I would like to share our very frus...
I would like to share our very frustrating experience with . Our original flight was cancelled, and we contacted customer service to arrange a rebooking. Initially, we were repeatedly told that there were no alternative flights available for the entire month of April, and that our only options were a refund or to wait. It was only after several days of communication, and after we began referring to EU Regulation 261/2004, that an alternative itinerary was suddenly found. However, this solution was significantly worse than our original booking – approximately 7 hours longer travel time, multiple layovers, and transit via Doha, which was the very reason our original flight had been cancelled. We accepted this option because it was presented as the only possible solution. At the same time, we clearly stated that we were only accepting this under the condition that we could be rebooked again if safer or more suitable alternatives became available (for example routes avoiding conflict-affected areas or significantly shorter travel times). We were never informed that accepting this option would limit our ability to make further changes, nor that we would effectively only have one opportunity to choose. This information would have been essential for making an informed decision. At the same time, we were not offered rebooking with other airlines, even though there were daily and more stable routes available (for example via Istanbul), which should have been an option under passenger rights regulations. Shortly afterwards, it became clear that better alternatives did in fact exist, including a direct connection that much more closely matched our original journey. When we requested to be rebooked onto this option, we were refused based on internal policies – policies that we were never informed about. In addition, several customer service agents simply stopped responding to our messages or left the conversation without properly addressing our questions, which made the process even more frustrating. At the same time, our previous acceptance was later described as a “voluntary choice”, which does not reflect the reality of the situation, where we effectively had no real alternative. We also received information from other airlines operating in the region confirming that flights are still affected and that flexibility (including multiple rebookings) is necessary – making Finnair’s handling of the situation even more difficult to understand. Additionally, we received conflicting information from customer service, particularly regarding refund options, which were initially offered and later denied. Overall, the experience has been characterized by: – lack of transparency – lack of information about passenger rights – contradictory communication – pressure to accept a significantly worse solution – poor handling of customer communication – and unwillingness to offer reasonable alternatives We are left with the feeling that we were not treated fairly as customers in a difficult situation. This is not just about a disrupted journey – it is about how customers are treated when things go wrong.