BA help

[Delicate Flower]

Anyone work in the travel industry or a seasoned traveller who knows their rights?

My family and I are in California. On the way out they lost my son's case. We got it back a few days later (damaged) so that was a bad start to the holiday so that's something to claim once we get back.

The more pressing problem is BA have now cancelled our Heathrow Glasgow connection on the way back. Travel agent suggested by email we get a train to Newcastle and try and claim back for that! No chance. Not least that's not even the right country! How is that a logical solution. My wife just got a message from BA now saying we're booked on a Gatwick Newcastle flight without speaking to us. That's not suitable at all.

Is there any pressure we can put on BA to get us back to Glasgow that same day regardless of what provider they have to book us on? That being the case, does anyone have a reliable and workable phone no for BA?

Thanks!

[welshbairn]

38 minutes ago, Delicate Flower said:

Anyone work in the travel industry or a seasoned traveller who knows their rights?

My family and I are in California. On the way out they lost my son's case. We got it back a few days later (damaged) so that was a bad start to the holiday so that's something to claim once we get back.

The more pressing problem is BA have now cancelled our Heathrow Glasgow connection on the way back. Travel agent suggested by email we get a train to Newcastle and try and claim back for that! No chance. Not least that's not even the right country! How is that a logical solution. My wife just got a message from BA now saying we're booked on a Gatwick Newcastle flight without speaking to us. That's not suitable at all.

Is there any pressure we can put on BA to get us back to Glasgow that same day regardless of what provider they have to book us on? That being the case, does anyone have a reliable and workable phone no for BA?

Thanks!

It's hard to say without more details on flight times etc, but you should be entitled to reject the GTW-Newcastle flight if there's a more suitable flight with another airline and claim for that, along with compensation for each passenger (about £220 I think) plus reasonable expenses for meals, hotels, transfers etc. If you can afford it, it might be easier to claim when you get back, but make sure you at least get through to them to reject the Gatwick to Newcastle offer. Should be contact details in the second link below. The EU rules still apply to us. I'm not in the travel trade.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/holiday-cancellations-and-compensation/if-your-flights-delayed-or-cancelled/

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/delayed-or-cancelled-flights/rebook-and-refund-options

Edited July 5, 2022 by welshbairn

[Delicate Flower]

44 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

It's hard to say without more details on flight times etc, but you should be entitled to reject the GTW-Newcastle flight if there's a more suitable flight with another airline and claim for that, along with compensation for each passenger (about £220 I think) plus reasonable expenses for meals, hotels, transfers etc. If you can afford it, it might be easier to claim when you get back, but make sure you at least get through to them to reject the Gatwick to Newcastle offer. Should be contact details in the second link below. The EU rules still apply to us. I'm not in the travel trade.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/holiday-cancellations-and-compensation/if-your-flights-delayed-or-cancelled/

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/delayed-or-cancelled-flights/rebook-and-refund-options

Thanks. Appreciate the info. Will check it out.

[MONKMAN]

3 hours ago, Delicate Flower said:

Anyone work in the travel industry or a seasoned traveller who knows their rights?

My family and I are in California. On the way out they lost my son's case. We got it back a few days later (damaged) so that was a bad start to the holiday so that's something to claim once we get back.

The more pressing problem is BA have now cancelled our Heathrow Glasgow connection on the way back. Travel agent suggested by email we get a train to Newcastle and try and claim back for that! No chance. Not least that's not even the right country! How is that a logical solution. My wife just got a message from BA now saying we're booked on a Gatwick Newcastle flight without speaking to us. That's not suitable at all.

Is there any pressure we can put on BA to get us back to Glasgow that same day regardless of what provider they have to book us on? That being the case, does anyone have a reliable and workable phone no for BA?

Thanks!

My Heathrow to Glasgow connection got cancelled a couple of weeks ago and they put me on a transfer from Gatwick.  Apparently they've regularly been cancelling the 9.25am flight and putting them on the 9.50am from Gatwick.

I got refunded £100 to cover a taxi, which ended up costing £170.  Luckily, it was a smooth transition through Heathrow, but  Gatwick was a shambles with all the bag drop machines broken and I only just made the flight.

[doulikefish]

Avoid Gatwick at all costs just now .Had a flight through there couple of weeks ago and I just ended up renting a car and driving back up the road and I'm a gold card ba member.Ba helpdesk a shambles Airport help desk a shambles I just binned it and sorted myself out or else I still think I'd be stuck there

[Michael W]

The problem you'll have is that you're going to need to call them to try and sort an alternative out. Given the ongoing show they're making of themselves, the phone lines are predictably jammed. Try calling at opening time if you can and see if that works. 

There should be policies for rebooking on other airlines but you'll need to phone to discuss as there are only certain airlines they will rebook onto. I don't think there are any direct flights to Glasgow outside BA, so it'll need to be a connection. I think in your position I'd take a look at easyJet from Gatwick (BA will refuse to rebook you on this, so you'd need to do it yourself) and bill the cost back to BA. As they've cancelled your flight they should pay it in the absence of a viable alternative. There's a bus LHR-LGW which takes around 50mins. 

I assume you have not accepted the Gatwick - Newcastle flight? When they cancel and rebook you, you get given the option of accepting it. You are not obliged to accept it. 

Assuming your LHR-GLA was cancelled less than 14 days before departure, claim compensation for it also.

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/help-and-contacts/contact-us

Contact numbers available here. 

Edited July 6, 2022 by Michael W

[Crazy Days]

www.simoncalder.co.uk

 

Try this site or contacting him.

[git-intae-thum]

Appreciate this is a few days ago....but if u are still in a fix....contact BA through Twitter......much better and faster response.

We had a similar shit show with them regarding connecting flights last year.

Screenshot all your messages and their replies for proof as per the above posters advice.

Hope u get it sorted

 

 

[Delicate Flower]

On 08/07/2022 at 16:08, git-intae-thum said:

Appreciate this is a few days ago....but if u are still in a fix....contact BA through Twitter......much better and faster response.

We had a similar shit show with them regarding connecting flights last year.

Screenshot all your messages and their replies for proof as per the above posters advice.

Hope u get it sorted

 

 

Thanks. Think we're sorted. BA refused to deal with us as was booked via a travel agent. Travel agent said our contract was with BA and we're thus reluctant to help us much. We found a flight from London City to Glasgow and asked our travel agent to book us on that, which they reluctantly have done. But we're now responsible for getting ourselves from airport to airport across London with all our luggage. Big claim going in when we get home.

[welshbairn]

5 hours ago, Delicate Flower said:

Thanks. Think we're sorted. BA refused to deal with us as was booked via a travel agent. Travel agent said our contract was with BA and we're thus reluctant to help us much. We found a flight from London City to Glasgow and asked our travel agent to book us on that, which they reluctantly have done. But we're now responsible for getting ourselves from airport to airport across London with all our luggage. Big claim going in when we get home.

Good luck, let us know how it goes. I thought the whole remaining point of using a travel agent was that they would sort out messes like this for you.

[Delicate Flower]

6 hours ago, welshbairn said:

Good luck, let us know how it goes. I thought the whole remaining point of using a travel agent was that they would sort out messes like this for you.

Me too. Don't use Barrhead Travel is what I have learned from the whole episode.

[superbigal]

Me too. Don't use Barrhead Travel is what I have learned from the whole episode.

You should not have let them off the hook. They should have sorted everything to get you home. They know the rules and laws.
I'm assuming the tickets were not separate ?

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

My parents are flying out to Florida to join us in Sept, we’re flying in from vancouver off a cruise. Their flight from lhr to glasgow was cancelled, took me 9 attempts at the ‘press 1,press 2’ stuff and kept hanging up, eventually get on hold and was waiting for 1.5 hours before I got someone. Sorted onto the next flight in the day. Absolutely pain in the hole. 

[Michael W]

Heathrow has put in a restriction on passenger numbers of 100,000 per day until September, with the reduction amounting to about 4,000 passengers a day needing to be reduced. This is on top of the cancellations already put in place. 

BA, being the dominant airline, will naturally suffer more than others. As ever when BA is disrupted, it looks like the domestic schedule is taking the brunt of the hit. Understandable from the airline's perspective, but a massive pain in the arse for anyone on a connecting. 

Take a direct flight if you possibly can. 

[Honest Saints Fan]

20 hours ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

My parents are flying out to Florida to join us in Sept, we’re flying in from vancouver off a cruise. Their flight from lhr to glasgow was cancelled, took me 9 attempts at the ‘press 1,press 2’ stuff and kept hanging up, eventually get on hold and was waiting for 1.5 hours before I got someone. Sorted onto the next flight in the day. Absolutely pain in the hole. 

Flights from GLA to LHR cancelled last night for October. Orlando ones were fine. After 33 attempts today I got through to them. 55 mins on hold. Flights changed to go Edinburgh via Dublin. Actually turned out well as flight times are better. 

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

3 hours ago, Honest Saints Fan said:

Flights from GLA to LHR cancelled last night for October. Orlando ones were fine. After 33 attempts today I got through to them. 55 mins on hold. Flights changed to go Edinburgh via Dublin. Actually turned out well as flight times are better. 

Take it thats the Aer Lingus ones? If you do the customs at Dublin its an absolute win for you as it saves so much hassle in Orlando, you’ll just arrive the same as a domestic flight. I find the staff at their call centres to generally be incredibly helpful if you get one of the UK based staff. 

Edited July 15, 2022 by Inanimate Carbon Rod

[welshbairn]

14 hours ago, Honest Saints Fan said:

Flights from GLA to LHR cancelled last night for October. Orlando ones were fine. After 33 attempts today I got through to them. 55 mins on hold. Flights changed to go Edinburgh via Dublin. Actually turned out well as flight times are better. 

Dublin's one of my favourite airports, they've got a beer garden airside.

[Ekhibee88]

There is not any flights between Gatwick and Newcastle, they not mean Heathrow?

[Delicate Flower]

On 12/07/2022 at 18:14, superbigal said:

You should not have let them off the hook. They should have sorted everything to get you home. They know the rules and laws.
I'm assuming the tickets were not separate ?

They sorted nothing. Now we're home, we're gonna go for them. All our emails to them are logged. We were incredibly let down by them. We want compensation.