Flight cancelled - compensation query?

simonp

So I was one of the 200+ BA flights cancelled on Saturday morning - I was advised to go home and indeed did so as it was only a short break.

It was a BA Club Europe return flight to Lyon and they've given me a full refund of the tickets but I was wondering if there was any other compensation options available to me?

Holiday Extras won't refund the £70 car parking we'd pre-paid and there's the matter of a six-hour round trip to the airport - can we claim for petrol?

Luckily the hotels were cancellable at no cost!

Have scoured the BA website but find it all very confusing

Caz3121

EU compensation does not apply if the issue was outside the airlines control

Alan_Bowen

This is a warning to those who use third party sites to book parking at Heathrow, if your book direct with the airport, they do refund the money in full.

I parked at T1 for a flight three(?) Christmases ago, boarded the plane at 0630 for 0700 departure, warned our airport of arrival was closed due to snow but hoped to open in a couple of hours, by 0900 the delay was expected to be at least another two hours and the airline offered to let those who longer wanted to travel off the plane. Got back to the car 4 hours after parking, no charge for parking at all. Ironically, the airport I was due to fly to opened a few minutes after we de-boarded the plane, but that's life.

If you book with any third party, it is likely they have a no refund policy even though in many cases they charge exactly the same as booking direct, in advance, with Heathrow airport itself. Likewise, no one to claim against for the petrol unless NATS suddenly becomes Santa Claus.

simonp

Centipede100 wrote: »

If you have decided not to travel as it was a short break then the only option is to accept a full refund of the fare you paid to the airline. They are not liable to you for anything else in these circumstances.

Just to be clear I chose not to travel as they cancelled the flight and suggested I go home as they couldn't get me another flight that day and said it would be unlikely they could arrange one the following day either!

Also, Holiday Extras are BA's preferred car parking partner - I even earn Avios points booking with them.

duchy

You'll be able to claim the parking back on your holiday insurance.

Justuk

Hi Simon,

Regarding compensation, the answer to that is no. The air traffic control problem would be classed as an exceptional circumstance so BA would not have to pay.

Here is an extract from a European commission email I received:
whenever your flight is cancelled the operating air carrier must give you:
· alternative transport or re-routing to the final destination at the earliest convenience and subject to availability, or offer reimbursement of the full cost of the unused ticket segments (with a free flight back to the initial point of departure, when relevant).

I am think you said they refunded you ticket, so they are covered. Depending on how long you was in the airport waiting they should have a duty of care towards you so you might be able to claim food costs.

simonp

duchy wrote: »

You'll be able to claim the parking back on your holiday insurance.

Sadly there's a £75 excess

Thanks everyone for your help - I've got the flight money back which is the main thing I guess. Time to move on I suppose

Edit: Just had an email from Holiday Extras saying they will indeed refund most of the parking fees! Well done Holiday Extras/car park management!