BA changed the airport for my return flight!

rachel42

I booked 2 tickets with BA to fly from LHR to Miland and then return to LHR from Venice. It was all done as one booking with BA's 'multiple city' option. They were booked in the sale.

They have now cancelled our return flight and offered us a return into LGW which departs Venice at 6.20am!

We asked BA if we would change to a return flight from Milan to LHR - we are willing to pay the train fare back to Milan ourselves. BA have responded by saying that it's not possible as we cannot amend the flights! As the flights were booked in the sale, they are non-changeable and non-refundable. Fine. BUT BA can change the flight?? It seems that it's like it or lump it! I figure that as BA have changed the flight, I should be able to also,

My car will be parked at LHR not LGW! To get to a 6.20am flight, we will have to be up at 2am - so forget about a 'last night in Venice' night out. We also would not be able to get breakfast at the hotel, even though we will have paid for it.

Does anyone know whether I have any rights at all in this?

Smiley82

I think your rights are limited to a refund of the ticket that you purchased. If they make the change, and it isn't suitable, providing the change is significant (i.e. location, reasonable time change) which in this case it is, I am pretty sure you can get a refund on the flight.

Someone will be along shortly no doubt with the information you require

pinkshoes

What time was the original flight?

Are they offering to pay the transfer between Gatwick and LHR?

Ivory_Tinkler

I think with flight timings they are allowed to change them by something like up to 12 hours without offering any compensation (I'm not certain on that though). However, as they are flying you into a different airport then that could be different. Are they prepared to take you from Gatwick back to Heathrow so that you can get your car or are they expecting you to foot the bill?

rachel42

Our original return flight was something like 3pm and no BA aren't offering to return us to LHR from LGW - they don't cover "consequential loss".

They have told us that we can cancel both flights in their entirety and get a refund, but the thing is, we have already paid for non-refundable hotel accommodation (via someone else!). We could book similar flights with BMI but they are double what we paid for BA.

I thought our suggestion to get the train back to Milan for a return flight was reasonable but they have said no.

payless

Would have thought LHR_LGW transfer woul;d be paid

welcome to the world of "self packaging" - had similiar issues with BA, flybe (x2) , BMI and ryanair in recent years
Twice I accepted the changes and worked around at my expense, other times I changed providers OR cancelled the trip.

The weight of the law seems to be with airline... give us notice of change& option to cancel seems to be enough ! .. but does not work the other way around.

payless

Have you looked on skyscanner ( maybe from duifferent UK airport) - Milan and Venice are generally well serviced and prices usually competitive

Mark_Hewitt

I've no idea of the legal rights and wrongs, but I think the way airlines behave is quite out of order.

If I've booked a flight to go back to Newcastle, I expect to be taken to Newcastle, not left at Manchester and have to foot the substantial bill to get back.