Out of Luck with a flight purchased with ff miles?

[Archie's Mom]

A question has occurred to me today as I watch the European air situation develop. If I have a one-way ticket bought with frequent flier miles to catch a transatlantic cruise and many flights are canceled on the day I need to fly because of a weather or natural disaster, do I have much chance of the airline finding a new flight for me? When I look at American Airline's policies concerning original ticketed inventory, it seems like there would never be a reward flight left at the time of the flight. So would it only be when the original ticketed inventory policy is not on use that I could find a new flight?

 

Such issues never occurred to me until today, but my DH and I have such frequent flier tickets for late fall to Rome and now I wonder.

[Gardyloo]

A question has occurred to me today as I watch the European air situation develop. If I have a one-way ticket bought with frequent flier miles to catch a transatlantic cruise and many flights are canceled on the day I need to fly because of a weather or natural disaster' date=' do I have much chance of the airline finding a new flight for me? When I look at American Airline's policies concerning original ticketed inventory, it seems like there would never be a reward flight left at the time of the flight. So would it only be when the original ticketed inventory policy is not on use that I could find a new flight?

 

Such issues never occurred to me until today, but my DH and I have such frequent flier tickets for late fall to Rome and now I wonder.[/quote']You will be re-accommodated, just as if you'd paid cash for the seats (which you did, just over time and more slowly.) There might be some delay, of course, so as with any time-sensitive travel, you might look for applicable trip insurance that could pay for forfeited hotel payments, etc.

[Archie's Mom]

Thanks for the info! Bought the insurance with a third-party vendor the day we booked our cruises . Now I'll relax a bit.

[paul929207]

It would probably help if you or spouse is an elite member of the FF program

[Twickenham]

The last time we took a cruise, we had rather 'creatively' rooted FF tickets on AC/US - YQB-YYZ-PHL-FLL. When we arrived in YYZ, found out that PHL was closed due to high winds. Right away went to the AC desk, where after much looking (this was New Year's Eve, and most flights south were booked solid), the agent booked us on a non-stop YYZ-MIA flight.

 

The fact that they were FF tickets was never an issue. I'll give AC this - anytime I've had to reroute travel due to circumstances out of my control, they've done an excellent job of accommodating me.

[kenish]

One comment about trip insurance....FF tickets are considered zero value if you file a claim. If you're rebooked by the airline there's no claim of course. But if a trip is totally cancelled due to air disruptions or any other cause, you will not be reimbursed for the imputed value of the FF tickets on almost every TI policy I've seen. Let's say you arrive at a connecting airport and the flight to the port is cancelled. You have to buy a ticket on another airline to get to the ship in time. The purchased ticket is usually covered but the cancelled FF flight will not be.

 

The general idea is to reimburse you for "out of pocket" costs....although you "purchased" the FF miles, the TI companies (and the IRS fortunately) don't see it that way.

[Fattony]

Thanks for the info! Bought the insurance with a third-party vendor the day we booked our cruises . Now I'll relax a bit.

 

Have you asked the airline? Policies can vary from airline to airline, so better to ask them than to ask strangers to guess about your particular situation.

[frugaltravel]

Have you asked the airline? Policies can vary from airline to airline, so better to ask them than to ask strangers to guess about your particular situation.

 

LOL. And anonymous strangers at that!:D

[ocngypz]

BA just reaccommodated my client's FF one-way seat.

 

Although, it remains to be seen if the flight will operate on Tuesday. She was originally flying out Fri the 16th.

 

As far as insurance is concerned, I normally add in the taxes charged on the FF ticket as those are non refundable and have been covered by the insurance carrier.

[FlyerTalker]

As far as insurance is concerned, I normally add in the taxes charged on the FF ticket as those are non refundable and have been covered by the insurance carrier.

Interesting....I have canceled FF tickets and had the taxes refunded back onto my credit card without any problem.

[mek]

I recently bought two RT flights to Barcelona for next December with Continental using miles. They offered me insurance for $25 pp that will reimburse me for the redeposit fees and taxes if I have to cancel.

[frugaltravel]

Interesting....I have canceled FF tickets and had the taxes refunded back onto my credit card without any problem.

 

Some airlines, like USAirways, try to keep them. Once I canceled a USAirways FF ticket due to a schedule change that was unacceptable. Initially they told me I was out the taxes and fees. They needed to have a supervisor approve the refund. Incredible! That type of business practice begs for government intervention and legislation, and I am generally not for government intervention into private enterprise.

[NHBob]

Interesting....I have canceled FF tickets and had the taxes refunded back onto my credit card without any problem.

 

That's also been my experience. And, of course, the miles can usually be returned to your FF account for a fee - Might even convince most airlines to waive the fee if they cancelled the flight.

 

Years ago, when the airlines were not quite as bad off as today, my wife and I were flying out of Birmingham, Alabama, to Vancouver for a conference followed by a cruise. When our Untied flight was canceled, UA didn't hesitate to put us on an AA flight that got us to Vancouver the same day - only thing we missed was the conference ice breaker the first night. Not only that, we got FF miles from both airlines!

 

Bob

[NHBob]

Not only that, we got FF miles from both airlines!

 

Bob

 

That can't be right - wouldn't have got FF miles on the award ticket, but do remember receiving AA miles on the substitute flight. The double mileage must have been another time, on a paid ticket, when UA put me on AA, or vice versa and both airlines gave me miles.

 

Bob

[marchanxiety]

Lucky you. I've never gotten miles from United when they have cancelled flights and put me on other airlines.

[6rugrats]

IME on UA, when this happens, the airline will "open" up a seat, even though there was no award availability.

 

Also, when I had to pay to return the miles to a FF account, have had no problem getting the travel insurance pay the fees to redeposit the miles when award travel was cancelled. I have always had the taxes returned with no problem.

[6rugrats]

Lucky you. I've never gotten miles from United when they have cancelled flights and put me on other airlines.

 

IF UA cancelled a flight that you purchased (not award travel), and then put you on another airline, you certainly should have gotten the miles for your original routing from UA. Even if your UA flight is changed or cancelled, and they put you on another UA plane with routing that earns less miles, you still earn what you booked. You would have to request this, and you'd need your original itinerary and your boarding passes. I've gotten this several times with no problem.

[skisteamboat]

I have canceled FF Tickets a few times and got the miles back and the tax refund "paid" for the reinstatement fee.;)

 

I have also been re-booked without any question on travel delays, etc.

 

All of this mostly on AA and DL with one or two on Useless Air.

 

Cheers

[DanManBob]

From my experience with AA:

 

1. Taxes are refunded when you cancel.

2. There is a fee to put miles back into the FF account, if that is needed.

3. If rather than cancelling you change the date of the flight before the original date has passed, I believe there is no fee or perhaps a smaller fee.

4. If the traveler whose FF miles are being used has "elite" status with the airline, such as Platinum or Executive Platinum or whatever, they will bend over backwards to make things as smooth as possible regarding re-booking.

[Globaliser]

If I have a one-way ticket bought with frequent flier miles to catch a transatlantic cruise and many flights are canceled on the day I need to fly because of a weather or natural disaster' date=' do I have much chance of the airline finding a new flight for me?[/quote']This will depend on the airline and the specific occurrence.

 

But airlines usually try to be as flexible as possible in circumstances such as we've seen over the last week.

 

BA, for example, is rebooking into the same cabin so long as there's some space. There doesn't have to be award availability. My sister and her family have now had their frequent flyer seats re-booked twice since Thursday, but it looks like they will finally get to fly tonight.

[Gardyloo]

From my experience with AA:

 

1. Taxes are refunded when you cancel.

2. There is a fee to put miles back into the FF account, if that is needed.

3. If rather than cancelling you change the date of the flight before the original date has passed, I believe there is no fee or perhaps a smaller fee.

4. If the traveler whose FF miles are being used has "elite" status with the airline, such as Platinum or Executive Platinum or whatever, they will bend over backwards to make things as smooth as possible regarding re-booking.

 

1. Correct.

2. Usually; however in cases like this past week, the reinstatement fee can be waived. It was for me.

3. No fee, but there has to be appropriate seat inventory for the re-booked date.

4. Correct. Especially at the EXP level, "bend over backwards" is an understatement.