[TiredOldHack2]

My bad luck again.

After BA cancelled and then rescheduled my return flight from JNB (strike issue), my outward flight on September 1, BA 055, went tech just as we were heading for the lounge.

Thumbs down to the staff at gate A13 who, after we’d been told by email to go there, directed us to the Business desk in the Galleries lounge where there was one, just one, person trying to cope with all the re-bookings. We were sent back to A13.

We were put up in the Holiday Inn Express (as Gold, travelling with wife and daughter, all three of us in CW I’d hoped for something better). It’s awful, but it was a bed for the night. Bloody awful food, mind.

Thumbs down to BA who ensured that the rebooked flight on September 2 arrived at 2200 local, killing our chance of getting close to the Kruger that evening, and refusing to put us up in a hotel at JNB. Cancelled our hotel in Nelspruit and booked into the Southern Sun in O R Tambo (highly recommended, actually).

Had to advise AVIS JNB that we would be appallingly late in collecting the hire car (Nissan X-Trail; hired one last year; very good if a bit lacking in luggage space). Needed their Avis booking number for that. Hit my mobile BA app to get it, only to be confronted by: “We regret that we cannot display vouchers at the moment”.

Can BA and spent 35 minutes on hold, and finally get the reference number. Phone Avis JNB and back it up with an email.

Thumbs up to the lady on the desk at the Gold Galleries lounge at LHR who, when I politely asked if I could bring two people in, instead of one, saw our booking details and said: “Under the circumstances….”, thereby confirming my opinion that individual BA staff are great but their management needs a short sharp shock.

Good flight out, mind, charming crew, excellent cabin service, reunited with luggage at JNB, united with hire car, found the hotel, crawled into bed at midnight, up at 7 for breakfast and then off and Hallelujah, am now on safari.

And discovered that BA hadn’t Credited my account with TPs and Avios for my Chicago flight the preceding week, filled out the form to claim, got a reply that both TPs and Avios had been refused (no reason given), sent a polite email, got them credited.

TL:DR – we are now enjoying our holiday and I have calmed down but, oh sweet Jesus, I do not ever want to go through that again. And we still have to get home.

[SimonS1]

[quote quote=960420]
TL:DR – we are now enjoying our holiday and I have calmed down but, oh sweet Jesus, I do not ever want to go through that again. And we still have to get home.[/quote]

I thought there already was a thread about this but good to hear you made it and are enjoying the break.

Time to choose a serious airline, I would suggest.

[Swissdiver]

Rebooking: Can’t they do this in the lounge?

Hotel at T5: I demand! Last time I got stuck there, the Sofitel was full (all flights cancelled created a mess) so they put me in the Hilton at T4. Not perfect, but at least a decent place.

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