British Airways cuts European flights by 18% due to coronavirus

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• Mike P says:

  9 Mar9 March 11:13

  Don’t you mean less than 14 days in advance for EU261 rather than more?

  • Rob says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:14

    Fixed, thanks!

• Will says:

  9 Mar9 March 11:14

  Unprecedented times, temporary slot waiver should be put in place ASAP to protect the airlines. Perhaps if anyone else wants to use an unused slot in the meantime then OK but on understanding it’s only as long as it’s owner doesn’t elect to use it.

  • paul says:

    9 Mar9 March 12:32

    Not sure I agree with a waiver.
    Airlines will go bust and others will take the opportunities that arise. (flybe/logan air) and a waiver is a form of aid and yet another barrier to entry.
    I can see the logic of such a waiver on financial grounds but LHR is crying out for competition and with BA overly protected. They have deep pockets and would be the first to exploit the weakness of others. I see no reason why they should not face the same pressures.

    • Will says:

      9 Mar9 March 20:47

      The waiver forces the incumbent to fly loss making routes indefinitely.

      So if you are a new entrant you can sit there waiting for the incumbent to go bust then enter.

      If the timing is poor you then run loss making routes then go bust and it simply turns into a game of musical chairs rather than rewarding the best company with the long term trade.

      I’m one of the biggest advocates of breaking up BA’s monopoly at LHR but forcing it to fly empty planes until it goes bankrupt isn’t the way I’d go about it.

• Russ 😷 says:

  9 Mar9 March 11:15

  If we enter a period of lock down on flights off this island we’re estimating a duration between 3-4 months.

  • Shoestring says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:26

    possibly – or is that too high an estimate? – the best model says that if Covid-19 effectively escapes the ‘contain’ strategy and becomes really widespread (globally), it would all be largely over in 8-9 weeks

    that’s meant to be 90% of us getting it (mildly, with a full recovery within a few days)

    though I suppose it could linger on in the remaining 10% for months

    I’m getting a bit worried about my Easter hols getting cancelled 28/3 onwards

    • Will says:

      9 Mar9 March 11:32

      I’m guessing the most disruptive outcome (and most likely as I see it) is a half in half out approach of some on lockdown and some out the other side.

      Western response has been woeful. No co-ordination.

    • Paul Pogba says:

      9 Mar9 March 12:02

      Given its likely mutating as every similar virus does, and the 1918 pandemic took 2 years to burn out why would this be over in months?

      • Ken says:

        9 Mar9 March 12:54

        It’s gone from a “pussycat” virus, to only killing the over 70’s (“who were going to die anyway” – aren’t we all? ) to a “best model” of it being over in 9 weeks.
        A bit like the folk who claimed in 1914 the Great War would be over by Christmas.

        • Maul Mogba says:

          9 Mar9 March 13:14

          I do miss the daily “Pussycat virus” comments. Made me snigger every time I saw it 🤭

      • HeadForDenial says:

        9 Mar9 March 14:19

        Because Shoestring says so, and because he has a huge fanbase it is all that matters apparently.
        Medical professionals and subject matter experts be damned.

    • HeadForDenial says:

      9 Mar9 March 14:16

      Hey Shoestring. Can you just quit with the medical opinions and leave it to subject matter experts?
      Just stick to what you do best i.e. spending hours devising complex schemes in order to save 47 pence on a weekly shop or whatever.

      Your disrespectful attitude towards risks that the elderly and infirm face from your so called ‘pussycat virus’ is vile.
      I guess you are only allowed to keep posting your nasty comments about the effects of coronavirus because the site team probably benefit from the money saving tips that you’ve devoted your life to.

      You also seem to completely overlook the fact that even if most people survive this virus, they will still have suffered physically and may be impacted financially afterwards too. Not even mentioning the inconveniences.

      You need to stop with your dismissive attitude towards this virus, and especially you need to stop with the vile disrespect towards the elderly and infirm who are absolutely at risk, despite whatever your non-medical opinion may be.

      The site staff should start deleting your nasty corona related commentary.

      • CC says:

        9 Mar9 March 15:45

        What money saving tips? Were they any good or are we talking moneysavingexpert penny pinching type?

      • Anna says:

        9 Mar9 March 16:05

        We still (just) have free speech in this country. While I disagree with many comments on this site, I don’t believe that this means they are necessarily wrong or should be censored. An intelligent person should be able to present a coherent counter-argument, not simply demand a “no platform” or whatever the trendy term du jour is.

        • Spursdebs says:

          9 Mar9 March 19:58

          +1 I can’t abide the de platforming brigade, if you don’t like a posters comments just don’t fkg read them.

        • HenryHound says:

          10 Mar10 March 00:46

          Get over yourself Anna. He’s just plain nasty and not worth the defence, thought you were better than this…. “we just still have free speech”, Jesus, try living in China or North Korea and you’ll see that you have absolute free speech. Calling out people’s unpleasantness and viewpoints that have no basis in fact isn’t trying to stifle free-speech, its the exact opposite.

      • Negen says:

        9 Mar9 March 17:04

        +1. This is the literal end of humanity. I have seen absolutely no evidence that those who have died after being infected by the virus don’t rise from the dead 3 months after suffering brain death.

        As a precaution I have booked an additional seat on my RFS return to Milan next week. This is so I have room for my baseball bat wrapped with barbed wire.

      • Lady London says:

        9 Mar9 March 17:14

        pussycats look fluffy but are lethal predators. @Shoestring was nearly killed by one. He knows perfectly well that his own MIL is in a high risk category. And yet he continues to be the voice of reason. He’s fully aware and always has been.

        I’ve restrained myself from being insulting to you back.

        • Spursdebs says:

          9 Mar9 March 20:04

          My boy cat is a prolific murderer, most nights he brings in his supper and if I’m really lucky he brings an extra one for me. I must be the only person who has two cats but has humane mousetraps down for the ones that they get fed up of playing with. Set your traps with pieces of mars bar they love that.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        9 Mar9 March 19:41

        Can you please explain what the subject matter experts are saying that Harry isn’t?

        He’s saying most people will be absolutely fine but some will not, as with many virus’ in exactly the same category just like the experts.

        Containing the spread is about protecting the at risk and as LL says ensuring the healthcare systems can cope. Not because this is the end of the world. Harry is free to express his opinion just like you were about him.

        • Spursdebs says:

          9 Mar9 March 20:08

          Exactly, I’m at risk, my Mums at risk I can’t do any more than I normally do to take precautions for us.

        • Shoestring says:

          9 Mar9 March 20:43

          I do actually sympathise with the people grabbing the pasta/ water/ toilet rolls

          imagine you’re 70+ so not as strong as you once were

          why not squirrel yourself away in your house for 10 weeks or so, watch a few box sets, maybe get a few Tesco deliveries but otherwise have no social contact with anyone else?

        • Spursdebs says:

          9 Mar9 March 22:31

          Harry you have just described a large percentage of elderly people’s lives. Some elderly people don’t see anyone from one week to the next.

        • Lady London says:

          10 Mar10 March 14:05

          Well said @SpursDebs.

    • Lady London says:

      9 Mar9 March 18:45

      btw it will escape ‘contain’ strategy in most places.

      This is about trying to slow down its spread so health facilities have time to prepare.p

    • Fenny says:

      9 Mar9 March 19:42

      My heart bleeds. Really it does.

    • Lady London says:

      10 Mar10 March 00:39

      I was not there in 1918 and have not studied it but IIRC in 1918 wasn’t that the second year of the Spanish flu and it was the deadliest?

    • Bagoly says:

      10 Mar10 March 08:18

      100k to 8B is times 80,000.
      If making coarse assumption of doubling every fortnight, that would take 26 weeks.
      Could be faster; could be slower.

      • Shoestring says:

        10 Mar10 March 08:29

        the doubling time is actually running at 5 days (excluding China)
        https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus

• J says:

  9 Mar9 March 11:20

  Have passengers been notified already? I have three flights booked on one of the affected routes, but the flights are still showing in my BA account. However when I click on Manage My Booking (for all three flights) I get: ‘Sorry, due to a system error, we are unable to display your booking.’.

  • Rob says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:23

    No

  • GeoffGeoff says:

    9 Mar9 March 12:11

    Just had a cancellation / rebook email in the last hour.

  • Lady London says:

    10 Mar10 March 14:10

    If you are happy with refunding/rebooking and you’ve seen that happen to your flight then I suggest to call them proactively even if you’ve not had an email.

    If you’re booked through a travel agent be especially watchful to contact them proactively as a lot of travel agents don’t pass on this info to clients – they get it, you are unlikely to unless they pass it on

• Fred Hopkins says:

  9 Mar9 March 11:30

  Stop being such an idiot Rob. The airlines are going to struggle to keep their heads above water in the coming months. Your attitude is laughable. Of course they’ll try and save money where they can ie EU comp. Call yourself an expert!? Joke.

  • J says:

    9 Mar9 March 11:38

    Hug?

  • RWJ says:

    9 Mar9 March 12:48

    Eh? Where in the article does Rob say “oh the airlines will be just fine”? They are struggling, hence they’re cancelling as much as they can without losing slots.

    Also, maybe go outside for a bit and stop being angry on the Internet?

  • Rob says:

    9 Mar9 March 13:04

    I never call myself an expert 🙂 First rule of this game is that there is always someone who knows more about any particular sub-niche than you do.

    • Genghis says:

      9 Mar9 March 17:32

      🙂 I helped out a top 50 UK charity and was labelled initially as an “expert”. I got that changed to “adviser” straight away.

  • Oh! Matron! says:

    9 Mar9 March 15:43

    You missed a comma. Just sayin’.

  • Peter K says:

    9 Mar9 March 18:07

    Do you mean E.G., not IE ?

• John W says:

  9 Mar9 March 11:42

  Anyone know why you cannot access your booking on BA.com . Need to change the date as work have now put restrictions on travelling . Cannot access booking online to do so – phone lines jammed !

  • Jonathan says:

    9 Mar9 March 12:09

    Systems down, just tried to do a date change on phone, got straight through on Gold line but they can’t do anything but answer general queries at the moment. Estimating 2-3 hours till up & running again.

  • Anna says:

    9 Mar9 March 12:28

    Never mind, you can still get a 50% bonus on Avios…

  • Lady London says:

    9 Mar9 March 17:18

    Sometimes apps work when websites don’t and v.v. you can also check if different browser works.

    • John W says:

      9 Mar9 March 18:30

      I have tried the app – Error message when I try to move the flight – same thing online
      Can not get any answer to the call on silver line / Gold Line /Bronze – ALL being cut off few mins into the call
      I have sent a twitter message now –
      The flight is tomorrow morning , I am not so confident I am going to be able to move it prior to departure time !

      • John W says:

        9 Mar9 March 18:45

        ANYONE WITH ANY LUCK MAKING CONTACT WITH BA !! ??

• Allycat says:

  9 Mar9 March 11:45

  OT but similar … I had a Lufthansa FRA-MAN booked for 20 March which I have noticed today that it has been cancelled when checking on the app and on the website. I have not been notified by Lufthansa by email or text. Is there a way of finding out WHEN they cancelled it and whether I can get my EU261 compensation as I am now within the 2 week period ? Looking online it appears the airline has to prove when they notified you, and they haven’t notified me, I found out by checking myself. There is no proactive suggested rebooking, just the CS number to call to discuss rebooking or refunding. I will be refunding as it was a spare booking in case I missed a prior return scheduled the day before (which is still scheduled). Thanks

  • Shoestring says:

    9 Mar9 March 12:42

    or ask the guys on https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/lufthansa-austrian-swiss-brussels-lot-other-partners-miles-more-495/ how best to apply for compo

• Steve says:

  9 Mar9 March 11:49

  I have a flight booked for later this week that I will have to cancel (it was for a work event that has been cancelled). How late can I leave it before doing so? 24 hours out? Less? It feels worth hanging on just in case of a waiver meaning I can cancel without penalties.

  • Shoestring says:

    9 Mar9 March 12:49

    BA? I guess 24 hrs but check T&Cs, sometimes companies say 24 hrs but in reality they mean 24 hrs + whatever is left of today, I nearly got caught out by Europcar like that

    ie say your flight is at 15:30 – you maybe couldn’t cancel at 15:00 the previous day, because none of the day midnight-15:30 gets included, so you need to do it the previous day

    possibly!

    but, yes, there’s a chance flight will get cancelled and you could apply for compo, so leaving cancelling as late as possible makes sense

    • Steve says:

      9 Mar9 March 14:17

      Thanks!

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