Some One Has To Pay...

[sceadugenga]

Just flew from Australia using airlines A, B and C.

Airline A was a couple of hours late causing flights on B and C to be missed.

Airline B gave me a new flight. No problem.

Airline C charged me an "additional fee" equal to the original cost of the fare.

Airline A had assured me that they would contact B and C and all would be well.

Neither knew anything about the mess.

Airlines A and B were booked through a travel agent. C, I booked myself on line.

So who should refund me the "additional fee"?

Airline A or the travel agent?

[bkkjames]

Unless the travel agent made you be late - cant see why you would ask them for compensation? But then again, you should have notified airline C yourself, assuming that it wasn't part of some codeshare with A and B that would have automatically tipped them off of your late arrival on Airline A.

How is airline C to know the plane carrying you is late. For all they know you never got out of bed and missed your flight.

[Mario2008]

You can contact the airline first and see what they can do for you. Clearly there was some miss-communication, which needs to be sorted out.

If that is not satisfactory, than contact the travel agent where you booked and see if they can help you.

[stevenl]

Your travel and cancellation insurance, that's what they're there for.

[whybother]

I take it that A was a domestic flight, since why else would you take 3 flights to get from Aus to Thailand.

Why was A late?

How much time did you have between A and B?

How much time did you have between B and C? (which isn't that relevant since you missed B anyway.)

Did you contact C when you new you weren't going to make the flight?

Was the original cost of C extremely cheap, and therefore the "additional fee" just bringing the cost up to a normal fare?

It's not C's fault, so they won't do anything.

It's not B's fault, and they already changed your flight, so they won't do anything.

It could be considered A's fault, but where do you draw the line for onward travel?

I would expect that the travel agent won't do anything since they had nothing to do with the booking.

That leaves it possibly with A, but most likely, with you.

[sceadugenga]

Not the travel agent's fault eh?

What ever happened to accepting responsibility for the service you provide?

I should have contacted the final airline myself, I believed airline A when they said they would though.

I provided documentary proof to airline C that I had a genuine reason for missing the flight.

The travel insurance response was interesting, do people still buy this?

Come to think of it I do recall a friend once making a successful claim, it was a long time ago though.

Personally if I want to be scammed I'll stick to Thai tourist markets and bars.

[doggie888888]

Airline C you booked yourself...is it one of those non-changeable, non-cancellable, non-everything ??? Some promo fares have so many conditions, particularly the non-changeable clause. So it is pointless even if you, travel agent and/or Jesus told them you were delayed.

Insurance may be your next best option.

Good luck!

[Spoonman]

Not the travel agent's fault eh?

What ever happened to accepting responsibility for the service you provide?

LMAO they provided their service, they sold you a ticket on an aeroplane, not there fault the first one was behind schedule.

[UberBraun]

Not the travel agent's fault eh?

What ever happened to accepting responsibility for the service you provide?

Some people have a nerve. You booked flight C separately from the others. Then you are the one responsible for that segment. You missed the flight, so why should anyone (other than you) have to pay.

As your title says 'Someone's got to pay.' Me thinks that someone is YOU.

Edited February 23, 2011 by UberBraun

[clinique]

OP states in his opening post he booked airline C himself. So what does it have to do with either the travel agent or either of airlines A or B. it was not contiguous travel booked thru one source, and it seems likely it was not codeshare. So what recourse does he have to Airline C - none it seems to me. OP was the one who booked theflight, so when he knew he was running late it was his responsibility to contact airline C. Seems straight forward enough to me. Any regular travel would know that, and even non regular surely cant put the blame on someone else for something you booked/arranged by yourself.

[steelepulse]

No one will refund the C fare. As mentioned above, your best bet is travel insurance, or pay for a full flex ticket for each leg. Travel insurance will be cheaper than full flex tickets though.

[sceadugenga]

So once more suppliers hand out shoddy goods and services and then claim the repercussions are nothing to do with them?

It will continue as well as long as people kiss their ass support them.

I was fully aware when I made the OP that I was screwed, I just thought I would enjoy the pathetic attempts to defend these type of business ethics with their version of caveat emptor.

I suspect half the fun of being in business these days is shafting the customer.

Edited February 23, 2011 by sceadugenga

[supaprik]

Have another beer and a bird and JAI YEN YEN Aussie!! or go back home to your "saggy baggy missus"

[clinique]

So once more suppliers hand out shoddy goods and services and then claim the repercussions are nothing to do with them?

It will continue as well as long as people kiss their ass support them.

I was fully aware when I made the OP that I was screwed, I just thought I would enjoy the pathetic attempts to defend these type of business ethics with their version of caveat emptor.

I suspect half the fun of being in business these days is shafting the customer.

Sorry but I dont see anyone here defending the supplier. They are jsut pointing out that as the consumer you made the purchase and should therefore know the terms of that servcie which you bought. Since you told us you made the booking by yourslef for that sector, we are simply lettingyou know what you shouldalready know, that it is the passengers responsibility to let any airline know if you cannot make the reserved flight on time.

How have they shafted you ! You were late through no fault of theirs, so you are subject to the terms of issue of their ticket. Simple.

[Crossy]

So once more suppliers hand out shoddy goods and services and then claim the repercussions are nothing to do with them?

I'm not sure who you think was handing out the shoddy service.

Airline A was late, these things happen.

Airline B changed your flight no problem.

Airline C was unaware of any problem because nobody informed them you were late. Since the last leg wasn't booked as part of a contiguous booking Airline C knew nothing of the connecting flights and Airlines A and B didn't either so they didn't inform C.

IMHO it was down to you, as the booker of C to inform them once you knew you were running late.

[clinique]

Sorry, double post.

So once more suppliers hand out shoddy goods and services and then claim the repercussions are nothing to do with them?

It will continue as well as long as people kiss their ass support them.

I was fully aware when I made the OP that I was screwed, I just thought I would enjoy the pathetic attempts to defend these type of business ethics with their version of caveat emptor.

I suspect half the fun of being in business these days is shafting the customer.

Sorry but I dont see anyone here defending the supplier. They are just pointing out that as the consumer you made the purchase and should therefore know the terms of that service which you bought. Since you told us you made the booking by yourslef for that sector, we are simply letting you know what you should already know, that it is the passengers responsibility to let any airline know if you cannot make the reserved flight on time.

How have they shafted you ! You were late through no fault of theirs, so you are subject to the terms of issue of their ticket. Simple.

Edited February 23, 2011 by clinique

[tonititan]

That's why I always try to book all my connecting flights together, either through the same airline, or through codeshares. If I have to book two completely separate flights, I allow myself a lengthy layover in case of delays. I know that the second flight could care less about why I'm late if they had nothing to do with it. You have to be smart and know how to play the game.

[tonititan]

The travel insurance response was interesting, do people still buy this?

Do people actually still use travel agents?

[bkkjames]

So once more suppliers hand out shoddy goods and services and then claim the repercussions are nothing to do with them?

It will continue as well as long as people kiss their ass support them.

I was fully aware when I made the OP that I was screwed, I just thought I would enjoy the pathetic attempts to defend these type of business ethics with their version of caveat emptor.

I suspect half the fun of being in business these days is shafting the customer.

ok mate: I feel really bad for you - perhaps airline B and C should send you an automated response saying how sorry they are you missed your connecting flight through no fault of theirs.

If Airline A was the problem - your gripe / compensation claim should lay with them - nobody else. But as other posters have pointed out, insurance?

[colinthailand20005]

If you don't have travel insurance, I am pretty sure you can get back any airport taxes & fuel surchages that you paid for the original flight. The airline won't like it but I think they have to refund you for them.

[mca]

I take it that A was a domestic flight, since why else would you take 3 flights to get from Aus to Thailand.

Why was A late?

How much time did you have between A and B?

How much time did you have between B and C? (which isn't that relevant since you missed B anyway.)

Did you contact C when you new you weren't going to make the flight?

Was the original cost of C extremely cheap, and therefore the "additional fee" just bringing the cost up to a normal fare?

It's not C's fault, so they won't do anything.

It's not B's fault, and they already changed your flight, so they won't do anything.

It could be considered A's fault, but where do you draw the line for onward travel?

I would expect that the travel agent won't do anything since they had nothing to do with the booking.

That leaves it possibly with A, but most likely, with you.

Let me get this straight whybother mate.

The first train left Bangkok to Chiang Mai at 11.30 am traveling at 45km/h.

The second train left Chiang Mai to Bangkok at 1 pm traveling at 60km/h.

What is the name of the first train driver's sister-in-law's dog?

Something like that?

Edited February 23, 2011 by mca

[whybother]

I take it that A was a domestic flight, since why else would you take 3 flights to get from Aus to Thailand.

Why was A late?

How much time did you have between A and B?

How much time did you have between B and C? (which isn't that relevant since you missed B anyway.)

Did you contact C when you new you weren't going to make the flight?

Was the original cost of C extremely cheap, and therefore the "additional fee" just bringing the cost up to a normal fare?

It's not C's fault, so they won't do anything.

It's not B's fault, and they already changed your flight, so they won't do anything.

It could be considered A's fault, but where do you draw the line for onward travel?

I would expect that the travel agent won't do anything since they had nothing to do with the booking.

That leaves it possibly with A, but most likely, with you.

Let me get this straight whybother mate.

The first train left Bangkok to Chiang Mai at 11.30 am traveling at 45km/h.

The second train left Chiang Mai to Bangkok at 1 pm traveling at 60km/h.

What is the name of the first train driver's sister-in-law's dog?

Something like that?

Dfer. Nice dog too.

[hagler]

Some people just shouldn't be allowed to travel.

[kevkev1888]

"Some one has to pay"

That will rightly be you then.

[alant]

great amount of comment on a problem with insufficient data to resolve

[Boycie]

Everyone is thinking about the A, B, C's too much!!

When it comes to travelling, always remember yer six P's.

Piss Poor Planning Prevents Proper Passage

[el jefe]

So once more suppliers hand out shoddy goods and services and then claim the repercussions are nothing to do with them?

It will continue as well as long as people kiss their ass support them.

I was fully aware when I made the OP that I was screwed, I just thought I would enjoy the pathetic attempts to defend these type of business ethics with their version of caveat emptor.

I suspect half the fun of being in business these days is shafting the customer.

Not only do I agree with everyone who says YOU are responsible, but you've just admitted that in addition to not understanding how the airlines work, that you're a troll too.

[craigt3365]

That's why I always try to book all my connecting flights together, either through the same airline, or through codeshares. If I have to book two completely separate flights, I allow myself a lengthy layover in case of delays. I know that the second flight could care less about why I'm late if they had nothing to do with it. You have to be smart and know how to play the game.

+1

This is a big reason I always book ALL my flight segments through one agent or one airline. When sh** hits the fan, you only have one person to go to...and even then, it's tough! Just happened to me recently when my B flight landed into Beijing 3 hours late. Luckily, as the next flight was on the original purchase, B airline made good and put me on another airline to Bangkok. If I had booked it myself, I would have been out of luck!

You booked C by yourself. It's not their fault the other flights were late. Sorry mate, but you are SOL. Tough way to learn a lesson.