-
Currently sat in T5 waiting on our 1255 flight to PMI and BA have just cancelled it.
Doesn’t look like there is anything else on BA or any other airline out of Heathrow to PMI today which doesn’t involve an overnight stopover.
Any other option other than to suck it up and put ourselves in to the Sofitel overnight?
I think you’ve said yourself – if there are no other options to get there today, try and get yourself rebooked for tomorrow and get a hotel for tonight – the cost if this plus meals can be claimed back. If the Sofitel is very expensive BA might push back as there are cheaper options so make sure you can justify the cost, e.g. show that all hotel options were a comparable price.
Look into cancellation compo as well in case this is still a knock on from the IT fiasco. If it’s due to the e-gate failure, BA will say it’s beyond their control, so if you can get a reason for the cancellation while you’re at LHR, this could help with a claim.Before you book anything that’s not cancellable cover yourself by trying to contact BA at least 3 times to request reroute and any accommodation needed.
Chaos may continue tomorrow so personally I’d be keen to ask them if they can reroute me via any airport eg Madrid (even with an overnight stay as that gets you out of LHR) or via another airline/airport.
As Lady London says you are entitled to be re-routed. Looking at Google flights there is an option to fly from LHR to Valencia on the BA422 departing at 16:05 today then stay overnight there and then fly on Air Nostrum for Iberia on the IB8403 from Valencia to PMI tomorrow departing Valencia at 12 midday
That is in CE to VLC and economy for the 55 minute flight tomorrow – am sure there are other economy class routes if you are not in Club
Thanks both. Managed to get someone helpful at Guest Services and I have standby tickets for the 1430 departure which is currently showing as having 2 seats free. There are four of us travelling, so fingers crossed.
Not holding out much hope given that a full flight has been displaced, no doubt with a few pax with status who will take priority on the standby list, but nothing to lose at this point.
Fingers crossed for you @Grant. Hope that works for you. Perhaps might be worthwhile asking Guest Services about the route I suggested except now that you’ve accepted the standby for the 14:30 departure I am not sure whether my option is still available to you. You usually only get once chance to exercise a re-route which is why it is best not to panic but to explore options before accepting anything.
Thank you @AJA. From what I can gather from Guest Services all alternative options remain open to me if we don’t make the standby flight. I will need someone who can actually reticket me though, and Guest Services use the same phone lines as everyone else which are obviously v busy.
There are LGW seats at 5.25pm but you’d need to be in a taxi in the next hr or so (+ find someone to put you onto it)
Otherwise Sofitel and BA in the morning looks best option. Easyjet do have seats on their late Luton but then you’ve got the fight with BA to get the chunky amount of cash back
Note that the BA early flight tomorrow only has 4 seats, it should be possible with someone with the correct skills to book you on and standby you for todau
Didn’t make the standby flight 😩. Looking at reroutes via mainland Spain with Guest Services now.
The only option I can see is that Valencia flight and then Vueling or Air Europa onwards tomorrow
Edit: it’s T3 in an hour though so unless they’ll drive you across the tarmac you wouldn’t make it
Other options I can see is Vueling out of Gatwick via Madrid with an overnight or BA to Geneva with an overnight and then onwards with Swiss
Tomorrow morning out of Southampton on BA
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Family have now run out of steam and want to retreat to a hotel and try again tomorrow. What’s the easiest way to get back land side and have baggage returned?
Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Family have now run out of steam and want to retreat to a hotel and try again tomorrow. What’s the easiest way to get back land side and have baggage returned?
Usually I would say ride the train to C and back but need to check what the E gate situation is
Once in the baggage hall they can get them but it’ll take a while
The Southampton option isn’t bad, I’d probably call BA and get put on that personally. Not sure how easy it would be to find a hotel there now but you could get an Uber down there tomorrow morning from your LHR hotel, I regularly take an uber that distance from Heathrow and have no trouble finding a driver willing to take me
Turns out BA staff just use an empty gate to dump you in to the immigration queue. Would have been faster riding the train all the way around.
Immigration is carnage. E gates back online but we have small kids in tow so we’re stuck. Massively regretting not just pushing on to get out of the country now.
Heathrow hotel rooms are like hens teeth. Windsor looking like nearest options with availability.
@Grant. My son, wife and 6 year old are in the same boat or plane so to speak. Arrived at Manchester early this morning to be told MAN-LHR-PMI cancelled and claimed they emailed and texted. They didn’t. They wouldn’t have driven 1 1/2 hours if they had known. Offered them after much huffing and puffing, MAN-AMS-MAD-PMI. They said no way with a 6 year old and were rudely told it was only a short hop once they were in Madrid. They were sent home (paid by BA because they were Club) and luckily have got 3 seats on Jet2 tonight from Leeds. Since then, as I’m the contact, I’ve had endless texts and emails from KLM about the refused flight detailing minor delays so they’ve gone ahead and booked the seats ignoring said refusal.
I feel a bit luckier having come from Edinburgh on Cityflyer despite the chaos encountered there this morning. Sadly the car driver is at Leeds airport and my daughter and I might have to catch the bus for a decent evening meal. First World problems 😉 Think my Avios with BA might have come to the end of their usefulness. Hope you get things sorted out.@SMB, I posted yesterday about MAN flights being cancelled yesterday and today, my in-laws ended up getting a taxi to LHR to make their connection and BA staff assured them they could claim back the cost of it. However, sounds like PMI may also have been cancelled so that may not have helped your family! Hope you all make it to PMI later!
@NorthernLass Thank you. The Yorkshire contingent are at LBA safety checked in but aircon broken! Poor everyone who has been affected. I did see your post yesterday but as no-one had contacted us we kept our fingers crossed to no avail. They should be joining us asap after midnight by which time we will have found our way for dinner and back visiting familiar territory away from football strips and loud bars. Damned school holidays! Thought I could go off season till the grandchild ruined everything!😂 your time will come!
I do hope your family weren’t too stressed by it all and we don’t have yet another MCOL to do. BTW the Cityflyer crew were great.Thanks all. Many more people with similar stories in T5 today, some with much longer multi leg journeys being disrupted.
Now sat in the bar in the Fairmont Windsor with a gin which is easing the disappointment.
Rebooked on the 12:30 tomorrow so will try again in the morning. Presumably we are due compensation for the delay? Fortunately I’ve never been in this situation before so it’s unfamiliar territory.
Unless BA cite extraordinary circumstances then you should get your £220pp UK261 compensation. Either way you get the hotel and your meals (excl alcohol)
Good luck for tomorrow!
Someone on flyertalk who’s been trying to get to Paris since Thursday! The mind boggles
If anyone happens to have access to expert flyer or similar and can check the reason for todays BA450 being cancelled, that would be much appreciated.
Doesn’t show the code anymore unfortunately
@AJA We are fine thanks from EDI. Son now on his way with Jet2. Everyone here is very kind and helpful.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Popular articles this week:
