Airline Downgrades Class but Still Selling Seats

archieduh on 14/03/2024 - 18:43
Last edited 22/03/2024 - 16:43

Airline: Air Asia

Booked a business class flight on a great deal (2x economy) months ago for a trip in April that has 2 legs.
They have downgarded me to economy on the whole journey saying the 2nd leg of my journey does not have the class due to plane change.
My only request to the airline is to keep my 1st leg as business which is available but they are not budging that I have purchased a single journey ticket not 2 separate tickets and they can not offer multi-class journey.
They have removed my seats and reassigned seat numbers, I see they are now selling those seats on the 1st leg at 3x price.
As there are still over 2 weeks to my travel, is there an authority where I can make a complaint?
Also, what are your thoughts, is it not fair for me to expect they should offer me the seats that I paid for the 1 leg?

For context, The 1st leg is 8 hours and the 2nd leg is 3+ hours.
Furthermore, the downgrade adjustment they are doing is against the highest type of economy fare. If I was to book economy I would have booked the cheapest non-refundable grade. If they don't budge i feel a bit scammed.

UPDATE: After confirming they will refund the money and saying it will take 30 days. They have now rejected the claim saying the flight is not cancelled.

Travel Airfare

Comments

  • RockyRaccoon on 14/03/2024 - 18:50
    +4

    Welcome to flying, they do the same if you book with points. You are the lowest class so you get the lowest priority.

    Happened to me on a flight from Perth to Sydney. Only consolation was that when they changed the flight, business class on that flight changed from booth type seats to just wider seats with leather. Our largest carrier at work again. (It also took ages to get the extra points I used, to be refunded)

    • archieduh on 14/03/2024 - 18:52

      Overbooked flights and getting downgraded on the day, I get - that is in the T&C, would hurt the same (or more).
      But downgrading me in advance and selling tickets is malpractise isn't it?

  • akanub on 14/03/2024 - 18:55
    +1

    which airline and did you pay or use points?

    • archieduh on 14/03/2024 - 18:57

      Air Asia and No points, All "cash".

  • AustriaBargain on 14/03/2024 - 19:06
    +1

    Are they compensating you for the whole trip? Maybe they can't code a partial downgrade in their system.

    • archieduh on 14/03/2024 - 19:11

      They are offering me a partial refund based on what i paid minus the top economy fare.
      I am also given an option to get a full refund and cancel these or choose any other date in 6 months, and there are no seats in +- 2 weeks from my travel date (and may never do as seems they have replaced planes servicing the 2nd leg which are all economy).

  • arvo on 14/03/2024 - 19:18
    +2

    Air Asia took more than a year to refund my ticket cost.

  • payless69 on 15/03/2024 - 08:16
    +1

    If Ali Express would be an airline…..

    • archieduh on 15/03/2024 - 13:32

      But Ali has one of the best refund policies, sometimes packages get delivered a month or so later even when the refund was issued.

  • JimmyF on 15/03/2024 - 08:23
    +1

    Furthermore, the downgrade adjustment they are doing is against the highest type of economy fare. If I was to book economy I would have booked the cheapest non-refundable grade. If they don't budge i feel a bit scammed.

    Yeah thats pretty crap, not sure fault they downgraded the 2nd flight.

    Is it cheaper to book with someone else now?

    Did they give you an option for a total refund?

    Airlines are crap.

    • archieduh on 15/03/2024 - 13:33

      Considering its now aorund 2 weeks and the dates were for the Easter weekend, even economy (for a sane route) is more expensive than my original flights.
      Will most probably do low cost airlines split over a stupid route now to be able to travel now.

      • JimmyF on 15/03/2024 - 13:59
        +1

        True, with Easter nothing cheap will be around anymore! Suck big time!!

    • JimmyF on 15/03/2024 - 13:58
      +1

      *your fault, not sure fault :)

  • smoothymcmellow on 15/03/2024 - 08:57
    +1

    I can only sympathize

    Saved for so long to get enough points for Qantas round the world fare, had it booked during covid, cancelled, long story short ended up costing me almost double the points as daughter got older and was no longer free and they increased the ticket cost.

    Finally had our trip, 6 flights
    2/6 legs were downgraded, had a cancellation of one flight, rebooked economy next day at 6am. Got compensated 2000 points. Had to fight tooth and nail to even get the hotel and transport costs reimbursed as i paid twice for accommodation. They just ignored every email and compensation request for months then would respond, you are not eligible due to X dodgy and incorrect reason.

    Airlines just seem to have no obligation to honor what you book, sad

    • [Deactivated] on 15/03/2024 - 09:51
      +1

      Airlines just seem to have no obligation to honor what you book, sad

      What was it the rainbow flavoured leprechaun said? 'You're not booking a seat on the airplane, you're booking the promise there may be a flight'?

    • archieduh on 15/03/2024 - 13:36

      My goodness, you had a horrible experience - and that was with Qantas. The best Australian airline what I imagined, like i can't afford Qantas on domestic ones and is an aspirational one for me.

  • archieduh on 22/03/2024 - 16:48

    UPDATE: After confirming they will refund the money and saying it will take 30 days. They have now rejected the claim saying the flight is not cancelled.

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