STRIKE TO GO AHEAD: British Airways issues strike guidance for Heathrow Terminal 5

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• BajiNahid says:

  30 Mar30 March 05:19

  Its crazy to see BA being the only HUB without any ticketing facilities. I think its such poor show, no other airline HUB around the world is like this.

  I feel for the customers who are going to get caught up in the mess, I’ve experienced what ‘duty of care’ is first hand at T5 and it’s anytime but ‘caring’ and thats me taking into consideration the poor staff who have to face the brunt of the anger whilst the management shout at the top of their lungs “WE CANT HELP YOU!” 🥴🥴🥴

• zapato1060 says:

  30 Mar30 March 06:13

  They’ve washed their hands. Nice.

• IO says:

  30 Mar30 March 06:40

  Saying EU261 is not eligible for strikes is not 100% true. A few years ago I won case with the ombudsman as BA cancelled my flight as a choice to support a flight (or flight crew to be exact) which was being impacted by a strike. This was a commercial decision to prioritise the other flight. BA refused compensation saying it as causes by the strike. I argued it was a commercial choice and I won. Therefore if you have a flight cancelled which is not in the specific terminal string due to strikes I would still claim EU261.

• Sam Wardill says:

  30 Mar30 March 06:45

  Why do you say you can’t fall back on EU261 compensation or rebooking?

• NorthernLass says:

  30 Mar30 March 06:51

  Why does EC/UK261 not apply with regard to re-routing? It’s my understanding that while pax won’t be eligible for compensation, re-routing is an absolute right (as long as there is an alternative flight with capacity), regardless of the reason for the delay/cancellation.

  • David Cohen says:

    30 Mar30 March 06:57

    You can. The article is wrong.

    • NorthernLass says:

      30 Mar30 March 07:02

      Indeed, no reference to this right be dependent on “extraordinary circumstances”, which applies to compensation:

      Article 8 – Right to reimbursement or re-routing
      “1. Where reference is made to this Article, passengers shall be offered the choice
      between:
      (a) — reimbursement within seven days, by the means provided for in Article 7(3), of
      the full cost of the ticket at the price at which it was bought, for the part or parts of the
      journey not made, and for the part or parts already made if the flight is no longer
      serving any purpose in relation to the passenger’s original travel plan, together with,
      when relevant,
      — a return flight to the first point of departure, at the earliest opportunity;
      (b) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at the
      earliest opportunity; or
      (c) re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to their final destination at a
      later date at the passenger’s convenience, subject to availability of seats.
      2. Paragraph 1(a) shall also apply to passengers whose flights form part of a
      package, except for the right to reimbursement where such right arises under Directive
      90/314/EEC.
      3. When, in the case where a town, city or region is served by several airports, an
      operating air carrier offers a passenger a flight to an airport alternative to that for which
      the booking was made, the operating air carrier shall bear the cost of transferring the
      passenger from that alternative airport either to that for which the booking was made,
      or to another close-by destination agreed with the passenger.”

      • Matt says:

        30 Mar30 March 07:21

        Additionally, for compensation not to be due the airline has to make all reasonable efforts to avoid delay. If they don’t re-route you when there is a valid option available that would mean you were due compensation even if the cancellation was for exceptional circumstances.

        • JDB says:

          30 Mar30 March 08:20

          The “all reasonable measures” required in respect of claiming extraordinary circumstances relates to the original cancellation/delay not to any subsequent efforts or failure to reroute a passenger so no compensation is payable, even if an airline refuses to rebook you. Rights do of course attach to any subsequent flights rebooked.

        • AJA says:

          30 Mar30 March 09:08

          @JDB that’s not correct. The case law is Case C-74/19 LE vs TAP. For BA to be able to rely on extraordinary circumstances they would have to show that they took all reasonable measures to reroute you. Therefore if you are flying on a route with multiple departures from LHR BA would have to prove that there was no space on any other flights leaving that day. If BA simply ignored all other alternatives and books you on the next BA flight that gets you to your destination more than 3 (or 4 hours later depending on distance) than originally scheduled you might be entitled to compensation. BA cannot simply claim they don’t have any agreements with other airlines, they often reroute on competitor’s planes, as well as having the transatlantic revenue sharing agreement with AA IB and Finnair. Plus I’m pretty sure they could put passengers on Qatar Airways or Cathay Pacific as OW carriers (assuming there is space) and that’s before you consider Star Alliance or Skyteam. The trouble is proving that there is space on any other flight and getting BA to actually rebook you.

          So for anyone disrupted check if there are any other seats in the same cabin and similar or lower booking class on any other airline departing from LHR or even LGW and LCY and be armed with that info when you call BA to be rebooked. Record BA’s response if they refuse to book you and confirm that it is their final response.

        • Matt says:

          30 Mar30 March 10:47

          JDB – not sure what you’ve misunderstood there, but if BA cancel a flight due to extraordinary circumstances they still have to make all reasonable efforts to get the passengers to their destination within 3 hours of the scheduled arrival time.

          It’s a 2 part test when a passenger is delayed more than 3 hours due to a cancellation:
          Was the cancellation due to extraordinary circumstances? If not then compensation is due. In this case the strikes are extraordinary circumstances for BA
          Has the airline made all reasonable efforts to avoid a delay? Failing to re-route on other carriers (if possible) when the original airline doesn’t have a flight for some time will mean they haven’t made those efforts, and compensation is due.

          Obviously at short notice at Easter finding seats may be tricky, so in practice reasonable efforts may be limited, but it is still a requirement to either try or to pay up.

        • JDB says:

          30 Mar30 March 12:07

          @AJA that’s another of those post Brexit decisions. You won’t find BA paying compensation for not rerouting you quickly enough (and I don’t think it was even referenced in the CAA/CMA letter last summer) and they will have lots of excuses to present!

        • AJA says:

          30 Mar30 March 20:21

          @ JDB The UK Government wrote EU Regulation 261 into UK law at the end of the Brexit transition period in December 2020. The name of the new law is Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (as amended by The Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019).”
          As LE vs TAP was decided on 11 June 2020, which is 6 months earlier than when the UK government wrote the EU regulation into UK law I think it is possible that it would be taken into account.
          It is a grey area though so I agree that BA would fight any claim based on this judgement. I think though that it gives clarity to what is and what is not considered extraordinary circumstances in determining compensation.

  • Tim says:

    31 Mar31 March 15:20

    BA is obliged to reroute you. They will only do that on their own or codeshare flights. They are legally obliged to reroute on competitor flights also. They refuse to do so because they are lawbreaking scum (IMHO). The CAA is a toothless regulator because it lets them get away with this.

• John says:

  30 Mar30 March 06:52

  I am coming into T5 from Manchester for a Washington flight. As security took place in Manchester presumably should be able to show boarding pass and go through as usual?

  • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

    30 Mar30 March 06:58

    On arrival there are signs to a BP check station that lets you into main departures without having to be rescreend.

    • NorthernLass says:

      30 Mar30 March 07:04

      You might not even need to do that if you land at the lower number A gates – just disembark and make your way to the lounge/departure area/gate for next flight.

      • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

        30 Mar30 March 07:08

        There’s always a BP check to prevent people getting into main departures who don’t have onward flights,

        It’s a palava to then exit the terminal

        • NorthernLass says:

          30 Mar30 March 07:28

          I’ve never had a BP check (unless arriving at a remote stand) apart from on entering a lounge and boarding the next flight.

        • Numpty says:

          30 Mar30 March 10:30

          I assumed the BP check was when you scan your boarding pass at the auto gate that then lets you on the escalator up in to airside.

  • Mike Hunt says:

    30 Mar30 March 07:40

    Aren’t short haul (Man to LHR) likely to be cancelled by BA anyhow – I read an article in the pater which said “ British Airways is to cancel more than 300 flights to and from Heathrow over the Easter holiday period”. So I would definitely have a back up plan to get to LHR from MAN

    • NorthernLass says:

      30 Mar30 March 07:48

      Yes – and anyone affected shouldn’t let BA fob them off – they will pay for a taxi if you insist on it. Trains are just not reliable these days and impractical if you have a lot of luggage.

      • Tim says:

        31 Mar31 March 15:23

        Manchester to London trains are every 20 minutes. Hardly a big problem if some are cancelled.

    • BA Flyer IHG Stayer says:

      30 Mar30 March 08:37

      Isn’t it 30 a day? Over 10 days that’s 300.

      A mere pinprick in the number of flights and passengers.

    • jjoohhnn says:

      30 Mar30 March 09:49

      What would be the point in cancelling flights that don’t need to go through security and would be unaffected by the strikes effectively?

  • Richard says:

    30 Mar30 March 07:50

    Whenever flown from NCL and thus cleared security it’s straight into the departure lounge on arrival at T5 with BP

  • Alan says:

    31 Mar31 March 07:44

    Yep within T5 UK to International just needs the BP check at the scanners prior to the escalator (that then pops you out into the main part of T5 shops). The one bit that actually works for connecting flights! In reverse or if having to change terminals (in either direction) you’re then stuck going through security again.

• Krisztian Bito says:

  30 Mar30 March 06:54

  I’m sorry Rob but in my opinion Article 5 is clear that Article 8 and Article 9 applies and only Artilcle 7 has any waiver in regards of extraordinary situations. (Article 5 defines cancellation, Articlev 7 compensation and Article 8,9 is duty of care and reroute and reimbursement)
  The only contention is here what other airlines are able to provide. If there are commercial seats available on other airlines and BA can offer you a seat 5 days later they are required to rebook you onto other carriers.

• Nick says:

  30 Mar30 March 07:23

  Simon Calder on BBC Breakfast just now saying that French ATC may well be striking too.

  • big dave says:

    30 Mar30 March 07:30

    Easter time and french ATC strikes is always a given…

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