BA giving false reason for flight delay to avoid compensation?

puzzlecat

I flew on BA in March from JFK-LHR and my flight was delayed. Staff at the airport and the pilot on board said that this was due to the plane not being prepared and delivered to the stand in time by ground crew at Heathrow airport earlier that day, to then make it to JFK and become our flight home. The pilot stated this both when we boarded and apologized again when we landed at LHR. We made up some time in the air but were still late by over three hours.

I submitted a claim for compensation the very next day via Resolver but never received a response despite following up every couple of weeks when prompted. I tried again via BA and after about 8 weeks received a response that the flight was delayed due to bad weather and therefore was not eligible for compensation. I responded letting them know that was not the reason for the delay but I keep getting the same pre-written reply each time. I would submit a claim via CEDR but if BA have altered the reason for delays in their records, how on earth would I be able to prove otherwise? It seems odd that both ground staff & crew all gave the same explanation for the delay on the day but the official line now is completely different. Not sure what to do!

W1zz

I'm having similar issues with EasyJet.

Our flight home from Prague was cancelled at the gate and we were left stranded for 3 days having to sort our own flights home and hotels in between. EasyJet could only offer a flight 4 days later.

Initially the flight was delayed 50mins. Then we were told a further announcement would be made later. 2hrs 45mins delay and everyone gets a text message to say the flight had been cancelled. During this time, we could see on FlightRadar that the plane was still on the tarmac in Manchester.

I'm still working my way through the expense claims incurred by re-routing and 3 unplanned nights in Prague. I've had most refused 3-4 times, but you just have to keep at them. I've been paid £350 with another £600-ish in dispute. But the EU delayed compensation submission was declined saying:

Our assessment of your claim

To further explain what happened on the day; air traffic control restrictions were in place across Amsterdam, substantially regulating airspace, Long delays to flights built up as aircraft queued for ‘slots’ for airspace to operate. The delays continued throughout the day, knocking on to later flights. In the case of your flight, the delay meant we were unable to operate to Belfast due to airport curfew restrictions. We had no alternative but to cancel your flight your flight. We do take reasonable measures to avoid delays and cancellations to our flights by having replacement crews and spare aircraft available in our network. In the circumstances, these options were not possible as the cancellation was a direct result of air traffic control restrictions.

They'd obviously copy and pasted that from another email. How else can you get 'Belfast' into an explanation of a Prague to Manchester flight?

After my own investigations, there was a baggage handlers strike that weekend in Amsterdam, not ATC Strike. Only flights in and out of Amsterdam were affected. Other EasyJet flights from Manchester to Berlin and to Hamburg which departed around the time as my flight was due to leave flew without issue.

I've since been in contact with two passengers who were on that flight form Manchester to Prague that was cancelled. Apparently they were delayed two hours boarding because they needed a 'limited mobility vehicle' to remove someone from the previous flight. Then once they boarded there was some damage to the left hand engine, with the pilot fully briefing the passengers to the situation whilst the plane was surrounded by fire trucks. After a further hour, everyone was disembarked and the flight cancelled.

Yet EasyJet still claim the flight was cancelled due to ATC Restrictions in Amsterdam.

Until, my latest expense claim refusal, where the reason for the cancelled flight now reads 'Cancelled due to Ground Damage.'

I've resubmitted another EU Compensation claim stating the above. But I'm hearing from the passengers on the Manchester to Prague flight say that their claim has still been rejected due to 'Exceptional Circumstances'

The battle with EasyJet continues 

Ganga

puzzlecat said:

I flew on BA in March from JFK-LHR and my flight was delayed. Staff at the airport and the pilot on board said that this was due to the plane not being prepared and delivered to the stand in time by ground crew at Heathrow airport earlier that day, to then make it to JFK and become our flight home. The pilot stated this both when we boarded and apologized again when we landed at LHR. We made up some time in the air but were still late by over three hours.

I submitted a claim for compensation the very next day via Resolver but never received a response despite following up every couple of weeks when prompted. I tried again via BA and after about 8 weeks received a response that the flight was delayed due to bad weather and therefore was not eligible for compensation. I responded letting them know that was not the reason for the delay but I keep getting the same pre-written reply each time. I would submit a claim via CEDR but if BA have altered the reason for delays in their records, how on earth would I be able to prove otherwise? It seems odd that both ground staff & crew all gave the same explanation for the delay on the day but the official line now is completely different. Not sure what to do!

Send your claim to Bott & Co ( i think this is the correct name google flight claim companies ) they will fight it for you and take a % of your claim.