Reply To: EU261 again!

[thom]

Thought I’d add my experience so far trying to get my cancelled flights rebooked, and intended next steps (and welcome any advice)!

I originally booked British Airways reward fights using the 241 Amex voucher booked flights from LHR to BKK in July-2020. I subsequently cancelled to a voucher and rebooked during the Avios 50% sale in Oct-20. Since then I have had my flights cancelled three times:

Original Booking: Nov-20 to Dec-20 (originally booked Jul-20)
Rebooking 1: Apr-21 to May-21 (confirmed Oct-20)
Rebooking 2: Nov-21 to Dec-21 (confirmed 8-Apr-21)

In Oct-21 I spoke to a chat agent who put a note on the booking that I wanted to rebook but wasn’t sure what dates. I now know I want to travel on the 14th or 15th April 2022 returning 2nd May. Should not that BA isn’t flying to Bangkok until October so they would need to refute me onto a different airline.

So far I’ve spoken to three different agents and been told different things on each call:

01 Call (27-Feb): The agent offered the following 2 options: (i) full refund, (ii) rebook me but my return flight would have to be in April (system wouldn’t let him book outside April)
02 Chat (27-Feb): The agent told me that the ‘booking validity’ was until the 8-Ap-22, and my requested dates were ‘outside the booking validity’. She offered the following options: (i) a voucher, (ii) a full refund, (iii) rebooking provided the outbound was flown by the 8th April.
03 Call: (28-Feb): After speaking to an agent had a call back from a manager. He told me that my ticket validity ended in Jul-21. He offered: a) a voucher, b) a full refund. He was clear that BA would not re-book me onto new flights free of charge and if I wanted to be re-booked the flights would be re-priced and subject to Avios availability.

I’ve sent an email to customer relations as well and waiting to hear back.

Interestingly all the agents have told me different things regarding the rebooking options. Consistently none of them have been able to/willing to rebook me onto new flights on my requested dates which I believe is my legal right under EU261/2004 article 8.1.c.

Whilst I appreciate that 2 of the agents have got ‘close’ too my dates, flying back in April would still require me to loose 2 days from a 2 week holiday (assuming I could even get another agent to do this).

My understanding is that ticket validity is irrelevant as BA cancelled the flights, and that I am within my rights to request that BA rebook me on dates convenient to me and therefore should be agreeing to rebook me on my requested dates.

I’m intending to send a letter before action this week giving them 2 weeks to respond. Failing this I then intend to book alternative flights and then MCOL BA for the cost of these. Given I only have 7 weeks until the dates I want to fly there isn’t a huge amount of time!

Would welcome any advice/opinions from those who are more knowledgeable and/or have been through this process on my case etc!