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This is today’s chat thread.
If you have specific questions about Avios, hotels or credit cards, please ask them in the appropriate forum and not here. This thread is a good place to post interesting deals you have spotted or your general thoughts on travel and all things miles and points. Thank you for contributing.
BA have cancelled my Athens to London flight today at 9pm (less than 12h notice) in Biz class due to a ‘technical issue’ and I’ve received an email proposing a flight tomorrow at 7am which is unacceptable as I need to fly today.
There is availability on 5 other flights today on non-BA/oneworld airlines.
I’m a bit rusty when it comes to this – can I force BA to book me on a flight today (ideally biz), and what should I do when they inevitably play hardball? Call them?
Further context: avios biz flights for 3 pax with the highest status being an RJ OW sapphire. My BA status is lowly bronze.
Followup question: Am I entitled to compensation of any sort because this short notice?
Thanks!
Morning from a calm but busy BA business lounge at LGW on the way to a damp Lake Garda. Last visit as SIL though often travelled CE, can’t decipher whether this was previously TP related.
Presumably First lounge here will become very quiet over the next few months (as no First seats from here I believe).BA have cancelled my Athens to London flight today at 9pm (less than 12h notice) in Biz class due to a ‘technical issue’ and I’ve received an email proposing a flight tomorrow at 7am which is unacceptable as I need to fly today.
There is availability on 5 other flights today on non-BA/oneworld airlines.
I’m a bit rusty when it comes to this – can I force BA to book me on a flight today (ideally biz), and what should I do when they inevitably play hardball? Call them?
Further context: avios biz flights for 3 pax with the highest status being an RJ OW sapphire. My BA status is lowly bronze.
Followup question: Am I entitled to compensation of any sort because this short notice?
Thanks!
Pre-emptive follow-up: Question of compensation on downgrade from Business to Economy – I’m on hold with BA right now trying to rebook to one of their earlier flights. I suspect there will be availability only in Economy – am I entitled to compensation for the downgrade (even though I’d presume they’d refund me the difference in avios)? Same question for an Aegean Economy flight. How would this be treated?
@ThriceForgiven – you will probably be entitled to compensation for a short notice cancellation for ‘technical’ reasons as this rarely constitutes ‘extraordinary circumstances’. You can’t exactly force BA to do anything, but you are entitled to be rebooked/rerouted on another (ideally direct) flight with any airline – if that’s within -1hr to +2hrs of the original scheduled arrival, you may not receive compensation.
These days rerouting options, including on alien airlines should be in MMB but otherwise you need to call.
If you are downgraded, you would be entitled to compensation in cash on the basis of 50% of the fare paid for that leg, calculated after deduction of real TFCs paid the third parties, also taking into account any different in tax between classes. If the price difference between the classes is greater, you should ask for that.
@ThriceForgiven – you will probably be entitled to compensation for a short notice cancellation for ‘technical’ reasons as this rarely constitutes ‘extraordinary circumstances’. You can’t exactly force BA to do anything, but you are entitled to be rebooked/rerouted on another (ideally direct) flight with any airline – if that’s within -1hr to +2hrs of the original scheduled arrival, you may not receive compensation.
These days rerouting options, including on alien airlines should be in MMB but otherwise you need to call.
If you are downgraded, you would be entitled to compensation in cash on the basis of 50% of the fare paid for that leg, calculated after deduction of real TFCs paid the third parties, also taking into account any different in tax between classes. If the price difference between the classes is greater, you should ask for that.
Thanks for the quick & detailed response!
I can’t risk not getting back today so have gone ahead and rebooked on a BA flight in Economy which gets me into London 4 hours earlier than the original flight. The agent said something along the lines “so you accept a downgrade to economy, and we will refund avios but tax differentials aren’t refundable”. I can’t be bothered to argue right now and will pursue this once back in London.
A quick search/chatgpt suggests I should be entitled to monetary compensation under UK261 – will see what the BA customer service monster yields.
With most oneworld airlines now blocking the ability to change you frequent flier number and BA staff apparently unable to use the correct entry to change one. How are people getting the benefits they earned last year (silver or gold status) but crediting to another programme?
My attempts last week failed despite the FFP number on my boarding pass showing A and me dropping to group 4 boarding the flights still credited to BA!
Thriceforgiven, I think the agent may be partially right. If you choose to accept a downgrade, you only get a refund of the difference, not any compensation for the down grade. Also, I think if you arrive earlier than originally planned you aren’t entitled to any compensation.
Having a good morning as I just managed to score a last minute Club Europe redemption! Considering the cash prices of £500, I call it success!
Thriceforgiven, I think the agent may be partially right. If you choose to accept a downgrade, you only get a refund of the difference, not any compensation for the down grade. Also, I think if you arrive earlier than originally planned you aren’t entitled to any compensation.
On short haul flights where the compensation rate is 30% or 50% (applicable in this case) getting a refund of the fare difference will usually give the a similar or better result so the (sort of) voluntary nature of the downgrade doesn’t really matter.
For the cancellation compensation, it’s more nuanced! The law (EC261 Article 5.1(iii)) seems sort of clear [albeit the wording is unfortunate] that a passenger shall “have the right to compensation by the operating air carrier in accordance with Article 7, unless” :-
they are informed of the cancellation less than seven days before the scheduled time of departure and are offered re-routing, allowing them to depart no more than one hour before the scheduled time of departure and to reach their final destination less than two hours after the scheduled time of arrival.
However, for early scheduled arrivals of rerouted flights with such early arrival being at the election of the passengers, experience says BA may well balk and CEDR may well agree with them, but it’s worth claiming anyway. BA does sometimes throw in the towel for this type of last minute cancellation and just accept claims.
BA have cancelled my Athens to London flight today at 9pm (less than 12h notice) in Biz class due to a ‘technical issue’ and I’ve received an email proposing a flight tomorrow at 7am which is unacceptable as I need to fly today.
There is availability on 5 other flights today on non-BA/oneworld airlines.
I’m a bit rusty when it comes to this – can I force BA to book me on a flight today (ideally biz), and what should I do when they inevitably play hardball? Call them?
Further context: avios biz flights for 3 pax with the highest status being an RJ OW sapphire. My BA status is lowly bronze.
Followup question: Am I entitled to compensation of any sort because this short notice?
Thanks!
.
I am also due to fly back from Athens today. Originally booked on the 7.30 pm in Club. I have been moved to 20.45 pm. My daughter was also booked on the 7.30 pm (points booking) and they rebooked her to 6.55 am tomorrow. I called the Gold Line and they have moved her to the 20.45. The odd thing is that I can see a seat next to me is free but it shows as not free when I go to check in for her! I have no idea about compensation tbh. It’s only just over an hour later than my original flight so can’t imagine I’m entitled to anything as apart from the inconvenience of having to get a taxi home rather than Elizabeth Line.
@achoogirl – it sounds like you have achieved a good outcome. You are correct re no compensation as the new flight is scheduled to arrive within two hours of the original and even if the actual arrival were delayed that wouldn’t change the position.
With most oneworld airlines now blocking the ability to change you frequent flier number and BA staff apparently unable to use the correct entry to change one. How are people getting the benefits they earned last year (silver or gold status) but crediting to another programme?
My attempts last week failed despite the FFP number on my boarding pass showing A and me dropping to group 4 boarding the flights still credited to BA!
It’s a problem and there’s not really a fail-safe answer, particularly because one can’t usually see the two FF entries and the default is for both to be the same.
It was an issue that I and others identified when the RJ hotel status matches started and required either entering both FF numbers or messy toggling between them at each vital moment.
Now that some are transitioning to other OW schemes it’s more complicated and impactful, particularly if BA continues, in some cases, to disallow status lounge access if the FF number/status on the boarding card doesn’t allow it thus making the timing of changing the FF account in the booking important.
Some of the junior OW member airlines do still allow self service but otherwise you need to call BA or use the chat to get them to do it, but that relies on being to get through, the time of day and the agent doing it correctly. I can imagine that BA agents are going to get a bit fed up so many not be super cooperative so solutions will need to evolve and the more they get publicised….
@yorkshireRich just adding to your ThailandWithToddler thread!
When our son was that age, we started the first of many subsequent visits
to the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit for our BKK city stays: gorgeous child-friendly
pool with a bar right next to it from where you can also order food. Covered
walkway both to the BTS and to Terminal 21 for entertainment/massive supermarket.We also love visiting Hua Hin: if you did end up in Chiang Mai, there’s a direct flight!
Otherwise, about 40 quid for car transfer from BKK to HH. One of our top top hotels
in the world is the Centara there. However, if you wanted more gleeful toddlers to
splash around with, the Marriott is fantastic for that, with its central location and
kids’ splash area.I called the Gold Line and they have moved her to the 20.45. The odd thing is that I can see a seat next to me is free but it shows as not free when I go to check in for her!
If you are Gold it may be blocking the seat next to you precisely because you are Gold! If there are spare seats available you need to move yourself next to your daughter not the other way round. If you’ve both checked in you probably can’t move now, but the airport staff will be able to if the seat is still free.
Also, I think if you arrive earlier than originally planned you aren’t entitled to any compensation.
I once arrived five hours early and got an eu261 payout.
Interesting scenario for tomorrow. My flight is no longer on sale, suggesting it’s fully booked (tickets are available for its return trip so not obviously cancelled without yet being announced). However they are still offering ET – CE upgrades, suggesting either a c*ck up or may be that it’s just ET which is overbooked. I think I’ll sit tight and hope for a freebie.
@Paul – as an addendum to the above, you may have seen the thread by a poster who had been denied access to a BA lounge although he had status because his boarding card showed an ineligible status. This of course set off various posters citing rules, entitlement (!) solely by virtue of status, teaching BA staff the rules etc. but it was apparent they hadn’t read the terms and the computer correctly denied access.
“Members must produce their membership card and/or a boarding card or ticket (where their membership number and tier are clearly visible) before they can be admitted to a lounge.” [my emphasis]
The wording not only makes it clear you need the status that gives lounge access on your boarding card but also that it trumps any membership card or status as a membership card alone is insufficient whereas a boarding card alone is.
“Members must produce their membership card and/or a boarding card or ticket (where their membership number and tier are clearly visible) before they can be admitted to a lounge.” [my emphasis]
@JDB I think that’s incorrect. It’s badly worded. The key is it’s “and/or”. You do not need your membership number to be entered on a boarding pass. You just need a boarding pass and a membership card that gives you access OR a boarding pass with your membership tier showing eligibility OR a boarding pass that allows entry to a lounge by virtue of class of travel.I have in the past entered lounges on an economy ticket without my membership number or tier showing just by showing my BA Silver card and the boarding pass for the flight. That happened both in Europe, South Africa and the USA when travelling on non-BA metal.
I accept that some lounge agent staff may not understand the rules and therefore won’t allow entry. But they are incorrect.
While it’s not a debate which affects me (yet) or therefore concerns me, I agree that wording is far from clear.
‘a and/or b or c (xxx)’ – The xxx must apply to c (even though I don’t think status appears directly on a ticket as such), but why would the xxx necessarily apply to b but not a?
Boarding passes from the Android app have not shown status for months, yet I’ve been in an awful lot of lounges. BA lounges work it out, sometimes overseas I have been asked to show my membership card and they’ve been happy with that.
Would someone be kind enough to remind me of the same day free change rules on BA please?
Son is flying to Rhodes on a cash flight (economy ticket). Friends are on the flight before him. My memory is bad, but think I remember reading that if there is space, he can change flights on the day for free? Should he not bother doing the online check in, or does that not matter?
Obviously not a given, but if he is able to change to the same flight as his mates that would be great.
I scrambled my last comment and can’t now edit it, so will try again.
There is nothing in ‘a and/or b or c (xxx)’ to say that one option overrides the other(s), all are valid. Skipping tickets for clarity, you need ‘a boarding pass (showing entitlement)’ or ‘a boarding pass and a membership card (showing entitlement)’.
Equally I completely agree that anyone trying to enter a lounge with a boarding pass which says they are not entitled and a separate membership card saying they are is asking for trouble.
@Ladyshopper SDC is available on Economy Plus (with checked baggage), not on HBO tickets.
Apologies for asking this here, but I’m not sure it warranted its own thread.
Is the cancellation fee for a long haul reward seat £35 the same as short haul?
@yorkshireRich just adding to your ThailandWithToddler thread!
We also love visiting Hua Hin: if you did end up in Chiang Mai, there’s a direct flight!
Otherwise, about 40 quid for car transfer from BKK to HH. One of our top top hotels
in the world is the Centara there. However, if you wanted more gleeful toddlers to
splash around with, the Marriott is fantastic for that, with its central location and
kids’ splash area.Wouldnt the holiday inn be better in that case? the water park is right next to it?
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