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Appreciate this has probably been asked a million times…
I have an avios booking made through BA but travelling with Finnair from HND to LHR mid December.
Have just had an email through saying the Helsinki to LHR leg flight is cancelled.
It is a business class booking. BA give me the option to fill out a form regarding a new booking for that day, I am trying to get to grips of what my options are. Can I request a complete re route with a different airline if I call BA up? So not just my Helsinki flight but also the first leg of the journey?
Finally if that isn’t allowed what would my best bet be from here to get this resolved as quickly as possible?
Thanks
They might move you to the direct HND-LHR BA flight but to another airline would be a no.
Search for what other AY flights are running that day then ask BA to put you on the one that suits you best.
Remember a couple of the AY flights are on the A350/330 with the sofa suite. IIRC it’s the 8am and 4 PM ones
Would they not potentially move me to another flight with a one world partner such as Qatar?
I have since found out AY have cancelled all flights due to strikes. So it would mean a flight the following day, which I cannot accept.
I have since found out AY have cancelled all flights due to strikes. So it would mean a flight the following day, which I cannot accept.
It’s not clear from your post whether AY has cancelled all flights in your booking (so now also HND-HEL) as well or just all the flights to London. In principle, if it’s just cancellation of the HEL-LHR, they are unlikely to be required or willing to rebook you e.g. with QR if the AY long haul flight is operating.
It’s quite a dramatic and unusual step for AY to cancel quite so many flights pre-emptively, although it will save a large potential compensation bill and weaken the pilots’ negotiating position.
It is just the Helsinki to LHR leg that is cancelled the Tokyo to Helsinki is still operating. But I do not want to spend a night in Helsinki to fly the next day as I have commitments to get back for.
Finnair will cancel approximately 300 flights on 9th and 13th of December 2024 due to a strike announced by The Finnish Air Line Pilots’ Association.
Basically only optioin would then be the BA HND-LHR flight or for you to return a day earlier.
But you should call BAEC ASAP and discuss options with them.
It is just the Helsinki to LHR leg that is cancelled the Tokyo to Helsinki is still operating. But I do not want to spend a night in Helsinki to fly the next day as I have commitments to get back for.
You can ask BA/AY to find an alternative route from Helsinki to London although, it’s a bit more complicated as BA will probably need to contact AY and if all the London flights are cancelled it’s going to be a struggle to re-accommodate everyone. In this situation, unfortunately all you can realistically do is to negotiate the least bad outcome. If you do have to stay overnight in Helsinki, AY will be liable for your accommodation and food costs. If you can’t get rerouted on the same day for the short haul, you could consider buying a ticket for that sector yourself and reclaiming the cost, but that is a hassle and not risk free. It is conceivable that a settlement could be reached and some flights could be reinstated.
The huge disruption of wholesale cancellations a fortnight in advance while negotiations are ongoing is an unfortunate and unintended consequence of EC261.
My post has apparently gone into moderation but I posted a link to the Aay website about the strike.
Best advice is to contact BA asap.
Taps I wrote above BA will likely move you onto their HND flight or if you want to remain on AY but get back in time for your commitments is to return a day earlier,
@BA Flyer IHG Stayer – if that does work, it would be a hidden advantage of booking via BA as I don’t think AY is offering this directly. Even better of course if they would rebook on JL rather than be condemned not only to BA but also old Club.
@JDB won’t know until the OP calls BA and asks which is why I couched it as ”might” and “likely” rather than “will”
Problem here is as you’ve noted is that it is only the HEL-LHR that’s been cancelled and options are limited.
I looked at the HEL wiki page and the only other airlines offering flights to London are Norwegian to LGW or Ryanair to STN. Every other option would mean a two flight connection via somewhere in Europe none of which are One World.
(My other post with the link to AYs website re the strike has now appeared)
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