Flight cancelled and rebooked to different airport whilst waiting for departure
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Grateful if someone can advise
I was due to fly back in CE from AMS to LHR yesterday on BA441 at 19:20.
Whilst already at the airport, I was receiving regular email updates about the flight being delayed – the last one was received at 18:11 about the estimated departure will be 20:51.
At 19:22, I then received a cancellation email and that I had been rebooked on the 20:05 KL997 flight to LCY. The flight did not leave until 21:17.
I arrived at LCY at 21:04 instead of LHR at 19:35. And I had to rush back over to LHR to pick up my car from the long stay.
My question are –
1. Given the replacement flight was less than 2 hours delayed, am I right in thinking I am not due anything from EU261?
2. Would I be due any refund/ compensation from BA for being flown to a different airport and I wasn’t in CE?
Many thanks in advance.
I would be careful when using the word “compensation”.
1. You are correct to say that because your replacement flight arrived with a small delay you are not due any “compensation”
2. However, you were downgraded and due to the cancellation you made it late and to the wrong airport. BA still owes you then 1) a small amount for the downgrade – since it is a short flight- and 2) duty-of-care which is a wider concept and sometimes is paid straight away and others requires some fighting.
I would simply write to BA and say:
– My flight XYZ was cancelled
– I flew in economy instead of business on flight ABC
– I arrived to LCY instead of LHR and needed additional transportation– Therefore I am requesting:
1) refund for the downgrade as per UK261
2) refund of additional expenses incurred due to the cancelation and rebooking (cab to LHR)Do NOT use the word compensation and you should be good.
Off topic, but if you needed to get from LCY to LHR in a hurry, you surely would take the Lizzie Line and not a cab?
Off topic, but if you needed to get from LCY to LHR in a hurry, you surely would take the Lizzie Line and not a cab?
Depends on the time of the day. You still have to go, wait for the DLR, make it to CW or Woolwich where you then take a Heathrow service. This can be quite convenient or a mess if the line is not running on time etc. (not to mention luggage if you had a lot).
I would do it on the Lizzie but I get why some people may just prefer to sit on a cab, specially if they were not planning on getting to LCY, are already 2hrs late and tired!
Generally, the calculation of the delay is when you would have arrived at LHR so the travel time from LCY to LHR has to be factored in to determine if you are eligible for UK261 compensation. Given you landed c1.5hrs late even allowing an hour for a transfer would not trigger the delay compensation.
As others has stated you are due a refund (note not compensation) for the downgrade. BA should also pay for the cost of transfer between LCY and LHR -although they might push back on cab fair given public transport was available (I would personally still be claiming for it)
@yonasl thank you for the advise about not to mention compensation. I will ask for the refund as suggested. Would it be reasonable to expect some Avios given the inconvenience caused by the situation?
Separately, I did end up taking the DLR to Stratford and managed to catch the last Elizabeth line to T5!
I think LCY and LHR might, for the purposes of calculating how long delay is, count as one airport (‘London’). However ludicrous that seems. A vague memory from a prior post (but very relevant to situations I might find myself in). Could someone less ignorant than me (which would include most everyone..) confirm?
On the question of cab or public transport for this route, never cab (unless very good reason otherwise eg large bags or physical impairment..).
They count as the same for a number of purposes but not compensation
The time will be when you actually arrive at LHR from LCY and that’s measured against the scheduled original time of arrival and also assumes the cancellation wasn’t for an exempt reason
Late at night would also be a good reason! The OP nearly missed the last train
They count as the same for a number of purposes but not compensation
The time will be when you actually arrive at LHR from LCY and that’s measured against the scheduled original time of arrival and also assumes the cancellation wasn’t for an exempt reason
That’s a rather controversial proposition that stems from a post Brexit, post transition period CJEU decision so is not binding in the UK and is also quite in quite circumscribed circumstances even in the EU and for local courts to decide so far from decisive. One problem is that it’s difficult to prove the arrival time. Of course one could show something like an Uber receipt but it might incentivise people to linger deliberately. BA will pay for the cost of transportation to the original destination but compensation for the late arrival there, hmmm!
Never had the LCY/LHR problem pl it I once landed 4 hrs late at LHR after a long flight that had to do a medical emergency landing.
I wrote to BA and asked for the cab home to be refunded (I said I had arranged transport and that was cancelled because of the delay).
BA paid immediately.
This is why I think they can be flexible as long as you don’t mention “compensation” (because they then simply say “extraordinary circumstances”).
Thanks you for all the advise. I will request a refund and see how that goes
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