Denied Boarding

[c45arlo]

My wife was denied boarding through the usual overbooking on Qatar out of Cebu to Man via Doha last night. I wonder what the situation is regarding getting them to cough up compensation as the $250 offered at the airport is a joke and she obviously refused it. I rang the desk at the airport and from what I could gather this level of compensation was offered because she was travelling on a Philippines passport (UK indefinite leave to remain) instead of an EU passport, thereby racially discriminating regards compensation levels(ticket purchased in UK and this was the return leg). Has anyone any suggestions for getting the airline to cough up a realistic level of compensation short of taking them to court(which I will do if I have to) I realise this falls outside of the EU compensation regulations being a non EU airline. The delay between being denied boarding and being offered an alternative flight was 18 hours and has been routed via HKG and LHR with Cathay. There was availability on an earlier Silk air flight to Singapore and onwards to Man with Singapore airlines which they refused to transfer her to.
Any useful suggestions welcome.

[Final 3 Greens]

I realise this falls outside of the EU compensation regulations being a non EU airline

I believe it covers any airline operating to/from the EU.

Talk to Citizens Advice.

[Rwy in Sight]

My understanding is that the regulation applies to flights that end or begin to an eu airport. SO flights that connect to such a flight - i.e. conecting at a hub for a flight to the E.U. is it covered? In the case here the flight was between Cebu and Doha - neither an EU airport.

Anyway do talk to the Citizens Advice please let us know.

Rwy in Sight

[c45arlo]

Thanks for the advice up to now. I would have thought that Doha as a hub was immaterial as the ticketing was through to Manchester with the same airline.

Flights Details : Locator : 2WESN6

1P- 2WESN6
1.***************************ADT
1 QR 42M 27MAR TU MANDOH HK1 1020 1920 /O $ E
2 QR 656M 27MAR TU DOHCEB HK1 2345 1435 #1/X $ E
3 QR 657M 20APR FR CEBDOH HK1 0115 0600 /O $ E
4 QR 43M 20APR FR DOHMAN HK1 1230 1800 /X $ E

Anyway I will keep an update on progress which I would expect to be slow.

[agent x]

unfortunately you wont be due any more compensation under EU regs as the departure and arrival airport of the flight involved are OUTSIDE the Eu regardless whether or not your wife was connecting onto another destination airport in the EU on a thru tkt. Airlines from outside the EU can decide on their own levels of DBC etc, QR obviously think $250.00 is appropriate. Can't see you getting anymore out of them really

[c45arlo]

I am well aware that it falls outside of the EU regulations as per my initial posting.The $250 was in fact restrictive vouchers that were not worth the paper they were printed on. It is the fact that they used racial profiling in determining their compensation offer that is of concern. I discovered this when I phoned their front desk at Cebu Mactan and was informed that the offer was DUE TO MY WIFE TRAVELLING ON A PHILIPPINES PASSPORT. Upon that basis had I been travelling on an EU passport then the offer would have been somewhat different. I am taking the matter up with Qatar in the UK and will await their response.

[Rwy in Sight]

Is there an IATA, or a Gulf Air Association document suggesting overbooking pax treatment? The Association of European Airlines has issued in June 2001 I think a guide to what pax can wait when the situation turns in an annoying way (like overbooking). Obviously the EU regulation has render that guide useless but I tend to think that when you are buying a ticket you get in a contract and unless there is a legal document stating each part rights then the airline has some leverage. Much like US pax used to action their willingness to give their seats on an overbook flight.
By any means do take the issue with CAA and Qatar and see what you come to. You may be of some help to everybody!

Rwy in Sight

[tezzer]

My KLM flight HUY - AMS - PRG was cancelled the other morning, due to fog at HUY and I couldn't be offered an alternative.

I took the refund, drove to MAN and flew CSA to PRG direct.

As I coldn't be offered an alternative, can I get compensation too ??

[parabellum]

It is not racial profiling at all, it is economic profiling, did you know that when an aircraft crashes and pax are killed the underwriters will look at the economic status and potential of each passenger when deciding their pay-out?

As your wife was on a Philippines passport and in her own home country, (regardless of right to abode in UK), they assumed, reasonably or otherwise, that she needed less support than, say, a foreign national who had checked out of their hotel and had no where to go.

Once 'normal' goes out the window you are dealing with hard nosed insurance underwriters and it is only the small print that counts. The ticket issued in UK would have probably contained sufficient caveats to cover the situation your wife found herself in but, like you, I never read them!

[Desert Diner]

Tickets also issued in the UK usualy advise you to purchase travel insurance for such events.

As this is an ME airline and if this was an economy seat, good luck in trying to get compensation out of them.

[c45arlo]

The e-ticket that was issued by the travel agency actually contained no t&c and was a single sheet of A4 with only the flight details. Whether that is an issue to take up with the ticket provider is another issue as is any claim on the travel insurance which is likely to be limited to the delay time.
The fact remains that there was a totally worthless offer of $250 in restrictive vouchers so any improvement upon this offer has to be seen as bonus.
The following article should explain Qatar Airways policy on compensation and the treatment of passengers;

http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=11160

[HandyAndy]

Overbooking on QR?

Doesn't help the OP is this case, but when my folks travelled back to Doha out of Cebu last year they were required to reconfirm their flights. I queried this with QR Cebu at the time(as I haven't had to reconfirm flights for years) and the reply was "this was necessary as they do not overbook flights". Clearly things have changed with QR.

[Desert Diner]

this was necessary as they do not overbook flights

[Desert Diner]

These quotes say it all. Welcome to the Middle East

• Qataris being given first choice in upgrades to first and business classes.
• However none of the 639 overbooked passengers flying Qatar Airways in March received any compensation.

[larssnowpharter]

c45arlo:

I have no connection with QR other than being a satisfied customer. Travel with them regularly; often to the Philippines and to UK as well as on business.

I also live in the PI.

A few observations:

1. All airlines overbook. You know this, I know this. The choice of which pax to bump is commercial. The agent or QR staff are hoping to upset as few people as possible to the least degree. As a Philippine passport holder travelling on her own (one assumes), a judgement call was made that she would be able to fend for herself better than say, a foreigner in Cebu.

2. Much of your ire seems to be because your wife was discriminated against on racial grounds.Guess you haven’t got the ‘kano discount’ in the PI then!!!! Mate, discrimination is alive and well out there in the real world. You didn’t mention that your wife has to pay a departure tax to leave the PI imposed by her government (you as a furriner, don’t); or that she has to stand in a different line at immigration in the UK.

3. Learn to ‘travel smart’. Confirm your flight. QR requires this for most destinations unless you are on their frequent flyer programme. Turn up early. Get yourself on the QR frequent flier programme; they don’t like upsetting frequent fliers.

4. The $250 ‘compensation’ with the offer to fly out to her chosen destination within 18 hrs seems pretty reasonable to me. Covers a luxury room at Plantation Bay and a couple of good meals with wine. Why refuse it?

5. The quoted Al Jazeera article on upgrades. Crap mate. I get upgraded about 50% of the time on QR. I am not Qatari but I do have a high grade frequent flier card. Last upgrade was from economy to first class MNL to DOH when travelling with my wife and infant daughter. Thanks QR.

[HandyAndy]

You didn’t mention that your wife has to pay a departure tax to leave the PI imposed by her government (you as a furriner, don’t);

As a registered foreigner in "RP", we also have to pay the departure tax (more correctly known as the travel tax).

[larssnowpharter]

HA,

Yes, basically you are correct. Full rules on the government web site. ‘Travel tax’ (or ‘escape duty’ as I refer to it) is payable by Filipinos and residents. However, it is NOT payable by those on visit visas. In this case, allow me the assumption that this lady was a Filipina visiting the PI (or RP, if you prefer).

My main points still apply. The decision to bump a pax is commercial, not racial. You can take steps to minimize the chance that it will happen to you.

[The SSK]

Originally Posted by Final 3 Greens

I realise this falls outside of the EU compensation regulations being a non EU airline
I believe it covers any airline operating to/from the EU.
Talk to Citizens Advice.

The user-friendly (?) description of the Regulation on the europa website says it applies to any journey to/from or within the EU.

However the Regulation itself makes it clear that applicability is to:
- any flight departing an EU airport
- any flight on a Community carrier departing a non-EU airport to an EU airport

Moral: if you want the protection, use EU carriers

Tezzer - no compensation is payable for cancellations due to circumstances outside the airline's control