Nok Air Is Changing The Departure Airport For My Already Paid Flight Ticket But (So Far) No Compensation!

[GuyL]

Hi, gals and guys!

First, please accept in advance my apologies for my poor English language skills (it's not my native language).

About one month ago, I bought my domestic round trip flight tickets with Nok Air. My returning domestic flight is scheduled on March 23, and originally, departing from Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok.

Two days ago, I received an email from Nok Air informing me that from March 6 onwards, Nok Air flights will operate to/from Don Mueang Airport. So, Nok Air changed my departure airport from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang for my domestic flight on March 23.

That's a great inconvenience for me as I will be returning back from Europe earlier this day by an international flight, and, of course, I will arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport. So, this airport change for my domestic flight means that I will lost some time and money at least in transportation from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang.

I have immediately contacted Nok Air customer service by email sent to [email protected] in order to obtain a legitimate compensation, and I since have had several email and phone conversations with two employees of this company, but so far, I am very disappointed by their answers.

If I had wanted to request a flight change, I would have been charged a minimum of 642 baht by Nok Air (535 baht per passenger per change plus a service fee charge of 107 baht, VAT included). So, I have asked them to refund me at least this amount (642 baht) as a monetary compensation for the inconvenience caused by their departure airport change for my domestic return flight. It's a very reasonnable demand in my humble opinion as it would barely cover my taxi fare from Suvarnabhumi to Don Mueang and partly the time lost because of this airport change. But so far, the Nok Air employees with whom I am in contact have refused to fulfill my request.

They only have offered to refund me the amount paid for my domestic return flight. But as it was bought more than one month ago, I can not find by now another flight departing at a convenient time for me from Suvarnabhumi for this amount: I will have to pay a higher price. So, it's not acceptable.

It's not really a question of money (a few hundred baht), but essentially a question of principle. Those companies are always prompt to charge extra fees for any single change, but are apparently doing their best to not compensate their customers when they initiate such an important change!

Another (rather funny) point: in their own terms and conditions, it is written that "Destination and Route are not allowed to be changed." Well, on my flight ticket, my departure airport on March 23 is Suvarnabhumi, so, as the route is not allowed to be changed, Nok Air must provide a plane that will depart from Suvarnabhumi on this day!

I have to add that I have never been warned by Nok Air that the departure airport could be subject to a change prior to buying my flight tickets. Had I been warned, I would have bought my flight tickets with another airline.

I am still trying to find an amicable solution with the Nok Air contact team, but if it is not satisfactory for me at the end of the day, what should I do?

And by the way, there is a paragraph in their terms and conditions that says: "[...] the company is agreed to proceed in accordance with the announcement of Ministry of Transportation regarding “Right of passengers using Thai air transportation service in domestic routes policy” announced on December 6, 2007."

I can not find this announcement on Internet. Does anybody know where I can find it? Thanks in advance.

[geriatrickid]

Please understand that Don Muang is the Nok "hub". The change to Swamapoom (there I did it, typed it as pronounced) was a temporary measure due to the flooding at DM. It was always very public that Nok would return flights to DM once it was able to do so. Nok has agreed to refund the original fare which is all that it has to do both legally and "ethically". You want compensation. Ok, but just how would you expect compensation to be set? You have an idea of what you want, but your proposal is not viable for a business. If hundreds, if not thousands of ticket holders demanded the same it would be impossible to manage and result in a mess.

The operational reality for Nok is that the majority of its passenders are domestic and DM works fine, if not better for most of them. Yes, you are inconvenienced and I am not belittling your predicament, but what has occurred happens on a daily basis with many airlines and the SOP is to offer the refund. That is all that they are required to do and all that is expected of the airline, particularly on a low cost discount airfare. Pay the additional 1000-2000 baht fly on TG and accept the fact that this is one of the drawbacks of purchasing the lowest fare ticket.

[GuyL]

I can't agree with you, Geriatrickid. I bought my domestic flight tickets using Nok Air's website. If I was warned prior to my purchase that there could be a change in the departure airport, I would have not bought those flight tickets. But there was not any warning. So, I do believe that I am entitled to a reasonnable compensation from this company. My calculation for this compensation is based on their own conditions that are applied when any flight change is requested by the customer.

[WilliaminBKK]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you are wasting energy trying to chase an airline for compensation, they are within their tariff rights to to simply refund the purchased amount. The irregular ops due to the flood forced them to change airports, under IATA rules both airports are considered as the common origin point.. Like NYC would have LGA/JFK or LON has LHR/STN/LGW/LCY/LTN.

Should they offer shuttle service ? or compensate ? perhaps but they wont, remember common sense isn't so common with airlines.

Better to get the refund - buy your new ticket and avoid the stress, if it makes you feel better then send a complaint afterwards but don't hold your breath any monies will be paid.

[fatman0757]

More bad news i'm afraid. Nok air have even put on the web site that suwanapoom (I know) is temporary. My advice is take the refund and change carriers.

[GuyL]

More bad news i'm afraid. Nok air have even put on the web site that suwanapoom (I know) is temporary. [...]

It was not the case when I bought my flight tickets and I have not been warned during my purchase that there could be an airport change. But it is written on my flight tickets that the route is "not allowed to be changed" and that my departure airport on March 23 is "Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi)". It would have been very easy for Nok Air to add a warning on its website explaining that the departure airport could be changed, but there was none when I purchased my tickets.

Thank you all for your responses so far. I don't know yet what I will do, but I don't think that I should give up so easily. Again, it's more a question of principle than of money...

[GuyL]

[...] under IATA rules both airports are considered as the common origin point [...]

Could you please point me to an official source where this statement is made? Thank you in advance.

[WilliaminBKK]

[...] under IATA rules both airports are considered as the common origin point [...]

Could you please point me to an official source where this statement is made? Thank you in advance.

IATA.org is the governing body however you will not be able to look at the individual resolutions that govern route, common city pairs - you'll have to pay to download the entire guidebook. The carrier contract will mention a resolution and you can try to google it.

I understand your point, you think they changed the route, but you have to understand they only changed airports the route is still same same as BKK has two airports so it wont go anywhere. Major city's all over the world have two or more airports but it is considered the same route-London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Toronto just a few off the top of my head.

Depending where you live, there may be a consumer compensation programme that you can also file a complaint with, in my 25 years being an airline guy you wont win this battle-sorry mate.

[4evermaat]

And i thought USA was the only country with frivilous lawsuits.

You paid for a ticket contracted from point a to point b. now they come back and say point b is unavailable, either accept point c or refund ticket.

"2nd best time to plant a tree is today." Sent from ThaiVisa app.

[GuyL]

Thank you all for your messages and clarification. I am very disappointed that there is (apparently) no recourse at all because this airport change is a real inconvenience for me, but I understand that there is not much than I can do about it. It would have been a much appreciated commercial gesture from Nok Air to grant me a reasonnable monetary compensation in this case, but I guess that nowadays, poor customer service is the norm...

[terryp]

This is one of the most idiotic posts ever.....Bangkok now have taxis I believe and there is ALSO a bus from Swamy to DM

NoK air owe you NOTHING, for WEEKS it has been clearly shown all across the internet the relocation back to Don Muang; and you fly end of March!!!!!

A typical complainer , if they changed from Swampi to Utapo now that could be a reason for a ticket refund

[longstebe]

Spare a thought for the flood victims.

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[tartempion]

I also had an SMS and a mail stating my trip will be rerouted to Dong Mamaeung (pun intended)

I will not fly to/from DM anytime and bought a ticket with an other company.

Sent them a mail asking for refund.

That leaves me less choices out of Swampy, but I won't be a Nok customer, up to them, I vote with my feet.

[JoePai]

This is one of the most idiotic posts ever.....Bangkok now have taxis I believe and there is ALSO a bus from Swamy to DM

NoK air owe you NOTHING, for WEEKS it has been clearly shown all across the internet the relocation back to Don Muang; and you fly end of March!!!!!

A typical complainer , if they changed from Swampi to Utapo now that could be a reason for a ticket refund

I also am in this predicament - do you know of the details of the buses between the 2 aorports - or how to find out the details please ?

[longstebe]

This is one of the most idiotic posts ever.....Bangkok now have taxis I believe and there is ALSO a bus from Swamy to DM

NoK air owe you NOTHING, for WEEKS it has been clearly shown all across the internet the relocation back to Don Muang; and you fly end of March!!!!!

A typical complainer , if they changed from Swampi to Utapo now that could be a reason for a ticket refund

I also am in this predicament - do you know of the details of the buses between the 2 aorports - or how to find out the details please ?

Don't know about any bus laid on, there may be mini vans or a taxi will cost around 500 bht. Another option is taking the sky train to phaya thai then onto mo chit then a taxi to don meaung.

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[lomatopo]

Can you share any details regarding your itinerary and ticket(s)? Did you buy one ticket EUR-BKK-XXX, say from TG? Or do you have two separate tickets? Can you share the flight details? How long is the connection? (Note that the official MCT is 3:30.) With more details we may be able to make alternative recommendations.

As it stands now, and provided your connection time is greater than 3:30, I would suggest you take a taxi (hoping you/your party can fit into one taxi), which should be 500 baht or less, and just think of this as one of those things that really can't be avoided or corrected. DMK was scheduled to re-open more towards mid-April so this 6 March date has caught a lot of people by surprise.

[Thailand]

I also had an SMS and a mail stating my trip will be rerouted to Dong Mamaeung (pun intended)

I will not fly to/from DM anytime and bought a ticket with an other company.

Sent them a mail asking for refund.

That leaves me less choices out of Swampy, but I won't be a Nok customer, up to them, I vote with my feet.

Good luck!