British Airways rescheduled flight but did not inform me

joncombe

In August last year I booked a return flight with British Airways. However on logging in to provide the requested "Advance Passenger Information" the schedule of the return flight differs from that which I originally booked and is listed on my "E Ticket". Having been in contact with British Airways, they have confirmed the flight has been rescheduled (2 hours earlier), but the person I spoke to did not know why. She could not see that I had been sent any notification of this so I asked her to investigate why this was. I could have turned up at the airport only to find the flight had already gone! She came back to me and said that the flight schedule was changed on 14th December and that they sent me an email then.

However I use a Google Mail account and never delete any emails. I do not have any emails about this flight on the 14th December (or the day before or after). Having searched, I can find 3 emails from them in regards to this flight.

1. The original booking confimation and E-ticket (dated 14/08/2015) showing the original schedule.
2. An email on 10th January 2016 "Preparing for your trip", which was basically just promoting upgrades to Club Europe, no mention of any schedule change and the timings were not on the email.
3. An email on 29th May 2106 "Pre Flight Services Email" requesting Advance Passenger Information. It was only when I tried to fill this in I noticed the schedule had changed.

The flight is now too early for me (I can only get to the airport 5 minutes before the checkin closes, which is too late). Norwegian have a later flight (to Gatwick rather than Heathrow), but it is now fully boooked so booking onto this flight is not an option now (but it migh have been had I been given more notice).

Hence I think I am going to have to cancel. But BA have told me that they did inform me of the changes and since I did not respond I am assumed to have accepted the change (though as I said I don't have the email they claim was sent). They did not make any attempt to contact me by telephone (though I did supply a telephone number). They tell me I can cancel the flight (but will not be refunded) or I can change to a different date and they will waive the change charge but that I must pay the difference in flight costs (but these charges alone exceed the costs of the flights now, and booking again with Norwegian would be cheaper).

My credit card does include travel insurance, but the flight part was paid by Debit Card, because British Airways charge extra for paying by credit card (yes in hindsight I obviously should have paid the extra).

Is it likely I will be able to get anywhere with getting this refunded by my bank on the basis they took payment when I booked but the product they are offering now is not that which I booked and paid for and was issued an "E Ticket" for (because they have changed the schedule)? Or do I just have to write this off and re-book for different dates (which I would now do with a different airline)?

richardw

BA aren't generally good at this kind of thing, the big fun will start when they change terminals at Gatwick.
They need to send e mails with a 'confirm agreement' button to click on.

tomtontom

A two hour change would not normally entitle you to a refund, it would be classed as a minor change.

HHarry

It might be worth getting back on the phone to BA, and having another go at getting changed to an alternative flight.

I was booked to Dubrovnik next week on the 08.00 which was cancelled and I was put on the 12.30 - I was informed of the change.
Later I found the 08.00 re-instated and asked to be put on it. They too said I had accepted the change, but as a gesture of goodwill moved me. I would have argued my 'acceptance' if necessary, but didn't need to.

joncombe

Thanks for the replies. I have managed to make progress in that the flight BA changed (and is now too early) and a later flight which is at a suitable time (with Norwegian) which was showing as full yesteerday was showing as having space today so I have been able to book a ticket with them.

I have contacted BA again and they have now agreed to cancel the return leg of my trip (since I have now booked that flight with Norwegian) and refund me for that part of the booking and have also opened a complaint about why I was not notified of the change of flight times (and did confirm they can see that I was not notified). Whilst they did mention some rule about not being entitled to a refund if the change was less than 2 hours I persisted on the basis that I was not even informed of the change so they agreed to a refund. I have asked for consideration of the fact that because I was informed so late, the alternative flight I have been able to book is more expensive than the BA flight which might well not have been the case if I had been informed at the time they changed the schedule (December), rather than now, but I don't know whether I will get anywhere with that. I suspect not - but at least they have refunded me for the part of the booking I now can't use.

leylandsunaddict

It's the customers responsibility to check for changes and know what time their flight departs. Some airlines don't even send change notifications out, and with those that do emails can and do go astray.

Just another reason why you need to check your bookings on a regular basis.

brianposter

tomtontom wrote: »

A two hour change would not normally entitle you to a refund, it would be classed as a minor change.

It is extraordinarily stupid that bringing forward a flight is treated in the same way as postponing a flight. There are all sorts of circumstances which make a flight which has been brought forward unusable.

joncombe

leylandsunaddict wrote: »

It's the customers responsibility to check for changes and know what time their flight departs. Some airlines don't even send change notifications out, and with those that do emails can and do go astray.

Just another reason why you need to check your bookings on a regular basis.

Do you check with hotels you've booked regularly to ensure they still have your booking, haven't switch it to a different date, a different hotel, or a different type of room? Do you do the same for restuarants, ferries, trains, buses, coaches, excursions, doctors appointmets etc? I expect that having made a booking (and paid for it) a company changing it at least tells me about it! Unreasonable? Perhaps (though I personally don't think so).

jpsartre

The negative repercussions of missing a doctor's appointment or a restaurant reservation are usually much lower than missing a flight. It's certainly not unreasonable to expect an airline to notify its passengers about schedule changes but messages can go astray or be missed so you should check yourself in any case. Most airlines these days allow you to look up your booking online so it's done in a matter of minutes.

stoneman

"The flight is now too early for me (I can only get to the airport 5 minutes before the checkin closes, which is too late). "

In that case good job they changed your flight or you might have been too late for the original one.

BA have what's called "conformance" you must pass through security 35 minutes before scheduled departure time or you won't be allowed to fly.

That is through security, not checked in. and they are very strict on that, no exceptions.

stoneman

leylandsunaddict wrote: »

It's the customers responsibility to check for changes and know what time their flight departs. Some airlines don't even send change notifications out, and with those that do emails can and do go astray.

Just another reason why you need to check your bookings on a regular basis.

No it's not. It is the responsibility of the airline to inform the passenger, especially if the flight is going to leave earlier. That's why they ask for a phone number and email address when you book.