BA refusing to compensate

Dai_Archway

I had a flight booked Sep 10 with BA to Texas which they cancelled due to strike action. I was returning on the 24th with my wife so made sure that the return leg was not automatically cancelled (rtn £950). I then bought another return flight with Virgin going out on 9th so I could get here (£550).
I put a compensation claim in via Resolver and BA have turned it down. Any thoughts on best next steps? I am trying to stay calm.
My Travel Insurance say they cant help and have recommended going via ATOL as I booked both flights on Credit card.

Any good advice gratefully received. I dont want to waste any more time

DAi

Westin

When BA told you of the flight cancellation, what options were given?

Typically it would be a refund, rebooking via AA or another airline, or rescheduling to an alternative date of your choice. I am surprised BA did not do the rebooking.

Why did you go ahead and book the VS flights? What are you claiming?

It sounds possible like the normal process was not followed and therefore a problem has been created.

This BTW is nothing to do with the CAA and ATOL.

Dai_Archway

email from BA 18 days before the flight is added below. I went through to Manage my booking and their were no options. I spoke to Travel Trolley who I booked through and they were bloody useless. I rang BA but couldn't get through as 1000s of people in similar position would be trying to rebook. I had no option in my eyes as I had to get to Texas before the Saturday and seats on alternative flights were getting booked up. I would like at the very least £950/2 back

Dear Customer,

We are very sorry to tell you that due to industrial action by British Airways’ pilots union, BALPA, your flight to Dallas Fort Worth on 10 September 2019 has been cancelled.

The strike is expected to have a significant impact on our operation and will result in a large number of delays or cancellations.

Please do not go to the airport, you can rebook or refund your cancelled flight online. To review your options please go to Manage My Booking.

If you have booked via a travel agent, please contact them directly to discuss arrangements for your booking. If your flight is part of a British Airways Holidays booking you will receive a further email that outlines your options.

We are very sorry for the inconvenience this will cause you.

For further information, please visit ba.com/strike.

British Airways

Westin

Given that you booked via an agent, whilst it might have been frustrating, any action should have been carried out via them. BA also indicated this in their letter to you.

Have you looked on Manage My Booking on the BA site to see the status of your reservation? I wonder if it was indeed cancelled.

I think you need to find out if the reservation has been cancelled correctly and a refund processed. If not showing on BA.com MMB then you will likely need to call Travel Trolley and ask them if and how they have processed the amendment to your booking.

I can understand your desire to sort out alternative travel but you haven’t followed the standard process and I suspect this is why you are now having a struggle trying to unravel the mess and get a refund on the BA tickets.

cubegame

Why on earth did you book via an agent?

BA have a price promise where they give you back twice the value of any difference between booking direct and an agent.

I'd be surprised if your saving was worth the hassle you now have.

Anyway you didn't do what you should have done so your money has gone. You needed to get booked in the alternative flight by BA or your agent.

Dai_Archway

'Price Promise' RTM what the hell is that?Meaningless verbiage. When my first wife was given a terminal cancer diagnosis and I tried to get refund on a BA flight to South Africa I was refused and the flight was sold on to her sister. Well why the hell do you still use BA then? I try not to but there are limited carriers for the route we have to use LHR to DFW. This rtn flight was a mix between AA/BA and Finair.
Thanks for the useful advice and empathy I shall try Travel trolley and my credit card company.
Dai

cubegame

Dai_Archway wrote: »

'Price Promise' RTM what the hell is that?Meaningless verbiage. When my first wife was given a terminal cancer diagnosis and I tried to get refund on a BA flight to South Africa I was refused and the flight was sold on to her sister. Well why the hell do you still use BA then? I try not to but there are limited carriers for the route we have to use LHR to DFW. This rtn flight was a mix between AA/BA and Finair.
Thanks for the useful advice and empathy I shall try Travel trolley and my credit card company.
Dai

I thought you were trying to stay calm.

My advice was useful. It may be shutting the door after the horse is bolted but as there is literally no better advice anyone can dispense about flight bookings than NEVER BOOK WITH AN AGENT.

My point about the BA price promise was to say that even if you CONSIDER that saving a meagre few quid with a dodgy Skyscanner advertiser is a good idea then you have another avenue to save that pittance by doubling up the saving with BA.

If you'd booked direct with BA they would have booked you on the Virgin flight themselves. They have access to reciprocal pricing and certainly won't be paying full retail to compensate an impatient passenger after the fact.

You've had tough but valuable lesson. Was it worth the tenner or so that you saved with Travel Trolley?

Westin

Given that your initial outbound flight was impacted by a strike day I do believe you will get refunded for the original BA flights. Flight’s’ plural, assuming that you did not use the inbound BA but came back on the new VS one. If not it might be just a partial refund on the BA fare.

My point was however more that as the standard process was not followed you may have more or a frustrating battle with the claim process (as I think you have started to experience). I however wish you well with this.

jpsartre

What exactly did you try to claim from BA? If I understand correctly, your flight was cancelled 18 days before departure which means there's no EU compensation payable so if you sent a generic request for compensation then it was probably denied for that reason. You still have a right to rerouting although this should have been arranged with your travel agent. Have you received a refund of the flight that was cancelled? That might complicate matters further. Basically we need more information to advice. You may wish to repost given all details in the dedicated flight delay forum.

MEM62

If BA cancelled the flight then I would expect that they would arrange the refund automatically. However, as you have booked via an agent the refund will come through them.

Dai_Archway

jpsartre - I tried to claim half of the original BA rtn flight (£480). I used the return leg as was coming back with my wife who was already out there.Appreciate the explanation as why they have kicked me back under Eu rules - makes sense.Couldnt get any help with rerouting either via manage your bookings (BA), phone (BA) or phone (Travel Trolley).

communication between me and TT was as follows and I have a request for partial compensation in with them

>>But as we discussed earlier I am not cancelling the return journey as that is how I am getting back to England on the 24th (arriving 25th) .Only the first part of the journey is being cancelled (by BA). I would therefore hope to get £959.72/2 refund. I wont request a refund until I am back in England after the 25th September just to be on the safe side

Regards

Dave *****


From: **** (Traveltrolley) <***@traveltrolley.co.uk>
Sent: 27 August 2019 14:49
To: *****@hotmail.com
Subject: Invoice No : 4193999

Dear Mr H******
As per our conversation earlier , as advised by airlines you may cancel to take the full refund , once we cancel we will email a reply as to the refund process.