elle

Just received notification from American Airlines that our Philadelphia-Boston-CDG flight has been cancelled (war, bankruptcy, or too few passengers, who knows?).

They have rebooked us through Chicago, which adds a heck of a lot of time to our trip (fly two hours west and then add two hours to the eastbound flight).

Aaarrgggh.

I'll live with this if I have to, but I was thinking of calling US Airways or AirFrance to see if there's anychance that I could transfer my ticket to them and get a nonstop flight. I'm willing to pay extra $.

Has anyone ever tried to do such a thing? Were you successful? I suspect it won't work, but it seems like I should at least try. . .

Weadles

There was a long discussion about this subject on the forum recently. Maybe you can check the posts for it?
Anway, I think you're entitled to a refund any time an airline significantly changes your itinerary. I'd definitely call back and ask to speak with a supervisor.

Good luck!

elle

Thanks, weadles.

Any idea what the title of that post was? I did a quick search and haven't come up with anything. . .

pj

This happened to me on Airfrance. You definitely can get a refund, then rebook.

Airfrance cancelled then rebooked me on a flight thru Atlanta. I cancelled and got a refund, rebooked a day earlier on Airfrance. The price of the flight had dropped 150.00, so I did better in the long run. I got my nonstop ORD to CDG.

John71cove

elle:
In accordance with Rule 240, AA is obligated to refund your ticket because they cancelled your flight. Even if they invoke "Force Majeure" that is, flight cancellation due to circumstances beyond their control, then they are still obligated to refund your ticket. You are in a win win situation my friend.
Call them and request your refund, then rebook at your pleasure.
Be polite, but firm.
John

Christina

I am wondering about this because I booked AA to Paris, also, when they were having that big sale. They've already cancelled my original flight, but changed me to one through Boston. They were cancelling a lot of flights from BWI to NY, which was my original plan.

I still have one for mid-June, but need to check more, I guess. However, John71cove, for future information, does that section really apply if they have changed to you another of their flights that still gets you there about the same day, only a few hours difference? I thought they had to basically offer you no flight or have a real drastic schedule change for them to be obligated to refund your ticket. I'd like to know just in case. I know the airlines don't care if they've added several hours to your flight time.

Actually, AA rebooked me through Boston without notifying me or asking my preferences, even though there was a better flight going through JFK as I originally wanted, just leaving from National instead of BWI. I had to examine schedules and re-route myself basically, to get a better schedule, which I did. This was all on AA airlines, but they tried to book me on less than optimal flights even when better choices were available.

In short, you may not have to go through Chicago if you don't want, see if there is one through JFK, if you'd prefer that.

elle

I'd be happy to fly through JFK or Dulles, if necessary.

My situation may be complicated by the fact that I bought the tickets through AutoEurope's consolidator arm, DestinationEurope.

So I'm going to start by dealing with AutoEurope. Their site still shows availability for several PHL-CDG itineraries, at the price I paid and even lower. Of course, you can't see connections on AutoEurope until you place the request and these flights might route me through Dallas or Detroit, which would be no better than O'Hare.

Atlanta's another possibility, and while it would probably add just as much time to the trip, it's not quite as hard to swallow psychologically. Go figure. .

John71cove

Christina:
In accordance with rule 240, the carrier is obligated to get you to your destination within 2 hours of your scheduled flight arrival. If your flight is cancelled, they are obligated to book you on another airline to meet that requirement. Even if they have to book you in first class at their expense.
John

Sue4

My American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami was also cancelled, and they rebooked me thru JFK. I arrive 5 hours later than with original direct flight, and that was the best they could do. Since I am traveling on Frequent Flyer miles, guess I don't have any recourse. I wouldn't be entitled to be booked on another airline, would I?? They didn't notify me; I happened to find this out when I called to reconfirm (as I suspected this might happen!). I'm leaving in 2 1/2 weeks. I suppose they would have notified me eventually!

Seamus

Here's a link to AA's Rule 240 : http://www.mytravelrights.com/240.cfm?keyword=american

Mara

After reading this post I checked with AA and guess what they changed my original return flight from CDG to JFK - it is now six hours earlier - noon instead of six pm. I spoke to an agent and I can change to a flight the next day if I want at no charge, but I have to be home on the original day. Elle, I also got this flight thru Autoeurope and since AA cancelled the flight they (AA)would have changed me if I wanted. Did you try calling AA? Thanks for the heads up, you guys.
Mara

Ed101

I am having the same problem. Mr flight from Paris to Dallas was cancelled so they booked me on an earlier one. Now I have a 5 hour layover in Dallas, en route to Houston. I called to complain but they were of no help. I have also found 4 flights they could move me to that leave for Houston earlier but they refuse. Say i will have to pay penalty fees.

NJJ

I think flight cancellations are going to be a hot topic in the near future. We were notified by our travel agent the day of our departure to Rome that our AF flight from Paris to Rome had been canceled. She was able to book us on a 7:30 flight, which was 7 hours after arriving in Paris! AF did give us a lunch voucher, but that didn't make it any easier to sit in the airport for 7 hours. On our return flight from Paris to Washington, we sat beside a young women who had her flight to Philadelphia canceled. The AF agent in Paris told her to talk with George Bush to find out why her flight had been canceled since he's the one who wanted the war! Luckily, she and her friend were able to get seats on our flight to Dulles and were given a connecting flight to Philadelphia on United. That was after they both were so upset by the agent's comments and confronted her about her comments. I urge everyone who is taking an international flight to confirm flights up to the date of departure!

Christina

Thanks for the details on that section--I guess two hours is the magic time frame. IN my case, they caused me a LOT more travel time, but they took it out on my departure time so it did arrive in Paris 3-4 hours earlier than I wanted, actually. I suspect they were doing that on purpose now that I know the rules. That doesn't really make sense for a rule if it only related to arrival time as scheduling me to leave home many more hours than they originally did causes just as much trouble, like me having to lose a day at work. Originally, my flight was to leave about 7 pm and arrive in Paris at 11 am and they changed it to leave 3-4 pm and arrive at 7 am, or something like that. I really didn't like it.

I bought directly from AA because I suspected there could be flight problems from everything that was already going on since last Fall, and I didn't want a middleman. IN my case, AA was cheaper than Autoeurope, also, by quite a bit. Looks like others have changed flights anyway, though.

What will really make me mad is if they drastically change flight times or cancel it close to departure so it will be impossible to get another cheap ticket on another airline.

BeachBoi

Pre deregulation,prior to 1979,Rule 240 was a Federal Regulation.Now, each airline has its own Rule 240.The DOT requires that the carriers have available at every ticket counter a copy of their Rule 240.But I have in the past actually heard ticket agents tell passengers they do not have a rule 240.You just have to be presistent.