Flybe changed schedule to make connecting time too short

Hello,
If someone could give some advice here would be much appreciated.
I booked flights home to Dublin in July from La Rochelle via Southampton. I booked these about 4/5 weeks ago and got a good price.

Flybe just advised flight schedule changed so there is now only 40 minutes between incoming flight to Southampton and take off of second flight to Dublin. 45 mins is the minimum permitted.

Spent ages onto their call centre today, and only options are:

1. take a refund
2. accept at my own risk that we will connect on time. if we don't, its at our own expense.
3. new flights from a different airport, eg nantes 138 km away. We would need to get ourselves to nantes.

I went for option 2, as was in work and trying to make a fast decision. Now I am kicking myself, as I think its too risky. And I need to get back for work.

So, my questions are:

1. can they hold me to my acceptance ( she actually asked on the phone if I accepted and I said yes. But is there a cooling off period?
2. As both flights are flybe, is a refund as much as I can get? I missed the opportunity cost booking a cheap flight with another airline weeks ago, so now flights are much more expensive.

Please advise, and thanks in advance .

And no more Flybe for me. Even Ryanair are better. never flown them before and never will again.

MarkAnthony

Are FlyBe, point to point? If so I'm not sure there is much you can do. It's a similar story with RyanAir (who I personally think are great) they only guarantee to get you from Point A to Point B. I'd explore a refund, I'm sure there would be some leeway even though you've accepted an alternative.

Surely there are flights from near where you are directly to Dublin?

JCX BXC

If an airline offers you a through ticket, it's not point to point.
Can they remove their right to guarantee you to your destination just like that?

BuffyBot

Carnacalla wrote: »

If an airline offers you a through ticket, it's not point to point.
Can they remove their right to guarantee you to your destination just like that?

Yes. Schedules change in the industry all the time. The options provided are pretty much the standard industry ones, and once given in good time (IIRC not less than two weeks) the OP has little comeback.

Marcusm

BuffyBot wrote: »

Yes. Schedules change in the industry all the time. The options provided are pretty much the standard industry ones, and once given in good time (IIRC not less than two weeks) the OP has little comeback.

If it's a through ticket below MCT it should not have been capable of ticketing. I don't think the airline can be permitted to allow you to waive their duty of care meaning it should still be their problem.

BuffyBot

Marcusm wrote: »

If it's a through ticket below MCT it should not have been capable of ticketing. I don't think the airline can be permitted to allow you to waive their duty of care meaning it should still be their problem.

It was above the minimum connecting time when the OP purchased it from my understanding of their post, but no longer is due to the schedule change - hence the options offered.

L1011

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Are FlyBe, point to point?

No, they sell connections (often sometimes nonsensical - when they flew Donegal to Glasgow they used to offer Donegal-Glasgow-Southampton-Paris!)

Marcusm

BuffyBot wrote: »

It was above the minimum connecting time when the OP purchased it from my understanding of their post, but no longer is due to the schedule change - hence the options offered.

I thought it was reticket (to a suitable time), refund or reroute. I don't remember rebook to a non MCT ticket as being an acceptable consumer remedy. Taken with an inability to contract out of the duty of care, it would be risky for FlyBe to ticket this.

Peig Sayers

Southampton airport is tiny so you should be able to do it in time.

L1011

Peig Sayers wrote: »

Southampton airport is tiny so you should be able to do it in time.

Flybe's reliability is pathetic, though. The chances of the inbound flight being delayed more than 40 mins to begin with is huge. They're not known as flymaybe for nothing.

duffman13

Peig Sayers wrote: »

Southampton airport is tiny so you should be able to do it in time.

It is a tiny airport however it might be an issue with baggage if there is any, otherwise 15 mins would be plenty to get off a flight and to the next gate but 40 mins including taxi etc would be very tight

jimmycrackcorm

bookerlover wrote:

I booked flights home to Dublin in July from La Rochelle via Southampton. I booked these about 4/5 weeks ago and got a good price.

Apart from the point to pint argument for the airline, you have a disadvantage that unless there is a significant deviation on the schedule, you did not allow enough time yourself to accommodate any possible unforseen delays.

ScouseMouse

I dont think that is doable. A short delay and they are in trouble. As the flight is coming from the continent, is there a passport check? Is luggage checked through?

Dont think that is gonna happen.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

notharrypotter

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Per the OP when the flights were booked there was ample time.
A subsequent change to the schedules occurred.
FLYBE contacted the OP and offered 3 choices.
The OP accepted the offer of to retain the booking with the shorter connect time with no guarantee of making the connection.

The OP retained the flights because they were a "good price"

They now regret the choice and want to know their options.

They have been offered an alternative already which they have exercised.
Can they change again or were the flight non refundable?