[DanielRawson]

I was booked along with my wife and son in Club World using Avios From Las Vegas to Leeds via LHR. The flight was delayed 2 hours due to ‘the aircraft having to be fuelled manually’. This left us unable to get on our connection to Leeds so we were offered 2 choices.

1) British Airways would put us up overnight in the Sofitel and fly us to Leeds in the morning.

Or

2) Transfer us to the Manchester flight that evening but we would have to pay for the taxi back to Leeds.

Would it seem unreasonable of me to think that they should pay for the taxi?

As an aside my wife who is completely oblivious when it comes to the quality of an aircraft cabin thought the Club World in the 747 was an absolute disgrace. It was literally falling apart. She has to use some cardboard to keep the TV screen from closing itself!!!

Finally on the way out we were with my grandmother who needed wheelchair assistance which was prebooked. The first time we saw a wheelchair was when we arrived in the USA. Until then despite it being on the booking it is was never available.

Is it worth my time complaining about these issues?

I should say I’m usually a BA lover not a hater and also the crew both ways were fantastic.

Daniel

[mkcol74]

Yes – if you don’t mention they cannot have the opportunity to change things. You may not get the answer you want though.

As for taxi to Leeds – yes, they ought to be doing so as your ticket is from Las Vegas to Leeds, so it is their responsibility to get you there. Which did you choose?

[DanielRawson]

Mkcol74,

Thanks for your reply.

I chose the Manchester option as I didn’t really fancy a night in the hotel to then have to get up for the 0730 flight and go through check in etc again. I was home 2 hours later than I should have been and just rather annoyed they refused to pay the taxi. It’s a pain to have to go to the effort of complaining but I will out of principle.

Daniel

[stevescoots]

Unfortunately, the reality of BA’s shabby cabins is not just on their old 747 Bangers. I had the same issue on one of their new 787’s except the crew jammed it in place with cocktail sticks and a straw.

I would have preferred the Taxi as well however BA did offer to get you to your destination with material costs covered so they have met their requirements

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=835463]I was booked along with my wife and son in Club World using Avios From Las Vegas to Leeds via LHR. The flight was delayed 2 hours due to ‘the aircraft having to be fuelled manually’. This left us unable to get on our connection to Leeds so we were offered 2 choices.
1) British Airways would put us up overnight in the Sofitel and fly us to Leeds in the morning.
Or
2) Transfer us to the Manchester flight that evening but we would have to pay for the taxi back to Leeds.
Would it seem unreasonable of me to think that they should pay for the taxi?
As an aside my wife who is completely oblivious when it comes to the quality of an aircraft cabin thought the Club World in the 747 was an absolute disgrace. It was literally falling apart. She has to use some cardboard to keep the TV screen from closing itself!!!
Finally on the way out we were with my grandmother who needed wheelchair assistance which was prebooked. The first time we saw a wheelchair was when we arrived in the USA. Until then despite it being on the booking it is was never available.
Is it worth my time complaining about these issues?
I should say I’m usually a BA lover not a hater and also the crew both ways were fantastic.
Daniel
[/quote]

Let’s deal with your concerns, one by one.

1) The first question is was the re-fuelling delay an extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken? I don’t know, so you might like to try checking with Bott & Co’s database, to see if they have a view as to whether EC261 compensation is due

2) If it is and you and your party arrived back at LBA (not MAN) over 3 hours late or over 4 hours late, you would receive between €300-600 each

3) Article 8.3 of EC261 states

3. When, in the case where a town, city or region is served by several airports, an operating air carrier offers a
passenger a flight to an airport alternative to that for which the booking was made, the operating air carrier
shall bear the cost of transferring the passenger from that alternative airport either to that for which the
booking was made, or to another close-by destination agreed with the passenger.

Note, the regulation does not state ‘taxi’, only ‘the co3t of transferring’ and BA could have offered you rail or coach tickets, but they are on the hook for the transfer – do not accept ‘no’ and be prepared to take recovery action, either by applying to CEDR or MCOL – NB: exception circumstances are IRRELEVANT to this claim and BA must provide a transfer, so their staff misinformed you – some posters on here would say they ‘lied’, others that they simply gave the wrong information – either way, it is not acceptable that staff give out a view that does not comply with statutory regulations.

The airline is also required to inform you of your rights – did this happen? (either verbally or by being handed a letter).

4) BA’s old 747s are notorious for their ‘shabby chic’ cabins – by all means complain, but Alex Cruz has 800,000 reasons (plus bonus) to have cloth lugs

5) Wheelchair provision at Heathrow is provided by a company called Omniserve – the airline makes the booking, but is not responsible for the service delivery; you could inform BA that it failed and that you, as a BA customer, were disappointed

[SwissExPat]

I once had a through BA ticket which required me to transfer from LCY to LGW (in Y+) and there is a 4.5 hour connecting time (I do this regularly)

The inbound to LCY went tech and was delayed by 4 hours.

On arrival in LCY I went to the BA desk and showed my Docs etc.

They rebooked me on the flight from LGW the next day, booked me into the Hilton LGW and without asking (Surprisingly) gave me a BA logo TAXI voucher for the taxi to LGW (NormallyI make the transfer via Rail at my own cost). The taxi bill came to Stg 115.

So it seems that often do this without even being asked to do it.

Your case seems to be even more deserving!

[AlanOrton1]

I’m guessing as the OP said he got home 2 hours later than he should of, it might be difficult to claim EC 261.

I had reason to claim this last month due to a delay which led to a missed connection and to be fair to BA, they sent me a cheque within a week of the claim being made.
(Unlike Norwegian who I’m still waiting for a reply after they cancelled a flight with few hours notice due to a technical reasons, and offered an alternative flight 2 days later!)

Had the same issue with the video screen on a 380 last month. A scrunched up t-shirt of mine did the trick, but not ideal.

Good luck pursuing the taxi element, it would be a decent gesture if they did.

[norbert2008]

I have found the on board forms available from Cabin Crew have always got a reply and can be by phone, (tick the box) although living in Norfolk I missed the call (no signal) this monday and nothing since. But have had long conversations in the past and Avios points given out. They may also send you an online survey about how things were delete with, sadly it has not yet so bad results from me. Good luck.

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=835550]I’m guessing as the OP said he got home 2 hours later than he should of, it might be difficult to claim EC 261.
I had reason to claim this last month due to a delay which led to a missed connection and to be fair to BA, they sent me a cheque within a week of the claim being made. (Unlike Norwegian who I’m still waiting for a reply after they cancelled a flight with few hours notice due to a technical reasons, and offered an alternative flight 2 days later!)
Had the same issue with the video screen on a 380 last month. A scrunched up t-shirt of mine did the trick, but not ideal.
Good luck pursuing the taxi element, it would be a decent gesture if they did.
[/quote]

I think you will find the OP wrote that his ex US flight was delayed by two hours, causing a misconnect at London – we don’t know how long the subsequent delay was, but the inference I read suggests it was a longer delay and the critical time point is when he and his family reached LBA (or the local agreed alternative place), not MAN.

Good luck pursuing the taxi element, it would be a decent gesture if they did.

Decent gesture? BA is obliged to pay for the transfer costs from MAN to LBA (or a local alternative), by failing to advise the pax of his rights or to arrange transport, they don’t have a leg to stand on, IMO.

[AlanOrton1]

The OP said he reached home 2 hours late – that was the basis for my comment on EC 621.

Either way, best wishes Daniel

[esselle]

If option 2 was offered as transfer to MAN but you pay your own taxi to LBA, and that was the option that was accepted, it seems to me that the OP gave away any right to claim for a taxi fare at that point.

[TominScotland]

FDOS – I know you are never wrong but the OP did say ” I was home 2 hours later than I should have been” so all the stuff about EC261 is probably irrelevant….

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

They are obliged only to get you from A-B…. that doese not even have to be on the same day as the ticket I am afraid. Option “A” would fulfill that.
Option “B” is a take it or leave it alternative. Unless it is urgent that you get there same day i would stay in the Sofitel [nice] and also take the many hundreds of EUR in compensation you are entitled to [which no doubt they did not tell you about].
If the product is disgraceful then I would make comment.

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=835599]FDOS – I know you are never wrong but the OP did say ” I was home 2 hours later than I should have been” so all the stuff about EC261 is probably irrelevant….
[/quote]

At the risk of you deciding to assault me 🙂 I did miss the Daniel’s second post.

However, it is non-sequitur that EC261 is irrelevant, as only the compensation part would not apply.

[FDOS_UK]

[quote quote=835583]If option 2 was offered as transfer to MAN but you pay your own taxi to LBA, and that was the option that was accepted, it seems to me that the OP gave away any right to claim for a taxi fare at that point.
[/quote]

esselle FYI (and any other interested parties) EC261 obligations cannot be limited or waived, the airline should advise the passenger of their rights and the regulation expressly states

If, nevertheless, such a derogation or restrictive clause is applied in respect of a passenger, or if the passenger is not correctly informed of his rights and for that reason has accepted compensation which is inferior to that provided for in this Regulation, the passenger shall still be entitled to take the necessary proceedings before the competent courts or bodies in order to obtain additional compensation.

[Author]

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