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Hi All, I’d appreciate any advice from the hive mind collective…
On 30th March I was to be returning from London City – Belfast City on BA8756 departing at 1500
I was through security, waiting to board, when the flight was cancelled. Reason staff gave was a shortage of crew, and told us to go landside and speak to the BA staff on the info desk.
I did this, and met a couple of colleagues who were on the same booking and also were trying to get home.
BA staff on the desk offered to transfer us to the BA 1426, departing at 1935 from Heathrow. We asked how were we to get there, and were given a preloaded Oyster card with £10 on it.
We trundled our way to Heathrow on the tube, and as we approached Heathrow I started to read reports on twitter of IT failures at Heathrow and long delays/cancellations…
When we got to Heathrow, all of BA was at a standstill. Eventually, we heard rumours that some flights were being allowed to leave, but flights after 1800hrs would be cancelled…
We called up our office, and explained our predicament to the Travel Witches in admin, who, in a rare display of generosity, booked us seats on the Aer Lingus EI937 @ 1940hrs.
As it happened, the BA 1426 WAS cancelled, and we received an email from BA shifting us onto the BA1416 the following day at 1230hrs (Obviously we were home by this stage, so didn’t show up for this flight, nor did we check in. Work didn’t bother cancelling the flight either)
We eventually got home ok with Aer Lingus, despite the efforts of a passenger at the back, who went full Radio Rental with the crew over the requirement to wear a mask, galloped up the aisle when they tried to deplane her, and ended up remonstrating with Biggles in the cockpit. Eventually, Plod arrived, and took her away. Plane eventually took off (delayed of course) and we arrived in BHD at about 2110hrs.Essentially, we had a BA flight canceled, the replacement also cancelled, and we no showed the third replacement the next day. Flights were all paid by work, but we experienced the delays, so may I ask what you think I’m due, compensation wise, and how best to approach the issue with BA?
Many thanks
- This topic was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
Oh that sounds you really had an eventful day!
Definitely no double compensation on the cancelled BA flights. Even if you got rebooked 5 times within that day, it’s the eventual arrival time which counts (in your case there wasn’t one). You should be claiming for a standard cancellation compensation under UK261. Use BA’s standard contact form and select the delay/cancellation option.
Additionally, you (your company) could request a refund for the cancelled flight or claim back the cost of the replacement EI flight from BA but given it’s been paid by the company, that should be their problem (if they even care).
Thank you – yes – very eventful day. Anything that could go wrong, did.
On the EI flight I was sat beside someone who coughed constantly throughout the flight.
So Yup, you guessed it, I tested positive for Covid 3 days later. :/
Thank you for the steer on what to claim for. Are you aware of the likely amount?
ThanksDefinitely eligibile for cancellation of the first flight from LCY. It’s the minimum amount as its under 1500km between LCY and Belfast.
I’m not sure about the second cancellation. I think you’ve done yourself out of compo for the second cancellation at Heathrow because you didn’t accept BA’s alternative and no-showed the following day and I think rerouted yourself before BA formally cancelled your flight. If so I think BA will say you didn’t give them the chance to act. If you had informed BA what you were going to do I think you’d have a case. Also if you had accepted and flown the following day you’d have had duty of care as well.
Your company is entitled to refund of the cost they incurred booking you on to the Aer Lingus flights but that is for them to deal with.
If you don’t accept a replacement flight in MMB or verbally, you are not a no-show.
Very sorry to hear you’ve got covid on top of all the rest of it. Was the coughing passenger wearing a basic mask (FFP1) or a cone-shaped one (more likely yo be FFP2).
£220 per seat compensation based on the fact that you’d already earned it when the original flight was cancelled. The flights that happened or didn’t happen later, come under a different part (Article of the legislation that has its own separate payments (mostly reimbursements) and requirements and are dealt with separately but by then you’d already earned the compensation as this came due on the first cancellation.
@LL I think compo for the second cancellation hinges on when BA cancelled their flight and when OP checked in for the Aer Lingus flight which was scheduled to depart 5 minutes later.
If BA cancelled the flight first and OP rebooked on Aer Lingus after receiving cancellation notification then I would say compo is due. If they rebooked before receiving cancellation notice then they didn’t give BA a chance to act.
They definitely no showed for the flight the following day, BA would have reserved a seat for them that they didn’t take.
If you don’t accept a replacement flight in MMB or verbally, you are not a no-show.
Very sorry to hear you’ve got covid on top of all the rest of it. Was the coughing passenger wearing a basic mask (FFP1) or a cone-shaped one (more likely yo be FFP2).
£220 per seat compensation based on the fact that you’d already earned it when the original flight was cancelled. The flights that happened or didn’t happen later, come under a different part (Article of the legislation that has its own separate payments (mostly reimbursements) )and requirements and are dealt with separately but by then you’d already earned the compensation as this came due on the first cancellation.
AJA if he hadn’t accepted the following day’s flight, eg just left it in MMB, then he’s not a no-show. The flight that’s showing isn’t booked till you accept it (if ever).
I wouldn’t get too detailed about when the EI booking was made – some of us do make backup reservations if travel is a mess. We don’t necesarily expect to use them so when booked is a nicety. I did it once sitting on a Ryanair aircraft that went tech at the gate – after an hour I booked a backup BA flight on my phone. Luckily after another hour the engineer fixed it so in that case I didn’t need to use the BA flight I’d booked.
As you advised the OP it’s up to the Travel Witches to claim the EI rerouting costs.
Only 1 compo per pax can be claimed even if airline cancelled rerouted flight(s) as well as the original flight, as it’s all the same journey.
Menwhile, when he’s covered from covid I hope he reminds his collegues of the compo they’re eligible for – might be a drink at the bar in it for him!
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
Thank you all for the great advice. The pax beside me was wearing a basic Fluid repelling mask, FFP1 (and I was wearing similar)
Covid hit me very hard at first, worryingly so actually, I’m classed as vulnerable due to a suppressed immune system, so when I tested positive on a PCR, I automatically triggered a response with my local health trust. Essentially a doc phoned, then hospital pharmacist, with anti viral options for me. less than an hour later, a man dropped them at my door, and genuinely, they really did the trick, all my symptoms vanished overnight, and by day 5 was testing negative on lateral flows. Brilliant service!I’ve filled in the online form as suggested, put in all the details, and in the last section where there’s a space to put in a bit of a narrative, I stated that after the second cancellation, we made alternative arrangements to get home.
I’ve forwarded all the details to my colleagues, so if we get a few pounds back, I think I’ll get a few beers 😉Would have been better OldComber if you’d asked at Heathrow (if you could have found someone) or phoned them at Heathrow asking again for a reroute after the 2nd flight was cancelled just to prove you gave them the chance to rebook you (again). However lucky you the Travel Witches can deal with that, and meanwhile you’ve got the compo.
Take care of yourself and get well soon.
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