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Say I book an itinerary in Europe with separate airlines:

  • A -> B, B -> C
  • C -> B, B -> A

This is four separate flights, meaning neither of the transfers are guaranteed. The A -> B, B -> A is a return flight package, and the B -> C, C -> B one too.

What I'm worried about is that an airline cancels a flight in a place where I don't want to be, say the B -> C trip or the C -> B one (which is my holiday destination, so being stuck there would suck), and maybe refunds my £38, but leaves me stranded. Since they consider this a point-to-point purchase, I have no "home" base that I could considered away from, leaving them with no responsibility to take me back. Is that how it works?

If the C -> B flight is delayed, can they just put me on a later flight, so I miss the B -> A one, since that is not part of their problem, and B is my home as far as they are concerned?

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JohnBig
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3 Answers3

33

You have booked a return flight A -> B -> A with AirGreen, and a return flight B -> C -> B with AirRed on separate bookings. This can indeed leave you stranded.

For example, let us assume that your C -> B flight with AirRed gets cancelled short-notice. This leaves AirRed responsible for getting you to B as soon as possible, and to provide you with food and accommodation (if the delay is long enough) in C until then. Since this is happening in Europe, they might also owe you compensation under EC 261 (depending on the distance, how long the delay is, and whether the airline can blame circumstances beyond their control). However, AirRed is not liable for subsequent inconvenience this may cause you. Once they have delivered you to B (and paid the EC 261 compensation, if applicable), they've done their duty.

If you are not at the gate at airport B at the appropriate time for your flight B -> A with AirGreen, AirGreen can declare you a no-show, cancel your flight, keep your money and be done with you.

Note that the same issue might happen even if AirRed and AirGreen are the same airline, if you have two separate bookings. Only if you have a genuine connecting flight the airline is actually obliged to return you to A.

Your travel insurance might cover such a situation, but check carefully before relying on that. Otherwise I'd avoid making such a booking unless I could afford to book a new last-minute ticket from B to A.

jcaron
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Arno
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Yes, you'll be stranded. If the connection were on the same airline, they MIGHT sort you to your actual destination at their discretion. easyJet did so in March when I was denied boarding Larnaca-Liverpool and had a connection Liverpool-Belfast - they sorted me to Belfast via the Netherlands. With separate airlines though, no chance unless it's a single booking through a third-party with a self-transfer guarantee.

Crazydre
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8

In addition to the other answers, note that outside Europe, and specifically in Asia, depending on the airlines, they might accommodate you, depending on their quality of service (ie forget LCCs), and your status with them.

I have occasionally run into similar cases, especially with B = Thailand, eg Laos to BKK with TG, BKK to HKG with CX, and Thai Airways did their best to get me to my CX flight in time: car from the plane to the next gate, staff accompanying me, etc.

And when that effort wasn't enough and I missed the flight, CX rebooked me on the next flight - I have been a Gold member for ages, so that probably helped.

And the luggage was put on the proper plane, because TG and CX interline.

So bottom line, you might want to elaborate on the airports and airlines involved.