Drastic reschedule – what rights do I have?

Drastic reschedule – what rights do I have?

I book flight for my son with QF FRA-DXB-MEL. Suitable departure and arrival time (9:35 pm in MEL), short layover and I were in hope that I can upgrade him for business DXB-MEL. However bloody EK take off late from RFA, arrived late to DXB (an hour) and as result we missing DXB-MEL leg with QF and they reschedule us DXB-KUL-MEL with arriving time 2:05 AM! Not only I am not that keen go to airport 3:00 AM Monday morning (yeah, some can say that it is very cool because there is no traffic!) but I also lost all hope for upgrade because it is EK metal!

So what kind of right do I have in such idiotic situation?

They've rescheduled your son on the next available flight. It seems they have met their obligations under EU Regulation 261/2004.

I'm not sure you have any grounds for recourse.

To be sure you fly Qantas on QF10 try flying FRA/LHR on BA and connect at LHR. BA has an early flight out from FRA (BA 901) arriving at 0815h, which will give you enough wiggle room to make the connection (about 4h) . And you get to upgrade the entire way (if available)!

Actually I offered my son that route, but he declined because time was unsuitable - too early departure and he not in Frankfurt and need to get here by train. Also I sick of Qantas talking that marriage with Emirates is for my benefits because mow I can do one stop to almost any city in Europe. Reality though is somewhat different.

I have tendency to agree with you that I have very little if any “grounds for recourse” and it actually p1ssing me – wrong carrier, wrong route and wrong time and I still have to be happy? They protect themselves very well indeed!

You know there are other solutions out there besides Qantas. If we all just follow along like lemmings, Qantas will not get the message it needs to change. Hopefully the relationship with Emirates will not outlive the tenure of Alan Joyce and Leigh Clifford, his keeper. Makes you wish Margaret Jackson was still at the helm.

Apart from not being able to be upgraded (which needs fixing), what is wrong with the QF/EK deal. I'd be disappointed to see it go, though it could use some tinkering.  

Anyway, I assume it's too late, but I would of asked for the next non-stop service to Melb. 

Actually everything wrong

Upgradeability – yes I know that there is no guarantee, but with Emirates there is guarantee for no upgradeability!

Emirates known for very bad departure/arrival time – pick someone up from airport at 2:30am is nowhere fun. Arriving at 3:00am to destination where no-one can pick you up even less fun. If one like more civil way then (s)he need to be prepared for loooooong layover in the middle of the night.

I do not like Flying with Emirates and I do not like Dubai as transit point – prefer Singapore or Bangkok and now I absolutely cannot book with QF via SIN to fly to LHR with BA!

In all QF flights via Dubai all meal is halal. Not that I cannot eat it, but I feel that my freedom is somewhat restricted and this fact disgust me.

Overall I like QF tie knots with BA.

Yes, YMMV

Next direct Qantas route would be 24 hours later – he coming here only for 7 days, so 1 wasted day in Dubai is actually 14% of his total time.

In all fairness, aren't you talking more about what suits you rather than whats good for QF. Emirates is the largest international airline in the world for a reason. They did not get there by sheer luck. With BA there was so much backtracking - it's unattractive.

The upgrades when on EK on on QF code would be great. Hopefully that happens. Perhaps my memory is gone, but I don't remember having that ability when flying BA under the old JV anyway.

In relation to EK arrival/departure times. In fairness,  you are talking about one EK flight into Melbourne which effects you directly. The remaining EK flights into Melbourne are like any commercial airline.  The alternative is EK ceases the KL flight and it just stops options for the market.  If no one flies the KL flight, you reckon EK would operate it?

If your going to LHR heading through SIN/BBK are absolutely optons. But I think QF realised they were at  disadvantage when EK,  SQ, EY,  QR can all operate one stop options.  I think QF stuffed up by not allowing enough flexiblity in the EK deal to offer codeshares to Europe through HKG etc.

I do not understand the Halal thing. Nor the debate haopening in Australia... if you're major concern is that you are 'forced' to eat Halal on a flight, then life is pretty good ey? Many people on this planet don't know where there next meal is coming from? You're lucky.

True regarding next QF flight, but next direct EK flight is the following morning and arrives into Mel at a reasonable hour (only 6 hrs later than KL flight). 

You absolutely right – I look from my prospective of view. But with all honesty I do believe that QF-EK “partnership” in reality in EK favor. EK not even One World member, so this “partnership” is very funny indeed. It looks like QF trying to seat on two chairs on the same time and my bet that they will not succeed.

No I do not recall that upgrade was ever available in non-QF metal.

Departure/arrival time not only applicable to Melbourne. I know few more examples and bet there are much more - EK433 BNE-SIN depart at 2:35am and KBP-DXB (another destination of my interest) use to departure at 3:00 am or so (I am not sure if they still fly there). You will be hard pressed to find any big company flying so odd times.

Yep, deal is sweet for EK – all QF traffic has to go through DXB and you have to go to BA if you like fly MEL-SIN with QF and SIN LHR with BA.

Halal. It is not a problem about it. Problem in my eyes that we (QF) do everything to please EK and they plainly do not even give a damn. Now try to convince me that this is on a par partnership.

There is a fine line defining a bold or bad decision. History will decide if this unequal partnership is the former or latter.

The beauty of living in the present is our ability to affect the future. So let us consciously make decisions about our travel today because whinging in the future does nothing but heightens the sense of loss and dismay.

I think part of the reason why EK can have unfavorable arrival/departure times is that they generally offer multiple flights into each city.  Other carriers, who may only operate a single daily flight need to schedule according to pax requirements - QF is known for this. Hence why a 747 sits in NRT all day. 

I'm not going to convince you the deal is equal. Not all partnerships are equals - just like human partnerships. Does QF benefit as much as they could should?  No. There are a number of areas where the deal can improved. 

In relation to one world,  whilst global alliances have there place,  there are an increasing number of out of alliance deals.  Cathay/AirNZ,  Cathay/Air China and there are more.  They are now many numerous cross alliance codeshares which were a lot rarer in earlier days. The aviation world is changing and adapting.

I prefer transiting through SIN and HKG too. But I also prefer not having to go through LHR if im heading elsewhere in Europe. BA is great for LHR.