Reader Email: Aeromexico Downgrade On LATAM Issued Ticket

A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a question regarding a downgrade issue on Aeromexico on LATAM issued ticked.

Readers are encouraged to send us questions, comments, or opinions by email, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We’ll try to cover them here several times a week.

Email From The Reader:

My husband and I flew June 25th premium business class with LATAM SF to Lima with return originally scheduled for July 2nd. The trip was routed SFO to Mexico City(Aeromexico) to Lima.

I received the confirmation that my seats were indeed premium business and all seem to be well.

When I called to change my departure date to July 4th, it was pointed out by the agent that for my ticket (not my husband) showed economy only from Mexico City (Aeromexico) to SFO. All flights were booked through LATAM. He was unable to correct that problem.  The July 4th return was rebook in same classes that they were originally and agent directed me to open a case with Latam.

He also stated that the Latam computer showed us in business premium the entire trip. He reassured me that if it shows up in their computer, it shouldn’t be a problem.

I opened a case. I never heard back from Latam despite two phone calls and multiple emails regarding the case. I flew on the out on the day scheduled. I continue to try to reach Latam without success.

We departed. However, I talked to the agent at the LATAM desk who told me to talk to the Aeromexico agent as it was probably an arrow Mexico problem. Aaron Mexico said it was a LATAM problem

In the end both of us flew home an economy. I have saved all receipts and all boarding passes. I entered a new case as a complaint with LATAM.

Still have heard anything since July despite multiple attempts to reach to real person and talk to customer service.

Who can I escalate this to at LATAM?

It is unclear what is the underlying issue here. The reader booked two tickets in business class from LATAM, of which San Francisco – Mexico City segments were on Aeromexico.

I looked at the SFO-MEX flights, and it doesn’t appear that LATAM would be codesharing Aeromexico’s flights, so these segments should show on the e-ticket receipt at what booking class LATAM assigned them on Aeromexico.

It doesn’t surprise me if LATAM would give out incorrect information or that the reader doesn’t hear back from their customer service. You should not use LATAM and customer service in the same sentence because this airline doesn’t have any.

There are two options:

1. U.S. DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection (file the complaint here)

The reader should open a case against LATAM and Aeromexico for the involuntary downgrade on the MEX-SFO segment.

This method will yield a response from both airlines and their standing on this issue.

2. Small Claims

Open a small claims case against both airlines for the fare difference on the MEX-SFO segment.

The reader noted that only their ticket was in the economy for the MEX-SFO, but that partner was also seated in the same cabin. If the partner was in business but downgraded to the economy to accompany the reader, the second passenger is not eligible for the compensation.

Conclusion

I have been at the Sydney airport LATAM check-in counter, where one of the supervisors was trying to get me checked in for the SYD-SCL segment on the QF code. It took a phone call to Santiago and 45 or so minutes to achieve this.

LATAM is one of the more incompetent so-called “full service” airlines in South America, but their competitors are not much better. It is like nobody has the authority to do anything beyond apathetically repeating what the computer says.

I hope the reader can get a refund for one of the segments, although the fare difference could be minimal considering the route.