Multiple BA cancellations on CX ticket with no substitutions arranged

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)

  • IanFromHKG
    Participant

    Well, excuse me for having a bit of a rant, but for the third time on the same ticket, which was LHR-HKG return for our beloved Offspring (via Frankfurt on the outbound with LHR-FRA being on LH), we have had the second sector on the return cancelled without substitution.

    The first time around CX didn’t even tell us and it was only because we were checking seat allocations that we found out that the second sector (CDG-LHR on BA) had been cancelled. Literally no message from CX about this. Goodness knows what would have happened if we hadn’t checked the booking and had rocked up at the airport in HK for the flight and then found out that they were to be abandoned in Paris.

    Several lengthy conversations with CX later we managed to get them rerouted via MAN, with the second sector (MAN-LHR) again on BA, who operate four flights a day on that route. They couldn’t make the first one because of timing but were booked on the second flight

    Then, we got an email saying BA had cancelled the MAN-LHR flight. After more lengthy (and quite heated) conversations with CX, who were initially reluctant to do anything because the only seats available on the next following BA flight were in a higher fare class, we managed to get them onto the next BA flight MAN-LHR (third flight of the day).

    Then BA cancelled that flight as well. So we had a choice of having them waiting in Manchester for 8½ hours to connect to the last flight of the day from MAN to LHR (with no guarantee that that wouldn’t be cancelled too) or trying to make other arrangements. Trains were out (it would have required three changes and lots of stairs and they are going to have three suitcases each plus hand luggage). So we are having to spend hundreds of pounds to get them a car.

    So while these problems were not of CX’s making, I have to say they have been staggeringly unhelpful. No attempt whatsoever to be proactive, so we had to search for alternative routes etc and then beg with them to make changes.

    And then, just to add injury to insult, they refused point-blank to refund any part of the fare to compensate for the missing sector. We will get the taxes back for the domestic flight – eventually – but not one penny for the cancelled sector.

    Not best pleased.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    cwoodward
    Participant

    It has become obvious to me from recent experiences that the CX diamond call centre is very understaffed by both experienced operators and senior experienced supervisors.

    I had the same sort of problems as Ian describes on 2 occasions recently. When finally I after several hours, much pain and gnashing of teeth and many calls found the right person my several problems were solved quickly and beyond expectation and promised call backs were honoured to the letter.

    It seems to me obvious that the airline is trying to match staffing levels to current business levels but in doing so it is badly undershooting re the quality of service delivery available to its most valuable frequent flyers.
    If this situation is not properly and quickly remedied the CX reputation for service quality will be severely damaged.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Sunny
    Participant

    I wonder why BA did not rebook for you when they canceled their flights

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    TimFitzgeraldTC
    Participant

    Myriad of reasons – but in a lot of cases they (BA) are not automatically rebooking people at the moment. It might be that other flights are sold out – or so far off original flight time that they know many people on MAN-LHR for example will bin the leg, get a refund and take a train. also in this instance they will see not a BA (125) issued ticket.

    For Ian’s case of no part refund for the cancelled leg – if the fares are common rated from HKG to LHR/CDG/MAN – then even though a leg is cancelled a refund won’t be due as the fare to the end point taken is the same.

    But – if BA cancel the legs MAN-LHR – doesn’t matter what fare class taken as long as in same cabin as involuntary reroute allows you to take highest fare class in the cabin in question.

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    Thanks all, and especially Tim for the information about rerouting and fare classes, which I do now recall having heard of before but didn’t remember while I was on the call with Cathay!

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Polly
    Participant

    Similar situation here. CX cancelled our avios KUL HKG flt moved it to the day before. But we are on Pen Kul the day after.. CX will not budge , and there are equivalent cash J seats on the CX date they have cancelled. V weird. They just won’t put us on it. High priced tho, may be the reason. Then BA goes and cancelled our HKG LHR J seats for Nov 21st, with nothing alternative available. Hours onto BA. Problem being, trying to tie us into connecting from KUL. I did suggest they sent us from SIN, lots of J seats available, but no, they must stick to their silly 300. Mile rule, preventing this simple solution. We could simply hop from KUL to SIN, and home. But that would be just too simple. C12 hours on ph now to BA the last couple of weeks, on their silver line. Just useless. We have bought MH KUL DUB in F avios seats plus cash, as a back up. No F to LHR, fancy that. Thinking of keeping them and suing BA via MCOL or CEDR for our losses. Unreal.


    craigwatson
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1227125]

    BA can’t rebook the flight it cancelled because it is a CX ticket. Only Cathay can rebook onto a new flight.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1228432]
    One would have thought, though, that they could collaborate instead of both taking the Herod approach

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Polly
    Participant

    BA did say it’s their partner contract. Rules don’t apply to re route you if it’s CX. CX did actually re route us to the day before. But then BA had nothing in J to put us on. They kept saying to try again later, after they had set up agreements with CX,QR,AY etc.
    But then we are now left with the HKG issue of through checked bags to LHR from KUL via HKG. CX and MH are always very willing to through check bags, thankfully. But it’s too big a risk to chance it now, re the other topic.

    Craig, alter all our years of back and forth to HKG on BA and CX, l never knew it was CX responsibility to rebook us on a tkt bought via BA. Only got told that last week in one of the agonisingly long calls to a BA call centre in Delhi. Really, they really seem to have their hands tied in these call centres. The World Cup etc have tied up all the QR J options it seems too.

    Ian, don’t blame you for the moan, sympathies all the way with you…it really is a mad time for LH travel. Maybe, just maybe HKG will reduce quarantine in the next month or. That big world financial gathering scheduled is coming up, those delegates won’t be best pleased if they have to sit it out for 7 days before attending. Unable to go out to eat etc.. thinking they will have it reduced to 0 by then, somehow.


    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    Well, Polly, quarantine has been reduced massively- far more than we expected – to 3+4, and even then a fair amount of freedom during the +4. Good news, generally, but too little too late for us…

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Casey_99
    Participant

    For a trip to Oz next Feb all booked through BA, I was returning from Brisbane – HKG – LHR. The BNE-HKG leg was on Cathay. HKG-LHR on BA.
    Last week I got an email saying my Cathay flight from BNE – HKG had been cancelled. They were offering to fly me to HKG four days earlier and then connect four days later with my original HKG – LHR flight which was unacceptable.
    BA Cust Svcs thought this was because I’d have to quarantine in HKG for four days although it looks like Cathay have reduced BNE-HKG to a once per week service.
    Anyway, BA were excellent! They’ve rerouted me at no extra cost and am now flying BNE-SYD-SIN-LHR. It means I’ve got an extra flight from BNE-SYD but it also means I avoid a 7.5hr layover in HKG.
    I’m sure that route via SYD and SIN was a lot more expensive when I looked to book it.


    CathayLoyalist2
    Participant

    Casey_99 assuming you spoke to a human in getting this sorted it just underscores the necessity of getting a knowledgable and customer orientated agent. Numerous posts on the challenges experienced by people trying to rebook cancelled flights highlights inconsistencies

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    Casey_99
    Participant

    That’s true. I rang the BA Gold number and spoke to a switched-on and customer-oriented person with minimal delay waiting to get connected.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Polly
    Participant

    Casey,

    Are you on a through tkt? 1 PNR the whole way? Unfortunately we are not. CX J fm KUL to HKG via BA avios, and separately HKG to LHR J. 5 tries all on silver line, no help coordinating the 2 flts. CX nicely put us their day before one, but we couldn’t connect it to the LH fm HKG, sadly. Will keep phoning tho..again the issue is bagged need to be checked through. And CX are v good at doing that through Asia. As are MH.

    Well done on your successfully re routing in a timely manner.


    FormerBA
    Participant

    It at times like this that I am grateful for the UK/EU261 regs. I had a LHR HKG DPS cancelled with F seats on BA the CX J. It took quite a bit of calling and arguing but eventually got rerouted to QR and the experience was superb.

    If the carrier cancels ex EU or UK or is a EU / UK carrier operating into the EU they must re route. It doesn’t matter that they don’t have a commercial agreement, that seats are not available in the same class or indeed same selling class. They must rebook and it is your choice on how this is done not theirs.

    Things are challenging over the Middle East due to the world cup, but that cannot be used as a reason not to re route. If its full J or F then the EU/UK carrier is on the hook.

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