British Airways new york flights booking change.

travelfran

Hi,
please, please some advice. My family and I are travelling to New York in April for a family event, originally leaving 9th April, thinking it would by nice to go longer I changed the flight to leave on 6th.
On changing the flight, which I done on-line, it stated that Additional fares per person £0.00, Additional taxes per person £0.00. Additional fees, charges, and surcharges per person £50.00, Total £200.00.

After printing out my confirmed flight change, after having paid, to my horror it stated that price difference is GBP 638.00, broken up by £244 + Tax/Fee/Charge GBP £394 = GBP 638.00 :mad: . I immediatley phoned BA and explained the situation (this was last Sunday) and I was told someone will call me back The day after, I of course have not had one phone call from Customer services, or the Web support team (whom was meant to be dealing with it!)
I have phoned once or twice a day since and have now been told that it is most likely my mistake, as no-one else has called about this, SO CALLED ERROR!!
I had printed out the page which said £200 for the change, but BA are saying it is only a sceenshot and I could have copied and pasted it!! which I did not, I explained to them that I am devistated by this as I can not afford the extra
£438, I was of course willing and expecting to pay the £200 surcharge fee.
I am so, so upset by this whole thing I just want to cancel my flights and holiday, but BA said it's a un-refundable fare etc.
PLEASE advise what I can do, the whole thing is making me drained!!
Many thanks in advance for your help.
Fran

hopefulfooluk

How much did they actually end up charging your card? If £200, ignore it. If £638, then I think you could probably raise it with your card company, as long as you paid by CC and can prove to your CC company that you only authorised them to debit £200.

travelfran

Hiya,
they charged me £638 off my card:(
many thanks

hopefulfooluk

In that case I'd go to BA and say that you are about to raise a chargeback with your card company for the extra £438 as you have evidence you only authorised them to debit £200. See what they say - you may find they will refund it to you as they know it will cost them far more if the CC co raises a chargeback.

Let us know what happens.

LittleTinker

hopefulfooluk wrote: »

In that case I'd go to BA and say that you are about to raise a chargeback with your card company for the extra £438 as you have evidence you only authorised them to debit £200. See what they say - you may find they will refund it to you as they know it will cost them far more if the CC co raises a chargeback.

Let us know what happens.

That doesnt get them their tickets though does it?
They can get the money back...thats not a problem....and it isnt what the OP is asking either.

OP......It doesnt really matter about the £0's that you saw.....it is only the total that matters.

If BA are saying that that is the price for that period, then i dont think there is very much you can do.

M4RKM

but it's like the OP going into a store buying something at £1.99, agreeing to pay £1.99 at the tills, and then actually paying £4.38... it's wrong and BA should sort out their computers.

now what my thought is, that you've obviously paid tax again on the new flight as you've changed it, so BA should refund you tax on the original flight, which will probably be.. oooh £238... ish..... just a thought

M

hopefulfooluk

LittleTinker wrote: »

That doesnt get them their tickets though does it?
They can get the money back...thats not a problem....and it isnt what the OP is asking either.

OP......It doesnt really matter about the £0's that you saw.....it is only the total that matters.

If BA are saying that that is the price for that period, then i dont think there is very much you can do.

Jeez, this seems to be "get at hopefulfooluk's trying to be helpful posts" day today.

No, it doesn't get them their tickets. I think it's plainly obvious that BA are not going to give them the tickets for a new date without paying what they think their system should be charging them. I thought it might be helpful to help the OP get their money back in the first instance, so that they could potentially try again, or stick with their current ones - and you never know, BA may honour what they were initially intending to do anyway with threat of a chargeback.

Or, if refunded, they could wait and try again closer to the time as more seats at the same fare will likely be released in dribs and drabs closer to departure.

It's better me suggesting options for them to try rather than saying "sorry, you're a bit screwed really aren't you?" which is what your post has contributed to the thread.

What is wrong with people in this forum?!

Blue264

travelfran wrote: »

I have phoned once or twice a day since and have now been told that it is most likely my mistake, as no-one else has called about this, SO CALLED ERROR!!

That isn't conclusive and not an acceptable answer.

What BA should do is go through the history of the bookings as you obviously have a degree of flexibility in the original tickets you booked so it would not be common sense to change them for tickets that are not at all flexible but a higher price.
At some point in the procedure you should have been offered the choice of changing for a new set of fully flexible tickets and should have a price for these against the non flex tickets.

BA really need to talk you through the procedure you actioned and advise what your options would have been and, in the very least, where you made the 'error', if at all.

So when you call them again, take a deep breath and try to stay calm then ask them to talk you through the history of the bookings stage by stage.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but there is nothing to be gained by putting all the stress you feel on the person at the other end of the phone. They will function more rationally and professionally if they feel you are calm but concerned, and then they will pull out all the stops to help you as much as they can, but they may need to refer you again to someone higher up in the organisation for authorisation.

Which flight have you now booked and how much is each ticket please?

travelfran

Hello,
thank you all for your helpful comments.

To blue's answer, we are now going on 6th April this year, and taken into account the extra £638 the prices are £461 per ticket, and I was wondering if BA won't explain/refund the extra money that I may cancel and book flights with American Airlines?
But as I mentioned the I believe only the taxes are refundable.
What do you think ???
Thanks

sturll

American Airlines is probably not the airline to go with if you are boycotting BA.

If it were me and there was absolutely no way BA will give you your tickets unless you accept the cost i would cancel and rebook. At the very least you will get your taxes, then i would pursue legal action against BA. The chances of them sending a lawyer to court i would say is minimal so it will most probably either settle in your favour or they will settle before court.