How long for compensation claim?

[tazzy]

I submitted a claim to BA in March for a delayed BFS – LHR flight which resulted in us missing our Cape Town flight and arriving 24 hours late. I’ve had no response to my claim despite tweeting and emailing for an update. 2 weeks ago I posted a letter before action. What do I do now? Initially I was getting a generic email from BA to advise they were dealing with my claim, but now I get nothing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[Richie]

You promised action, if you have a record of the LBA, carry-out the action.

[JDB]

I think you have sent the letter before action very prematurely and after only limited communication, but having done so, as @Richie says, you need to follow through with whatever action you threatened.

If it was exactly two weeks ago I would leave it a little longer given the jubilee holidays.

[meta]

I would say that given that @tazzy has contacted BA in March and sent a LBA two weeks ago (end of May) has fulfilled their obligations in terms of trying to resolve this without going to court.

The usual practice is that you can start action 21 days if no response.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[JDB]

Of course one can just proceed to MCOL at this stage, but personally I would have taken greater steps to chase BA first. This is just inefficiency/incompetence rather than say a refusal to reroute that they won’t budge on. Issuing proceedings is a serious step for when one has reached an impasse; that point had/has not been reached.

Also, there is in this case a question as to whether exceptional circumstances apply (failure of LHR biometric systems) and I would also want to get to the bottom of that before issuing a claim.

[tazzy]

So I’ve tried the chat function x3 but told they can’t access this details. I’ve tried phoning numerous times without success, I have tweeted x4 and I have emailed x 3. I am not sure what else I can do to get an update.

[JDB]

tazzy wrote:

So I’ve tried the chat function x3 but told they can’t access this details. I’ve tried phoning numerous times without success, I have tweeted x4 and I have emailed x 3. I am not sure what else I can do to get an update.

That old fashioned concept, a letter works well. Also, you can add updates to your case reference that will reactivate it. Email different people. You could even just make the claim again in two separate parts (duty of care & delay). Point is that going to court is not justified or worth the stress/effort/fees for administrative delay.

Have you found out more about the reasons for the delay from BFS? I would want to know if BA is going to cite ‘exceptional circumstances’ as you suggested back in March before making a 261 delay claim when that constitutes the biggest part of the overall claim on which you will pay fees. They shouldn’t make much fuss about the duty of care element, but 261 potentially more complicated.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[meta]

Yes, if you haven’t sent LBA by post, BA can just argue they never received your emailed LBA.

I can’t stress enough how important is to send it by signed for recorded delivery. You can add that cost to the MCOL claim too.

[GaryE]

tazzy wrote:

I submitted a claim to BA in March for a delayed BFS – LHR flight which resulted in us missing our Cape Town flight and arriving 24 hours late. I’ve had no response to my claim despite tweeting and emailing for an update. 2 weeks ago I posted a letter before action. What do I do now? Initially I was getting a generic email from BA to advise they were dealing with my claim, but now I get nothing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Surely you mean BHD to LHR (BA don’t fly from Belfast International – could that be the reason why BA have not taken forward as they cannot identify the route you are quoting?

[tazzy]

Yes that is what I mean. I used full terms in my submission and flight reference and flight numbers

[mecrash]

I made a claim on the 20th February,
I got a reply Friday just gone (10th) agreeing to pay out.
Assume doing in date received order, they’ll be into March claims soon

[Seagull]

mecrash wrote:

I made a claim on the 20th February,
I got a reply Friday just gone (10th) agreeing to pay out.
Assume doing in date received order, they’ll be into March claims soon

Although I claimed on May 21st and just had an email paying out. Seems no logic as to how they are processing them.