Cathay Pacific compensation for non-working IFE

27 replies

patrickk

Qantas

Member since 19 Apr 2012

Total posts 736

I think IFE is a privilege not a right. I have had faulty ones from time to time; it goes with the territory. I am glad they gave you a $100 most would not.

So you would pay the exact same fare if you knew prior to the flight that the IFE wouldn't work? or would you choose another flight or operator? and btw- your ticket pays for everything from the lounge access, toilet paper to the baggage handlers. none of it is thrown in for free as a goodwill gesture by the airline.
Last edited by Rotate at May 31, 2019, 11.26 AM.

I pay exactly the same fare on qantas all the time on any domestic flight it may or may not have IFE. Qantas and Jetstar often have the same prices but one has IFE and one you have to pay for with a miserable selection. While people pay for everything on the flight it does not mean it is a right. And yes if I knew IFE wasn’t working I would still take flight plus a book or tablet. IFE wouldn’t shift a preference. A nice thing to have but not essential. I fly quite a bit so anthything I want to watch quickly exhausts.

Dr Al

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 07 Mar 2017

Total posts 34

I had no IFE on Qatar ADL - DOH. 14 hours with a blank screen! Fortunately an overnight flight so I slept for a large proportion of the flight, but still it was 14 hours with no IFE. I received no compensation offers from the crew, and no communication from Qatar. I wrote an email of complaint and was given a US$100 voucher which could be used on QF flights, I was unable to use this voucher in the expiry time.

AJW

Member since 16 Nov 2011

Total posts 55

So if I'm flying business and for 8 hours the IFE doesn't work, they apologise by giving me $100? Wow, what a crock.

Not sure why you have been voted down so much because that is a crock. Be interesting to see if it is like SIA and can only be used on future services or if it can be used on the current service to buy from duty free catalogue.


As an aside I flew BMED from LHR to Ankara in 2007 and compensation in business class for non functioning IFE was 150GBP which could be spent right then and there from the duty free catalogue or used for future flight credit. I used the money for a Hugo Boss wallet that I have used every day since and it is still going strong.

AJW

Member since 16 Nov 2011

Total posts 55

I think IFE is a privilege not a right. I have had faulty ones from time to time; it goes with the territory. I am glad they gave you a $100 most would not.

It's neither a pribilege nor a right. It is part of a service paid for.

benpek

Member since 05 Sep 2017

Total posts 1

HKG-PEK Business Class operated by Cathay Dragon for 4hrs flight. Same IFE issue but no compensation offered from the crew onboard. CX award ticket (25,000 miles redeemed for BKK-HKG-PEK)and received 10,000 AsiaMiles in the end by emailed CX customer service.

Rxm

Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 14 Jan 2017

Total posts 18

IFE is an advertised inclusion which factors into the price you pay and therefore you have a right to expect it. The conditions of carriage don’t necessarily replace your rights under consumer law. So in this case advertising something then not providing it would give you the right to ask for compensation.

btaus

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 15 Dec 2016

Total posts 171

They only paid me HK$300 inflight shopping voucher for four hours of faulty IFE in business, few months ago when I was flying Nagoya to Hong Kong.

Last editedby btaus at May 31, 2019, 11:57 PM.

oliverfreeman

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 20 Dec 2017

Total posts 5

So you are telling me that if I am in an economy flight 15hours from HKG-EWR and I had no IFE:

a) what am I going to do in ECONOMY for FIFTEEN hours
b) I will only get $50 to say sorry and have to spend it on CX flights/shopping
What do you think would be reasonable?

When I flew SQ years back when IFE was still a luxury, they gave me a $100 Coles voucher to use. That was incredibly generous for a 5 hour flight from Singapore to Perth.

Last editedby oliverfreeman at Jun 04, 2019, 12:10 AM.

Lyndfro

United Airlines - Mileage Plus

Member since 23 Aug 2017

Total posts 2

My IFE stopped working and it took them about an hour to correct it. United gave me $300 USD. Another time, I was on a flight from Houston to Anchorage and they had to reroute the plane in SFO. They announced that everyone on the plane would be getting something. My husband got $150 and I got $225 (for being a Gold Member). Both times I didn't even have to file a complaint. I would have expected more than $300 if I didn't have the IFE the whole flight. United gets a lot of my hard earned money. I expect to receive a pleasant experience in return.

Lyndfro

United Airlines - Mileage Plus

Member since 23 Aug 2017

Total posts 2

I had no IFE on Qatar ADL - DOH. 14 hours with a blank screen! Fortunately an overnight flight so I slept for a large proportion of the flight, but still it was 14 hours with no IFE. I received no compensation offers from the crew, and no communication from Qatar. I wrote an email of complaint and was given a US$100 voucher which could be used on QF flights, I was unable to use this voucher in the expiry time.

Good to know. I will make sure to never fly Qatar. I am sorry that you had that experience.

h15t0r1an

Member since 29 Jan 2015

Total posts 12

I think IFE is a privilege not a right. I have had faulty ones from time to time; it goes with the territory. I am glad they gave you a $100 most would not.
It's not a privilege if they advertise the product with IFE and you have paid for it. And when one pays $4 or 5K for a seat for 12 hours, it's actually part of the contract between vendor and consumer. We are not talking about them not having a particular movie you'd like watch. I think $100 is below what that component of the product is worth. What you're saying, essentially, is if I go watch a movie at the cinema for which I've paid and all the seats are taken, the manager says, "Here's 3 popped kernels for you to enjoy as compensation for standing for the entire duration of the film. Please come again."


It is advertised, but I am not sure it is part of the contract of carriage though (worth a check). It does depend on technology as does w-fi.
I just check on one of my tickets. There is pages on various liabilities etc (including no guarantee of a selected seat) but not one word on IFE.


It's well advertised and people are used to receiving it so the airline hasn't got a leg to stand on if they start denying it. Stuck on a long flight I expect IFE to work. different for short haul flights where the loss is much less.

Bonzer Mike

Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club

Member since 03 Jul 2017

Total posts 2

This is typical Cathay Pacific they give very little for their short comings.

same as their in flight service and their old planes all tired and outdated.
My friend says Cathay and Qantas are twins??.

oliverfreeman

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 20 Dec 2017

Total posts 5

This is typical Cathay Pacific they give very little for their short comings.
same as their in flight service and their old planes all tired and outdated.
My friend says Cathay and Qantas are twins??.

So their brand-new A350-1000’s with the reverse herringbone J class is ‘tired and outdated’.

Qantas has a very nice J on their B789

Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Cathay Pacific compensation for non-working IFE

Attach Files