US airline has changed UK flight destination - “apologise for any inconvenience”

[GiantKitten]

Their message attached
Anybody know the passenger’s legal rights here?
DD had booked from JFK direct to Manchester (only about 2 weeks ago).
They have switched it to Heathrow.
No onward flights available from LHR.
No offer to cover onward costs.
She could fly to MAN via Amsterdam instead but they’d like an extra $200 for that!!!

These are unprecedented times. I’m sure they’re doing their best.

I’m sure she would be eligible for a refund in those circumstances. Could she cancel and rebook with another airline?

As you were.
It’s sorted!
She discovered that the flight they’ve switched her to would cost $400 less if she was booking it today
She pointed this out, and now they are flying her via AMS and refunding $360.
So they get a gold star for sorting it, but a black mark for having to be pushed into sorting it

Delta is Virgin isn't it?

A few years ago I had a direct flight from LA at 11am to Manchester. They changed it so I flew LA - JFK - AMS - LHR - MAN. My flight home suddenly became something stupid like 40 hours. When I called them and asked why they didn't just put me on the half empty 9am LAX - MAN this seemed to be a bit of a revelation to them and they changed it.

@AlanThePig

Delta is Virgin isn't it?

A few years ago I had a direct flight from LA at 11am to Manchester. They changed it so I flew LA - JFK - AMS - LHR - MAN. My flight home suddenly became something stupid like 40 hours. When I called them and asked why they didn't just put me on the half empty 9am LAX - MAN this seemed to be a bit of a revelation to them and they changed it.

That sounds similarly obtuse! Original booking was with Delta but a Virgin flight. JFK-AMS leg is now on Delta; AMS-MAN is KLM. Return flight - still showing as direct MAN-JFK - is with Virgin but we won’t be at all surprised if that one gets cancelled too!

Yes I do wonder what goes through their minds.

They really messed us about last year. Obviously it was all up in the air at the start of the pandemic and we weren’t sure if you would be going or not. We had a MAN - Vegas flight booked which they then changed to Heathrow - LA which we kind of accepted as a reasonable alternative. After a while they cancelled the return flight altogether but couldn’t understand why that might be an issue. Not that they told us, I happened across it in the flight detail online.

Finally pressed for a refund citing the cancellations and it took six months and filing with the credit card to get it. We’re hoping to rebook last minute around November time but seriously considering BA.

Good luck. Hope they don’t change it again for you.