BA Missed Connecting Flight due to not being able to leave the plane....?

Fast_ted

Hi all,

We had a flight from San Diego to Aberdeen which arrived 16 minutes late in Heathrow T5 however they wouldn't let us off the plan for around 45 minutes as BA didn't have bus drivers available. We advised the cabin crew that we had a connecting flight to Aberdeen and needed to get off as soon as possible to catch it but despite this were only let off on the second bus (first one for First Class/Business) and as a result of this we missed our connecting flight to Aberdeen despite running to the gate and were delayed by about 8 hours. I applied for compensation but BA have come back and said as the flight was only 16 minutes late we are not entitled to compensation. In my mind we missed the connecting flight due to issues within their control and therefore should be due compensation but wanted to see if MSE Forumites agreed with this? Should I now take this to the CEDR?

Thanks 

FT

Westin

Fast_ted said:

Hi all,

We had a flight from San Diego to Aberdeen which arrived 16 minutes late in Heathrow T5 however they wouldn't let us off the plan for around 45 minutes as BA didn't have bus drivers available. We advised the cabin crew that we had a connecting flight to Aberdeen and needed to get off as soon as possible to catch it but despite this were only let off on the second bus (first one for First Class/Business) and as a result of this we missed our connecting flight to Aberdeen despite running to the gate and were delayed by about 8 hours. I applied for compensation but BA have come back and said as the flight was only 16 minutes late we are not entitled to compensation. In my mind we missed the connecting flight due to issues within their control and therefore should be due compensation but wanted to see if MSE Forumites agreed with this? Should I now take this to the CEDR?

Thanks 

FT

In your mind perhaps but you can’t be sure of this.  Gate allocation is controlled by the airport (HAL) and the bus transportation will be outsourced.  There could be various reasons outside of BA’s control that meant you had a bus transfer that day and that unfortunately it did not run according to your wishes.

Sounded like you had a very tight connection.  Perhaps a gamble in the first place to catch that earlier ABZ flight.  Positive that BA reaccommodate you on a later flight. 

Fast_ted

Thanks Westin, but as T5 is just BA/Iberia flights then they should be in control shouldn't they - and had they let me on the first bus I would have made my connection so in their control. I agree the 1.5hrs connection time was relatively tight but this is what BA offered when we booked.

JPears

On the assumption that you were on a through ticket, in my opinion you are due compensation.

The BA statement that you were only 16 minutes late is a red herring, since this was your first leg, not the second leg and your ultimate destination.

The fact that a 3rd party/agent let down BA is their problem, not yours.

They didn't put you on the first bus, therefore they didn't do all within their powers, to rectify the problem.

Write back asking how the 16mins late bears any relevance to your compensation claim.

DullGreyGuy

Did you buy a continuous ticket or was it two separate tickets for the two legs?

The law is in relation to the time you reach the final destination on your ticket not the time you reach any intermediary changes. So if its a through ticket you claim on the time you arrived at ABZ not the time you arrived at LHR. If you were on separate tickets and able to transfer due to hand luggage only etc then 16 minutes or 1hr late at LHR wouldnt trigger compensation and this is the risk you run by buying split tickets. 

Fast_ted

Hi JP & DGG,

Thanks for your replies. The ticket was a through ticket. I will respond to BA on the basis that my arrival at my final destination was delayed by more than 6 hours and give them a week to respond before taking it to the regulator. I'll see what they come back with but I agree it was in their control and I think I should be compensated although I can't find too much information in relation to missing connecting flights due to not being let off the plane.

Thanks,

FT

JPears

You can't go to CAA - the regulator.

You will need to go through CEDR - an A.D.R.

Or small claims court.