British Airways Refusing Missed Flight Connection Compensation

Revoraman

I wonder if anyone in this Forum can kindly shed light on what to do with British Airways indifference.

In September 2022, I booked a flight to Kenya on 31st January 2023, along with a group from USA, Canada, Australia, etc which was due to depart at 5:25pm from Terminal 4 London Heathrow. Because of the repeated train strikes, and a previous National Express 'cutting it close' experience, I instead opted to catch a British Airways flight from Manchester departing at 09:55am, thinking I'd be at London Heathrow T4 in plenty of time for that 5.25pm Kenya Airways flight. Unfortunately, because of a British Airways technical issue with a rear cargo door, instead of a 9:55am departure I along with other passengers, was stuck at the departure gate sat in the plane until 4:30pm. Needless to say, when that BA1389 finally landed at T5 London Heathrow, I had already missed my onward connection to Kenya. BA staff at T5 were totally unhelpful. Did not want to know as I had booked the onward flight with Kenya Airways. I not only had to pay for an expensive overnight hotel in London, but had to fork out a further £462 for a one-way flight to Kenya on Kenya Airways the next morning in the hope I could catch up with my group.

Upon my return from Kenya 2 weeks later, when I applied to British Airways for compensation due to them causing me a missed flight and the extra costs I incurred through no fault of mine, it took them over two and half months to come up with a paltry offer of £220 for the Manchester to London flight. Despite writing to the Director of Customer Services, the CEO, British Airways have blatantly refused acknowledging that because of their combined incompetence and technical faults, I ended up out of pocket to well over £600.

daveyjp

If the trip wasn't booked as a single through ticket which is how it reads (you opted for an internal flight to get to Heathrow for a separate Air Kenya flight) your travel insurance should cover the extra costs due to a missed departure.

Voyager2002

So far as BA are concerned you were a passenger on a flight to London. That flight suffered a severe delay and so compensation is due, and the amount they have offered sounds about right. BA have no further liability: the fact that you intended to catch another flight after arriving at Heathrow is none of their business. I do wonder why you did not buy a ticket from Manchester to Nairobi, in which case the story would have been very different.

Westin

I agree with the other replies.  Unfortunately BA is right. They are not liable for your missed onward (and separate) Kenya Airways flight.

Caz3121

You did allow plenty contingency time with your booking so understand how disappointing this must have been. Hopefully your travel insurance will help with your out of pocket expenses.
Had this been on a single ticket you would have been rebooked at no cost and had your hotel etc paid for by the airline and compensated at the higher rate of £520 based on delayed arrival in Kenya, but with separate tickets BA are responsible to pay you the compensation rate for your delayed arrival to London which is a fixed rate of £220