virgin are not obligated to offer you an award seat on the previous day, I think that you could certainly make a good case for them to do so. For example, you might call them and explain that you need to be in HK for an event early Saturday evening. So, instead of rebooking you for the next later flight (with regard to the canceled flight), you really need to be rebooked on the next earlier flight. When they tell you that no reward seats are available, you might ask if they could send a note to their inventory conrol department (or whoever decides to make award seats available), explaining the situation, and noting that there is 1 paid seat and 1 reward seat. If the telephone agent agrees to make the request, it's likely to take a day or two to get a response. There are no guarantees, of course, but in my experience that would give you about as good a chance as any to get on the earlier flight.

In the meantime, do <i>not</i> agree to any rebooked itinerary. As soon as you agree to one, you are committed to it and you don't have any leverage to cancel/change.

dfr4848

Usually, you've got 2 choices: 1. accept the changes (or work out suitable alternative, including partner airlines), or 2. cancel and get full refund with no penalty.

In your case, I'd call and insist they provide you with an alternative that's equal to what you've got, including the opening up of the reward base. I'd keep going up the chain of command until you get something that's acceptable. As noted, you had nothing to do with this change.

Smeagol

Thanks guys, i think i will try and go for opening up another reward for the Thursday, so we go a day earlier and then we can come back a day earlier. I will go as far up the command as i can.
I realise in the economy why they have cut a flight but to have not been notified (she said they were getting round to it) and to say sorry not available is a bit much. I mean i expect this from BA not Virgin.

Smeagol

Ok as an update. Virgin wouldn't offer to change my flight (the reward one) to another day BUT i did get a full refund and all my miles back on both flights. By a stroke af luck i got a fantastic discount rate on EVA from Trailfinders 9i think 2 flights on hold were freed up) to BKK instead (my favoured transfer city) so i get to spend a couple of days in BKK and saved about £400, so for me a better solution!!

evecolorado

Thanks for coming back and letting folks know the outcome. Glad it turned out well for you.

dfr4848

Yes, thanks for updating us. Always nice to know what happens.