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Seems like BA have cancelled BA27 LHR – HKG from 26th Oct onwards… one daily for the forseeable from then. Not sure if already announced or not
Hadn’t seen that. What a change from pre-Covid schedules where HKG would have seen an A380 and a B773 flying daily, now down to a single B789.
We’d already booked outbound on BA27 for next summer using Amex 241 voucher and Barclaycard upgrade voucher, but we just got an email this afternoon today advising of this cancellation. I guess half the number of reward seats will be available each day, compared to before, when we go to book the return…
Hadn’t seen that. What a change from pre-Covid schedules where HKG would have seen an A380 and a B773 flying daily, now down to a single B789.
It’s not a great surprise given the greatly reduced demand for both business and tourism and that demand has probably gone forever.
Maybe an idea to have a plan B for future redemptions? Though presumably the VS cancellation will push more
pax onto BA’s Chinese routes as well?So I was on ba28 which was cancelled and replaced with ba32 at 2300 instead of 2315 but the good news is I went from old business to club suite so a bit of a victory for me
Hadn’t seen that. What a change from pre-Covid schedules where HKG would have seen an A380 and a B773 flying daily, now down to a single B789.
It’s not a great surprise given the greatly reduced demand for both business and tourism and that demand has probably gone forever.
Am surprised both airlines waited so long to cut capacity.
I’m sure unlikely but if you’re booked on a cancelled BA27, would they allow rebooking onto something other than the other BA direct flight that is running? such as BA/QR via DOH.
Same! I got moved from BA28 to BA32. Happy to have Club Suite but was hoping for a move to Cathay instead.. chances of BA agreeing to that if I ask?!
I doubt it given the 15 minute time change – only if they have surplus people to house and I doubt they do!
We are booked HKG-LHR-EDI, so via Qatar to Edi would be great!
But on a 241 I can’t see it happening.
You are entitled to rebooking onto QR and I believe also Swiss and Lufthansa but not Cathay as per their policy which they released yesterday.
I’m on a 2for1 also and they confirmed it’s ok for QR.
You are entitled to rebooking onto QR and I believe also Swiss and Lufthansa but not Cathay as per their policy which they released yesterday.
I’m on a 2for1 also and they confirmed it’s ok for QR.
Interesting! I missed the new policy?
They (politely) refused my request to move to Cathay. It’s too late for me now anyway because I accepted the change.. !
I was moved to the earlier BA 32 by the app, it’s a 787-9 with old club seats. I called BA and asked if they can put me on a partner flight, they offered Qatar, but not Cathay. I took it. Still think it’s better to have two Qsuite seats and take a short break in Doha, than 15 hours in the old seat. Hopefully no Qatar plane change
no Q suite on the HKG – DOH route AFAIK as they use the ex CX 777s on this route with first class.
Are you able to select seats for free on your new QR flights?
Yes, they are ex-Cathay seats, still better than BA old club seats. Seat selection isn’t free. Booking class was R. Qatar changes aircraft randomly, so I don’t plan to pay for seat selection.
Official guidance on BA Traveltrade
Rebook BA/QR/LH/LX, same travel class. Given the duration covered it’s unlikely for BA27/28 to returnOfficial guidance on BA Traveltrade
Rebook BA/QR/LH/LX, same travel class. Given the duration covered it’s unlikely for BA27/28 to returnQuite a contrast to Virgin’s conduct following the Shanghai route cancellations.
I called yesterday and tried to rebook a 2for1 booking on partner airlines… I was told that there was no avalaibility at all on all partner airlines and was told to refund it and book a cash ticket.
Looking at this policy I’m now thinking they were just looking at reward avaliability which doesn’t seem correct.
Unfortunately I’ve accepted the change to BA32 flight so not sure I can do anything about it now … Annoying as I wanted to move to QR
Official guidance on BA Traveltrade
Rebook BA/QR/LH/LX, same travel class. Given the duration covered it’s unlikely for BA27/28 to returnThis is very interesting! Not seen it before. Might have taken the QR option had they offered it (I asked for Cathay and was told no.. they didn’t tell me about other options!). Never mind.. BA with Club Suite it is 🙂
Official guidance on BA Traveltrade
Rebook BA/QR/LH/LX, same travel class. Given the duration covered it’s unlikely for BA27/28 to returnThis is standard BA approach, however I’d argue ( and I wish I had the means to challenge this) none of these options comply with the regulation. It is clear that the option must be under comparable transport conditions. This does not just mean class of travel but (IMHO) also non stop via transfers via a third point. A stop in DOH FRA or ZRH is not the same as a non stop flight which is what you paid for and expected. The regulation does not limit who the flight is with simply that it is the passengers choice, not the airlines. Many may be happy to accept these options but so long as you keep in mind that it is your choice not theirs
In the event of a cancellation Article 8 applies and states:-
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 [F1the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018].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.@Paul – your comment re non-stop equating to comparable transport conditions is clarified in the Interpretative Guidelines – so transfers are to be avoided if possible, but this is purely guidance not law. In this instance, I think many would prefer to travel with QR via Doha than on a BA direct service; I certainly would. The comparable transport conditions also does not allow the pax to draw any distinction between different types of business class within an airline (ie BA CS vs CW) or between airlines. The thrust of the regulation is to get psssengers back on track not to ensure they get a particular brand of champagne or whatever.
BA has not only been quick to offer rerouting on its own services but also on QR and additionally on two airlines outside its family that it can quite properly be said to have complied with its statutory obligations very well. The fact they aren’t currently offering CX is irrelevant. Also if you consider ‘subject to availability’ it’s quite possible CX isn’t willing to offer availability to BA.
Yes, they are ex-Cathay seats, still better than BA old club seats. Seat selection isn’t free. Booking class was R. Qatar changes aircraft randomly, so I don’t plan to pay for seat selection.
I have redemptions in J on doh-hkg and I have selected my seats for free. Is it R class that makes it not free?
I doubt the aircraft will change on this route, though I wouldn’t pay if I was asked to
@Paul – your comment re non-stop equating to comparable transport conditions is clarified in the Interpretative Guidelines – so transfers are to be avoided if possible, but this is purely guidance not law. In this instance, I think many would prefer to travel with QR via Doha than on a BA direct service; I certainly would. The comparable transport conditions also does not allow the pax to draw any distinction between different types of business class within an airline (ie BA CS vs CW) or between airlines. The thrust of the regulation is to get psssengers back on track not to ensure they get a particular brand of champagne or whatever.
BA has not only been quick to offer rerouting on its own services but also on QR and additionally on two airlines outside its family that it can quite properly be said to have complied with its statutory obligations very well. The fact they aren’t currently offering CX is irrelevant. Also if you consider ‘subject to availability’ it’s quite possible CX isn’t willing to offer availability to BA.
I think the guidance you are referring to is this
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52016XC0615%2801%29&from=EN
This is interpretive guidance which I believe is issued to ensure consistency of interpretation across the EU. It also part of retained law here in the UK
I don’t disagree that many would choose QR however my concern with BA’s commercial guidance suggests that there are only 3 options. Section 4.2 states that carriers should use reasonable efforts to avoid connections. If the cancellation were on the day it would be entirely reasonable to use a connecting flights. But for cancellations in advance it is not reasonable to ignore the presence of non stops services which dealt around the same time simply to save money. Cathay are unlikely to refuse space to BA if the price were right and BA cannot under EU261 circumvent the regulation to simply avoid costs.
Moreover section 4 deals with the right to informations and states
In addition, whenever an air carrier gives partial, misleading or wrong information to passengers on their rights, either
individually or on a general basis through media advertisements or publications on its website, this should be considered
as an infringement of the Regulation in accordance with Article 15(2) read in conjunction with recital 20 and may
also constitute an unfair or misleading commercial business-to-consumer practice under Directive 2005/29/EC of the
European Parliament and of the Council (32).BAs commercial guidance is, I would argue, partial, misleading and wrong.
Annoyingly we’re booked using Avios on BA32! I’d have loved the chance to switch to QR and possibly earn avios and tier points
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