[SimonS1]

So after months of sounding off about the need to restart the industry, BA has announced it will need to cancel flights as it doesn’t have the staff to manage the operation. Exacerbated because they managed to move on experienced people and are replacing with untrained newbies.

Seriously what are the people at BA smoking these days?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10663587/British-Airways-boss-says-cut-flights-weeks-avoid-meltdown.html?fbclid=IwAR2j0kq1RdxI1PL1MCHLmg_i46iPLNu5oBZj6iarxmpKuAeHZbILcxc6b9U

11 users thanked author for this post.

EasternPedlar, TimFitzgeraldTC, Shamsh1, Polly, Jacob, PatJordan, FormerBA, sparkyflier, AMcWhirter, DerekVH, ASK1945

[FormerBA]

If they do this 2 weeks in advance, there is no compensation. They will also be able to charge more for the capacity that remains.

You can be sure domestics will take the brunt and even when they have done it, nothing much will change.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Catalina, Polly

[CathayLoyalist2]

…and yet another IT meltdown!!. A further couple of hours of disruption, nothing in or out of T5, albeit reportedly now resolved.

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Shamsh1, Polly

[SimonS1]

[postquote quote=1207783]

Dozens of cancellations. I wonder how many more of these episodes there will be before CAA steps in.

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Shamsh1, Polly

[GivingupBA]

[postquote quote=1207783]

Yes, “resolved”, a quotation from BA, but the LHR departures board is full of delays and cancellations through 10 PM this evening.

This is now way beyond a joke.

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Shamsh1, Polly, ASK1945

[ASK1945]

[quote quote=1207752]BA has announced it will need to cancel flights as it doesn’t have the staff to manage the operation.[/quote]

From talking to friends, I know that many of us are now experiencing BA cancellations slightly more than two weeks in advance. I had a TLV flight (a return to LHR) booked for 1650 cancelled – the outgoing flight from LHR was unaffected. I was offered an 0700 TLV-LHR flight as a replacement – thereby losing a whole working day, which was unacceptable – or a refund by voucher.

As I already have an increasing stack of vouchers, all dated to end in September 2023, cancellation and re-booking on one of the three available alternative airlines was not an option, so I booked the 0700 on the day after I was due to return, costing me a hotel room for an additional night (paying for a whole night, but having to leave at 0300 to get to the airport in time).

It strikes me that BA have factored into their appalling customer relations and experience the fact that so many thousands of us have “lent” them interest-free millions of £GBP and so are forced to remain with BA flights for the next 18 months (at least).

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K1ngston, Shamsh1

[SimonS1]

[postquote quote=1207954]

So EC261 would apply here then.

Plenty of cancellations on the boards for today at T5…..

[bernie100]

As a family we had our BA TLV to LHR flight cancelled in April. Ba offered us a 7am flight which we refused. They then suggested Iberia via Madrid. This was refused. We suggested Virgin which they refused but then the BA agent offered to transfer us to ELAL at the same flight time as we originally booked. It was hard work negotiating with BA but it is evident that they are very short of crew and a route that was serviced by 3 flights a day is now only got a single service. Virgin have stepped in with 2 daily flights.

[ASK1945]

Bernie100 – I am pleased that you were able to get throuhgh to BA to negotiate the change. However, I gave up after several attempts and went back online to change my flight.

They are going back to two flights a day (each way) in July, although later this year (November) their second flight has been turned into an overnight one, arriving at TLV at 0400. Once I have used up all my outstanding vouchers, I will need to consider carefully whether to swap to another airline, travelling at more sociable times.

SimonS1 – I wrote “From talking to friends, I know that many of us are now experiencing BA cancellations slightly more than two weeks in advance“. You may have missed this. Of course, I do appreciate that you know that EC261 does not apply in these circumstances.

[SimonS1]

[quote quote=1208085]SimonS1 – I wrote “From talking to friends, I know that many of us are now experiencing BA cancellations slightly more than two weeks in advance“. You may have missed this. Of course, I do appreciate that you know that EC261 does not apply in these circumstances.[/quote]

I didn’t miss it – and in fact EC261 applies to all cancellations where you are holding a confirmed reservation.

The only difference is no cash compensation is payable for cancellations over 2 weeks out. However the provisions of Article 8 (reimbursement/re-routing) and Article 9 (duty of care) both apply regardless of when the cancellation is made.

There is no legal requirement for you to accept an alternative BA flight at unsuitable times. The regulation requires BA to re-route you at the earliest possible convenience – as bernie100 mentions above you can insist that this is on another carrier if that is closest to your original travel time. In your case you have three options:

1. Accept what is offered
2. Insist on transfer to another carrier closer to your departure time (as bernie100 did)
3. A refund in cash (there is no legal basis for requiring you to accept a voucher)

[ASK1945]

SimonS1

Thank you for your reply.

I learn something new every day and this is today’s learning. I did not know this. I thought that EC261 only applied when a cancellation was within two weeks of the flight.

I did try to get through to BA by phone, but was unsuccessful. I would have persisted if I had known. I have now changed my plans so will just accept what I have, but I will know next time – and with BA there will be a next time.

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Jacob, K1ngston

[openfly]

I have recently had two BA cancellations within 14 days of travel, both to INV. I knew that I was due EU261 compensation, so claimed. BA have come back to me four times refusing to pay. They state that “it is circumstances beyond our control…COVID affecting our crews”. I pointed out that it is well reported in the industry that BA had sacked cabin crew and were now very short of crew, so flights had to be cancelled. Yes, originally a Covid problem, but now a crew management problem. Of course I’m due the refunds, but as BA is obviously so short of funds I can’t be bothered to waste my valuable time chasing them. It’s only £220.

At least EasyJet flies to INV…..a reliable customer friendly airline. Many of us remember the days when BA was like that!

[openfly]

15 minutes after posting the previous, I went onto my Exec Club to check my flight next week to INV….guess what?….flight cancelled…again! Before doing anything about my EU261 claim for canx within 14 days, I attempted to book a seat on my flight. According to BA, all the flights to INV next week are operating and offering Y seats at £399, and Club for £599…one way. Gosh, a taxi would be cheaper. It’s as low as £14 on our friendly EasyJet….

What on earth is going on at our so-called national airline? The Gold line isn’t taking calls this morning…please call back later because we are busy. BA gets worser and worser by the minute!!

Another EU261 claim has gone in. Let’s see what refusal excuse I get this time.

[AMcWhirter]

Does BA want any customers before Easter Monday ?

As Simon is saying BA has hiked its short-haul fares to discourage travellers from making a booking.

Just now I checked the one-way fare Economy Plus price for LHR-AMS for Monday April 4.

Every one-way BA LHR-AMS Y flight was priced at £516. C was costlier still.

[Registration required]

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/british-airways-flight-cancelled-concorde-b2049498.html

Similar trick, to discourage new bookings, was used by Air Asia X just before it retreated from Europe in 2012.

At the time it was rumoured that this LCC would be axing LGW-KUL but airline management did not comment.

In the days leading up to it axing the London route Air Asia X’s fares were ridiculously high so one can understand why.

1 user thanked author for this post.

openfly

[DavidSmith2]

Well we are due to fly in from Accra on Thursday 14th so less than 2 weeks now. As it’s long haul I feel pretty confident we’ll be flying, but much less confident about how quickly we’ll get through immigration and baggage reclaim. T3 now. We shall see!

[Author]

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