[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Excuse my French but the CE cabin was not fooking overbooked. I had a good view from row 9. Legacy CC get a life! How many seconds does it take to serve an extra passenger in Club Europe. Byebye BA

[DavidGordon10]

I can understand your anger Alexpo. Failures of customer care, like this, can drive you away from one airline for a very long time or even for ever. A ghastly experience on United between LAX and SFO twenty years ago has meant that I have not flown United since. And unpleasantness from BA staff at Manchester meant that I switched my 1x or 2x per week MAN – LHR round trips to BD.

Airline management – think of the revenue loss when you get up our noses….

[Cheeryguy]

May I ask did you pay the online upgrade at BA.COM, then were downgraded?
Reading your email from BA, it would appear they are giving you that money back and paying you compensation, albeit not much.
I’m just trying to get a clear picture of events.
VBR.

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Good evening David

For a long time I have had a love/hate relationship with BA, but this time it has tipped me over the edge.

Hi Cheeryguy, I paid for original and subsequent upgrade on ba.com using my credit card.

[PatJordan]

Alex, I think the BA response is downright insulting.

I feel that if you were a Gold member, they might just have had a different attitude.

Try escalating the matter to a higher grade within BA. I’d certainly keep the pressure on “Customer Services”. Maybe even an email to

<a href="mailto:[email protected]“>[email protected]

As far as I know he is a senior manager in customer relations, and when I was ignored by BA Customer Relations, my contacting him got a swift (and acceptable) outcome for me.

Best of luck with this, Alex

[mkcol74]

I’ve had a variety of Avios thrown my way for a variety of things, and there never seems to be a proportionate level of compensation – it’s like whoever is writing it plucks a number out of thin air each time.
Just had my 3rd BA flight without my kosher meal served, and I checked it was in my profile before we flew! I’ll be intrigued to see what the response is this time.

[IanFromHKG]

Alexpo, I would say that that response is beyond insulting. I have very little tolerance for being lied to by anyone. If I were you (and I can entirely understand if you feel that it isn’t worth the bother) I would write back expressing the same sentiments – that you know perfectly well that the cabin wasn’t overbooked, and that the real problem was understaffing (although perhaps what they are really trying to say is that it was overbooked for the number of crew available??).

I also cannot help but wonder whether every other pasenger in the cabin had the same or higher status than you – would there really be ZERO non-status passengers in the cabin who could have been downgraded ahead of you?

Having said all that, IF they return the entire upgrade fee, you will be better off than receiving the 30% you are entitled to under EU261. So maybe best to wait until you see what comes back, and then decide whether to and how to respond.

It would be interesting to see an “Ask Alex” feature on this – in such circumstances, where you paid separately for the ticket and the upgrade, how is EU261 compensation calculated?

[Chiantikid]

No it wasn’t overbooked. You’re right. This happened because BA got the crewing level wrong on the day. Funnily enough we are about to go through a number of changes on shorthaul and it seems one is about being more flexible in these situations. As I said earlier alexpo, I would have kept you in Club myself. You’re right, it’s only ONE more customer. The purser was within their ‘working’ rights but we’ve got individuals who don’t quite get the business world we are in. I don’t as a crew member understand the compensation situation but it does seem a bit mean to me. If you can be bothered I’d write back to BA and say this was nothing to do with overbooking but it was to do with not scheduling enough crew on your flight to enable you to be in Club. The overall cost of an extra crew member is surely a lot more than the compensation you got. Please quote me if you wish. Good luck

[Henryp1]

Very frustrating but I can’t make out if you upgraded after purchase of an economy ticket and if BA have fully refunded that amount. I think that’s the least that should happen.

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Hello Henry – yes, I paid for an upgrade after original Economy booking. My understanding is that I will receive €37.77 + £69 (price paid for a o/w upgrade) + nothing in the form of a goodwill gesture.

I really do appreciate your input here Ian, Pat, Chianti (is that your real name?!!) canucklad and others.

Top tip: if phoning BA CR from outside the UK, try phoning your local BAEC number and asking to be put through. Here they usually answer immediately.

But I won’t be calling for a third time. As a last resort I may try that e-mail contact you kindly provided Pat.

[PeterCoultas]

Iinteresting thread: signed up (years back) with United as BA then gave no FF credit on transatlantic for other than business flights (a careful spender as costs on my grants & wanted business on the overnights not the day flights). 500,000 miles later (& Gold) given a bad experience from South America, have only flown circa 20k miles with United in the last 15 years.
The problem is that sooner or later there is a bad trip – if the airline responds well you feel good, if not they lose big time as there are always alternatives. Hopefully for BA, alexpo will get the good outcome!

[DavidGordon10]

Spot on Peter …. and mirrors my earlier post. Same airline (United) too.

[MartynSinclair]

I’ve just been downgraded from Club to the Terminal. Email and text from BA advising my flight tomorrow night from FRA to London has now been cancelled.

EDIT

Been into the BA website. I must call BA to change, but strangely, I am able to book a revenue ticket for this flight in Club for Euros 500 + (single)..

Any body able to offer any help…

EDIT (2)

Website would NOT allow me to choose an alternative flight

I tried phoning the BA German office as advised – CLOSED!

Tried calling UK (wonder if I can claim for the cost of the mobile phone call) – message – We are very busy, please call back…!

Bloody disgrace!

EDIT 3

got though to the sales office who advised I needed to speak to the Customer Service centre – another hold… sorry, I flipped!

Nice to see how passengers are treated (irrespective of status) when BA cancels flight.

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

Sorry to hear this Martyn.

Were you booked on the 913 tomorrow evening?

If so, why have you been informed that it has been cxd when it clearly hasn’t?

Why, as a GCH, have you not been offered an alternative?

Sorting a problem out with BA is never easy at the weekend, especially if outside the UK. I hope you find a suitable flight.

Will be following this one with interest.

I suspect shorthaul Club is in for a rough ride.

[NameRemoved-18/12/14]

According to the flight tracker BA913 has indeed been cancelled yet it still appears possible to buy a ticket. The two earlier flights look very busy.

Is LCY an option Martyn?

edit: at €867 I suspect not.

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