British Airways Customer Relations Nightmare

Nelson1100

I wonder if anyone can offer any advice?

In June my daughter and I flew out to Rhodes for a holiday and when we returned to Heathrow on our British Airways flight we got caught up in the whole baggage handling chaos that was all over the headlines in the summer.

We were told that along with thousands of other passengers that we should leave the baggage hall without our luggage and file a lost bag report at BA.COM. The next morning I did that and we received a computer generated email providing two reference numbers, one for me and one for my daughter. In all the chaos it was impossible to reach anyone at BA for an update but we read that we could buy some replacement toiletries etc to replace the ones in the bags and file the receipts on the BA lost bag form which we did.

I was worried that we might not see our bags again so I called my travel insurance company who informed me that our bags were not covered on the return leg of the journey once they had been checked in by our airline. Who knew? (I checked the small print and they were correct) It turns out that our carrier was responsible for loss or damage.

A week or so later we got an email saying that our cases had been found and would be returned to us and a few days later a courier turned up with the cases. However when I looked at them I could see the built in lock on my case had been forced open and the padlock on my daughters case was completely missing, I showed the courier but he said I needed to report it to BA. When I opened my case I could see it had been rifled through and some of my shirts were missing, when my daughter looked through her case her expensive hair dryer and designer trainers had been taken along with make up items and a jacket. We were still unable to contact anyone at BA, I did manage to speak to someone at BA Customer Services but they said they couldn't help as they only deal with upcoming flights and that I had to go to BA Customer relations with baggage queries. 

It turns out that BA customer relations don't have a phone number, well they do but a recorded message just tells you that they are no longer answering calls and that you need to contact them through BA.com. The advice on there was file any receipts for missing items and they will investigate and issue a refund. We did that and a few days later received messages saying they would reimbusre us for the missing items, toiletries and replace my damaged case within 14 working days.

That was at the end of June and in August I got paid out out but my daughter still hasn't received her payment. I have tried contacting Customer Relations through the online forms, to date I have filled them out over 130 times, I have tried sending letters by post including 20 recorded delivery to the Customer relations PO Box at Harmondsworth and tried visiting their HQ myself to deliver a letter in person but security at the gate wouldn't let me through. I have tried reaching out on various social media platforms and rarely get a response and if I do I'm just told by the people monitoring the posts that customer relations are very busy and they will get back to me. I've even tried contacting various travel journalists with no luck.

I really don't know what else I can do, my daughter has spent a lot of money replacing her missing items and could really do with BA actually paying up or at least giving a reason as to why they won't - does anyone have any suggestions of how to get a response?

[Deleted User]

Try Small Claims Court. You can do it online. Since they already admitted they owe you the money it should be straightforward. No need for a lawyer or anything, you do it all yourself.

Chances are they will just pay up if you do that, they can't really contest it.