BA flight cancellation, five day wait for new flight or pay for upgrade

Figlover

Hello,

I am wondering if anyone can suggest a way forward for us.  Our return flight to the UK with BA was cancelled five hours before departure on Saturday 2nd September.  We weren’t automatically offered a replacement flight the next day, unlike several other families we spoke to.  We called BA twice and were told there were no seats on the flight the following day, unless we were prepared to upgrade to business class for an extra £500 each (three of us flying, so £1500 extra).  The alternative offered was a flight on Wednesday 6th September or a refund.

During the second phone call we found out there was one seat in economy, so we eventually agreed to pay £1000 for two to upgrade as we had to be back at work on the Monday and our child at school in the week.  The ridiculous thing is they put us up in a hotel with a rack rate of 200 euros a night plus full board, which would have been equivalent to the upgrade price over four nights if we had opted to wait til Wednesday.  

We flew in last night and there were five empty seats in Business Class and two in Economy.  I am disgusted that they are leaving people stranded for days when there are empty seats on flights and expecting them to pay hundreds of pounds during a cost of living crisis.  

I should also mention that I am registered disabled (profoundly deaf in both ears), so life is more stressful for me on a day to day basis but we weren’t given priority.  BA knew this as I had ticked their disability box when booking. We’ve flown with them for years but I am so disgusted I may boycott them in future.

In the meantime, do we have a leg to stand on regarding compensation?  We paid by credit card for the original flights and the upgrade.  I have travel insurance too but am not sure I can claim and from whom?

Thanks for reading and any advice you can give me.

Caz3121

what routing and what was the reason for the cancellation?

Figlover

It’s was Ljubljana to London Heathrow.  No reason given but presumably due to the continued computer glitch problem earlier in the week.