Reply To: BA cancelling flight BA164 and refuses to pay expenses – what are my options?

[AJA]

You mention you are going to be paid £210 and think that is the taxes for the flight you didn’t take.

What cabin / class were you booked in for the BA flight? And was this a return journey? Was this the outbound?

I suspect that from what you wrote you were travelling in World Traveller ie economy class and BA intends to refund the cost of one sector ie TLV to LHR. This intention is not half the cost paid since UK APD is quite a significant portion of an economy class return ticket.

I also think you mistook the communication that the flight was delayed and instead thought the flight had been cancelled. I know you claim you were told that it was a cancellation but the letter you mention seems not to say this and instead suggests that you book a hotel and go get refreshments.

That said I find it slightly odd that you would be directed to book a hotel for the night if instead the intention was that the flight would operate but with a delay. Although perhaps what BA meant was the flight would still be operating but only the following day.

What you should have done is at check in say I need to get to LHR ASAP and is there an opportunity to be rebooked onto any other flights going today? You did not do this so your case is weakened.

I suggest you write back to BA highlighting the letter telling passengers to book a hotel for the night since that suggests that at the point the letter was issued BA cancelled the flight rather than merely delayed it. I think on balance however that your claim will be denied.

A final point is do you have any travel insurance that might cover the extra cost you incurred?