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Question about a "waitlisted" flight

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  • 15-09-2015 4:39am
    #1
    biketard
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    I'm travelling from Taipei, Taiwan to Edinburgh, UK on 8th October on Etihad Airlines. It's a three-leg journey and the 2nd and 3rd legs have been confirmed. However, the first leg from Taipei to Hong Kong is "waitlisted". My understanding is that it's similar to standby, except that it's a list that exists long before the day of the flight. I booked and paid for this through the Etihad website and everything appeared to go smoothly. It's only when I received the travel reservation pdf document that I saw that the Taipei to Hong Kong portion's status was listed as "waitlisted". Even in the e-Ticket it says, "OK TO FLY". Incidentally, the Taipei to Hong Kong portion is handled by Cathay Pacific.

    Anyway, here are my questions:
    1. What can I do between now and the date of my flight to increase my chances of getting on that flight?
    2. Am I likely to receive an email or something if the situation changes?
    3. If I still haven't got a confirmed ticket on the day is there any way I can increase my chances of getting on the flight, say by showing up hours in advance?
    4. What happens if I'm at the airport and they decide there's no space for me on the flight?
    5. More importantly, what happens to the 2nd and 3rd legs of my journey if I can't get on my first flight, so miss my connection?

    Etihad doesn't seem to have a number in Taiwan (where I am now), and I can't make international phone calls.

    Thanks.


Comments

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    #2
    arubex
    Registered Users Posts: 1,197 ✭✭✭arubex


    I've only heard of that happening previously when people booked using points / miles.

    Have you seen this number for Etihad in Taiwan?

    +8862 2773 3266

    It appears to be for their agent in Taiwan, Golden Foundation Travel Service.


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    #3
    smurfjed
    Registered Users Posts: 10,044 ✭✭✭✭smurfjed


    I travel a lot on waitlisted flights as I use airline staff tickets, the idea is basically that the airline is expecting a certain number of passengers not to show up, this percentage is based on each individual flight and might be 2% up to 50% of the aircraft capacity, depending on the airlines ticket change and refund policies.

    Asian airline no show rates are extremely low, so I wouldn't be impressed having to be waitlisted after spending close to 1000 euro on a ticket, so I would suggest the following:

    1: Login to EY site and look for something like manage my booking, this is to make sure that you are still waitlisted.
    2: Write to EY reservations and ask them your questions #4 & #5.

    Good Luck


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    #4
    biketard
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭biketard


    Thanks both of you. I just took a half day off work and went along to Golden Foundation Travel Service (thought they'd have a harder time dismissing me if it was face to face) and unfortunately they weren't able to help me. I chanced my arm and popped into the Cathay Pacific office too, but again no luck.

    It's all a bit weird. According to them I shouldn't have got confirmed tickets for the second and third legs if the first wasn't. I didn't use air miles to get these either.

    Etihad only really seems to have contact phone numbers and my mobile phone can't really phone overseas. However I got one of those phone cards that lets you phone overseas for cheap. Unfortunately it took so long to get through to someone that the credit ran out before they could finish taking my details (those cards don't last as long when you use them with a mobile phone).

    An incredibly frustrating afternoon, not to mention I lost half a day's pay for the pleasure.

    I'm going to pop round to my in-laws' place later and use their landline with another phone card that will hopefully last longer.


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    #5
    de biz
    Registered Users Posts: 526 ✭✭✭de biz


    Might be worth tweeting them if you can....


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    #6
    biketard
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭biketard


    Good idea. Just tweeted @EtihadHelp.


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    #7
    biketard
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭biketard


    OK, I also managed to get through to their American call center number using Skype. Had a 30 minute phone call and they're "working on it". Need to call them back tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.


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    #8
    Pat Dunne
    Registered Users Posts: 3,001 ✭✭✭Pat Dunne


    Folks, this topic does not belong on this forum, please take it to the Travel Forum http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showp...1&postcount=46 as it contravenes the Aviation And Aircraft Forum Charter http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2055763888


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    #9
    dzilla
    Registered Users Posts: 1,777 ✭✭✭dzilla


    Pat Dunne wrote: »
    Folks, this topic does not belong on this forum, please take it to the Travel Forum http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showp...1&postcount=46 as it contravenes the Aviation And Aircraft Forum Charter http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2055763888

    I think the "How to become a mod" forum is here -

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055821362


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    #10
    LXFlyer
    Registered Users Posts: 17,556 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    Pat Dunne wrote: »
    Folks, this topic does not belong on this forum, please take it to the Travel Forum http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showp...1&postcount=46 as it contravenes the Aviation And Aircraft Forum Charter http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2055763888

    Can you not simply report the post and then let the mods do their job?

    This kind of post is unnecessary frankly.


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    #11
    biketard
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭biketard


    Sorry if it's in the wrong place, mods. Please feel free to move accordingly (not that you need my permission of course).


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    #12
    andy_g
    Registered Users Posts: 7,559 ✭✭✭andy_g


    Moved to travel forum.


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    #13
    biketard
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭biketard


    Hi all, just reporting back to let you know how it went. After several phone calls to Etihad via their American number (free to call through Skype--thank you Skype), as of Saturday morning all three legs of my trip are now confirmed.

    Apparently because the problematic flight was being handled by Cathay Pacific, Etihad had to put a request in to "e-services" to get things sorted out, and that was supposed to take 24-48 hours (actually it was a bit longer than that, but whatever).

    Big relief.

    Incidentally, @EtihadHelp never replied to my tweet.


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    #14
    biketard
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭biketard


    I've actually been back for a few weeks now, but haven't really been on boards since then.

    I have a second update (for anyone who might be interested).

    Since I had a pretty tight transfer in Hong Kong, I decided to show up early at Taipei airport just in case there were any delays in the hope I could get an earlier flight if that was the case. I'd wanted to go much earlier, but since my father-in-law wanted to take me to the airport, the earliest I could get there was about 2 hours 45 before my flight. As I checked in the lady said that since I had a tight transfer time, would I like to go on an earlier flight. I said yes. She checked me in and said, "OK, it leaves in 25 minutes".

    So I ended up legging it to the gate after a frustrating 10 minute wait to get through passport control and managed to get on the plane just in time. But here's the kicker--while I was waiting at passport control, I received a text message telling me that my original flight had been cancelled. If I'd got to the airport even 5 minutes later I don't think I would've made it home that day.


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