EXCLUSIVE: British Airways cancels return to Kuala Lumpur with four weeks notice

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• Yorkshire rich says:

  15 Oct15 October 20:21

  I was told on the live chat that no alternative tonight on dates I wanted but if I wait there will be further options to me. Whether that was a fob off or it may work in my favour, let’s wait and see ey?

• Jonathan says:

  15 Oct15 October 22:22

  Called the generic number from the cancellation email and got through to a really helpful lady. Got me straight onto QR flights with no hesitation and allowed me to choose exactly what flight I wanted. So all good on that front. Was ideally hoping for MAS direct to KL as with small kids but this is a good alternative.

  However, just wanted to know what the different classes mean. I was not aware that this could influence anything but it seemingly does. I got R class and below on my confirmation it says not included. It does not say what is not included but it says it. Im hoping its not a restriction on lounges as with 2 small kids this is essential.

  • Jonathan says:

    15 Oct15 October 22:25

    Just to add, I specifically asked about seat selection and business lounges and she said I would have seat selection after I logged in and would have access to lounges. I hope she wasn’t mis informed.

    On a separate note, she also said that I could change to MAS direct to KL if they became available but I would have to pay the change fees. Not sure how I feel about that but is not the end of the world.

• Gerry says:

  16 Oct16 October 00:15

  Rob/Rhys – is this the most commented article ever? The comment section is surely a great resource for everyone with a ticket to KL – perhaps once the dust settles you can do an article summarizing the process/outcomes for future reference.

  • JDB says:

    16 Oct16 October 00:47

    @Gerry – would this actually be a good use of their valuable time. Each person’s case is slightly different and each route cancellation has been managed slightly different. ‘Templates’ in 261 and other types of civil dispute are actually quite unhelpful.

    • Gerry says:

      16 Oct16 October 05:58

      JDB – I think this is precisely what this blog is about. Also don’t think there are that many permutations- basically tickets booked with cash and tickets booked with miles (Avios/241/partner awards).

      • JDB says:

        16 Oct16 October 06:29

        What? There are just so many more permutations than the method of booking/payment.

  • TJones says:

    16 Oct16 October 01:57

    Nowhere near the most commented yet. The 2019 amex sign-up bonus changes attracted well over 1000 comments. I’m not sure if that is the most commented or not.

    • polly says:

      16 Oct16 October 07:14

      Think the day 3V cards were stopping might have even beat that date! That was major news…. Stopped everyone in their tracks.

      • Numpty says:

        16 Oct16 October 07:31

        Yes, that was another one of those events that marked then end of points collecting 😉
        and pre-orders for xbox games.

  • Confun says:

    16 Oct16 October 11:21

    Im surprised that this has not had a follow on post from HFP. BA giving different answers and with a great deal of confusion about what is happening here, I would actually like the team to follow this up with BA ‘on behalf’. An intervention would be useful (as well as a future write up).
    Do BA realise how many additional contacts they are getting inbound because of the confusion – perhaps 10 seats on perhaps 5 months of bookings (just for KL)!
    Would get it to a point – but if some (with CVs) are getting re-routed and others not then that just annoys me
    Surely the new leader of BA customer experience should get a nudge to sort this out.

    • Rob says:

      16 Oct16 October 11:32

      This happens every time a route is cancelled, nothing new here. Indeed its a carbon copy of Virgin’s recent Shanghai cancellation.

      For competition reasons BA cannot tell other airlines that they are cancelling the route before it is announced so it is starting from scratch on a rebooking agreement, except with airlines where it has a JV agreement for the region (Qatar in this case).

      • Confun says:

        16 Oct16 October 11:37

        Thanks Rob. Its not so much about the route cancellation, its more about the fact that some customers (according to the thread) are getting their Avios CV bookings re-booked (via QR) already, yet many are calling in and being told NO and getting different answers. As one of those impacted, thats not great – hence the nudge. An email update from BA would be nice!

• Alex G says:

  16 Oct16 October 02:27

  I believe a lot of Rob’s readers never look at the forum. It is clear from the comments here that many people are unaware of their rights, and the airline’s obligations when routes are cancelled. I think it would be very useful for his wider readership if Rob could publish an article about advance cancellations.

  But also, people who have experience of BA trying to avoid their statutory obligations should be contacting the mainstream media. Simon Calder perhaps? BA’s disgraceful attempts to con people need to be widely reported, and the airline should be facing scrutiny.

• Kwab says:

  16 Oct16 October 05:11

  Haha….I remember when we thought Achica was a much commented on article!

  https://www.headforpoints.com/2013/09/20/free-stuff-with-achica-for-amex-platinum-or-possible-everyone/

  • Numpty says:

    16 Oct16 October 07:42

    yes, getting up to 100 comments was a big deal. I think i bought the choc covered brazil nuts, and raisins, TK Maxx still sell the particular brand.

• Waistman says:

  16 Oct16 October 09:22

  My wife is pestering me to just accept an indirect route rather than waiting for rebooking guidelines…I spoke with BA this morning and they are still saying no option to book direct at the moment. Does anyone know is UK261 obliges airlines to offer a like for like rerouting option i.e. direct for direct rather than direct for indirect? Not sure I can hold her off for long….

  • Waistman says:

    16 Oct16 October 09:28

    Also just for info BA said the agreement for rerouting is with Qatar; don’t know if this is the official rerouting or not

  • Mark says:

    16 Oct16 October 09:35

    The CAA guidance is here: https://www.caa.co.uk/publication/download/18744

    Have a look at what Chapter 4 says. When are you flying?

    • Waistman says:

      16 Oct16 October 09:39

      Thanks! Seems it should be direct flights if possible:

      “..airlines should always seek to offer the affected passengers
      the re-routing option under Article 8(1)(b) which re-routes the passengers on the
      same day as their original flight and via the same route (That is, for direct flights, the same departure and arrival airport)”

      And 30th December

      • Mark says:

        16 Oct16 October 10:43

        The challenge, of course, is that seeking to do so doesn’t necessarily mean they will reach an agreement with Malaysia Airlines to do so, as the only airline offering a direct service. We won’t know until something is announced, and there’s no timescale for that to happen. If you were flying next year, I’d suggest wait and see but you’ll need to weigh up the risk of seats selling out on what you’ve been offered against your preference to fly direct.

      • JDB says:

        16 Oct16 October 10:45

        You need to read the whole thing and remember that it is guidance, not law.

  • yorkieflyer says:

    16 Oct16 October 14:22

    No, no obligation for a non stop flight

• David S says:

  16 Oct16 October 16:01

  Have been checking options daily on BA. Com but a general question please. How do those affected get communicated with when a “official policy “ is agreed ? And why is BA so bad at communicating and why is the CEO so invisible? Good strong CEO’s are good at personally putting both good and messages across.

  • Numpty says:

    16 Oct16 October 16:38

    It’s a good point, all that BA have said so far to passengers is that the route is cancelled; call for your options (and what a mess that is).

    BA haven’t said, as you mention, to wait a few days while we work on rerouting options – so i don’t expect a follow up email with them to say that they have agreed rebooking with other airlines. Or will they just start automatically rerouting people? I thought they had fancy new software to do automatic rebooking using any airline.

  • Mark says:

    16 Oct16 October 16:41

    I wouldn’t bank on being told at all… though I’m sure Rob will run it in an article. The guidance should appear here (where, for comparison, you can see what the policy was for recent Beijing and Hong Kong cancellations amongst others):

    https://www.britishairways.com/travel-partner-connect/disruptions

    • numpty says:

      16 Oct16 October 18:40

      When Beijing cancellation was announced they issued the rebooking guidelines same day.

  • Rob says:

    16 Oct16 October 16:52

    You aren’t told. You just get a different answer when you ring up.

  • JDB says:

    16 Oct16 October 23:43

    @David S – this really isn’t an issue the CEO should be dealing with, it’s a simple and very routine airline operational matter.

• Confun says:

  16 Oct16 October 17:05

  This is doing my head in. Called in just now. Apparently BA didn’t come to an agreement with Malaysia Airlines to take reward customers. Asked when that was known – agent said that came out to the them on Monday. On the upside if you choose BA to Singapore you can pick commercial seats which can be 3 days before or 14 days after current dates (according to the policy)

  • Rob says:

    16 Oct16 October 17:07

    What?! BA will pay MH the same regardless.

    • Mark says:

      16 Oct16 October 18:09

      That can only imply that they were only able get to rates that they are willing to take a commercial hit on for (some) revenue bookings, not redemption bookings.

      So far as I can see from the recent Beijing and Hong Kong cancellations, BA (unlike Virgin) are normally much better than this. I was beginning to wonder if protracted negotiations with MH were at the root of it.

  • Muskysman says:

    16 Oct16 October 18:55

    That’s not entirely true as I have tried the last three days to get them to add connecting flight but they have point blankly refused and told me the matter is closed and will no longer discuss my booking

    • Mark says:

      16 Oct16 October 19:07

      Did you accept a reroute to Singapore? If so, your only argument is that you weren’t offered the choice of options set out in Article 8, which includes a reroute to your original destination. Arguing that with the call centre will be pointless – suggest you raise as a complaint with the customer service team via the form on BA’s website. They may take a while to look at it though.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.