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Original poster

DH connecting flight to London cancelled, what can we do?

68 replies

Echofallen · 26/02/2022 06:13

Flying out this morning with BA to LHR and then on the US, first flight is cancelled. Can't get through to BA, help!

I'm thinking we should just go to the airport and try to organise another flight to try to get to his US one? Thanks

OP posts:
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 26/02/2022 06:17

Where are you now, and when is the second flight?

Ilikewinter · 26/02/2022 06:17

I think BA are having massive issues at the moment, I read that T5 is in chaos and all systems are down - i would goto the airport as they should re-route him.

Original poster
Echofallen · 26/02/2022 06:18

He's leaving from Edinburgh. I thought that too, see what can be done. Although it's a stupid drop off so not sure how long it would take for him to be seen I guess I'd need to park for a while and face a massive charge, ugh.

OP posts:

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Mumdiva99 · 26/02/2022 06:22

Massive charge of what £10? £20? But what has he spent on flights? Surely it's only a small percentage. And if he's flying for work you can claim it back....

Original poster
Echofallen · 26/02/2022 06:24

Yeah that's true it's just a rip off haha. It's not for work unfortunately. I've told him we can go and see what's what. He's really pissed off but hopefully we can sort something.

OP posts:
Mumdiva99 · 26/02/2022 06:30

Good luck.

Original poster
Echofallen · 26/02/2022 06:30

Thanks.

OP posts:
Original poster
Echofallen · 26/02/2022 06:31

Second flight is in the early afternoon and then when he lands in the US there's another flight to get, so knock on affect there. Hopefully it works out.

OP posts:
PadBurnup · 26/02/2022 06:33

Just drop him pay the £4 minimum ( or make him walk the 6-8 mins from the free drop off) and if you feel you need to stay close because he might be going home again,
just park up somewhere near the hotels / vaccine centre or go the gyle centre and get a coffee and a look round the shops.

If you do stay know the prices- the drop off rate for 1 hr seems to be much higher than the pick up bays !!
www.edinburghairport.com/transport-links/drive-to-the-airport

Original poster
Echofallen · 26/02/2022 06:40

Thanks for the parking info! I think I'll go in with him if that's allowed.

Train would arrive too late unfortunately.

OP posts:
nowahousewife · 26/02/2022 06:49

It’s unclear from your posts but are your flights booked by BA all the way through it did you DH make a series of separate bookings?
If all booked through BA they will have to get him there, but having flown with BA this week I’d advise him to try and go hand luggage only as they are having massive baggage issues and there’s a high chance his bags will not make it from EDI to the US due to the LHR problems. If he can’t go hand luggage only advise him to take his essentials in his hand luggage.
Good luck!

PadBurnup · 26/02/2022 06:52

It is BAs problem to fix- not yours if the flight to us is a through ticket all the way. They will reroute him if need be.

GrumpyPanda · 26/02/2022 06:54

@Echofallen

Thanks for the parking info! I think I'll go in with him if that's allowed.

Train would arrive too late unfortunately.

Are all the flights booked on a single itinerary? In that case, absolutely no train as it would invalidate the onward legs of the trip. Re getting through to BA, you might try calling one of their US or other non-UK service centres.
PadBurnup · 26/02/2022 07:09

It doesn't look very postive that he will he going anywhere today. It is looking like a massive BA system failure - lots of cancellation if he is even able to get to Heathrow.

balalake · 26/02/2022 07:21

Hope OP that somehow it can all be sorted out.

notimagain · 26/02/2022 07:25

Agree with previous comments:

If it’s complete booking with BA it is their responsibility to get DH to destination as soon as possible.

Do not do anything that invalidates the initial sector.

Handbaggage only if at all possible.

Good luck.

SeasonFinale · 26/02/2022 07:30

Even if it is not a complete booking see if your travel insurance will kick in for refunds and/or replacement

Zippy1510 · 26/02/2022 07:32

I had something similar over Christmas. Was meant to be man-Lhr then lhr-BWI. Our first flight was delayed so much we missed the second. But this all happened after check in. We were told to wait for the first flight, go to Heathrow then speak to staff there about getting to the US. The only issue was when you land at Heathrow to BA customer service desk you are sent to on air side had a queue that was hours long and the systems went down. We could see two potential flights an hour later but wouldn’t have gotten through the queue in time. I ended up cornering a random member of BA ground staff directing people off planes and pleaded with him to help us (we were travelling with a 6 month old and 3 year old). He whipped out an iPad and transferred us to a new flight then went and printed the boarding passes and we ran through Heathrow. So make sure your husband is prepared to queue or try and find someone on the ground.

HaveringWavering · 26/02/2022 07:34

Please come back and give more detail about the booking. If the first leg is not with BA and booked separately, that is unfortunately the risk he took and there is not much you can do. If, on the other hand it’s a single itinerary then BA have to sort it out and you just need to go to the airport and speak to their desk.

HundredMilesAnHour · 26/02/2022 07:36

How did he find out the flight was cancelled? Did BA text him? Usually they'd rebook you automatically and you'd accept the new flight in the app, or have to call them if you don't.

Call them at 8am on the dot when lines open. You may have to hold a while/lot but you should get through eventually.

Most important question that you haven't answered is are his flights all on the same booking (PNR)?

HundredMilesAnHour · 26/02/2022 07:42

Flyertalk saying all BA short haul flights out of Heathrow cancelled this morning:

www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/2070092-all-ba-short-haul-out-lhr-morning-26-feb-cancelled.html

However, someone is seeing a rebook option in the app so looks like your DH should be checking the app if he hasn't already.

Also sounds like flights to London City are fine so see if he can get a flight there and then transfer over to Heathrow (if he has time).

Original poster
Echofallen · 26/02/2022 07:46

Hi its the same booking but not BA all the way through. He has a case not sure if it's just clothing inside but he's got lots of stuff in his backpack too, laptop etc. At airport now.

OP posts:
HundredMilesAnHour · 26/02/2022 07:47

OP have you not even looked at BA's website??

The banner message across the top says:

Systems disruption
We’re extremely sorry, a number of our flights are disrupted today due to significant technical issues. If we've contacted you to say your flight has been cancelled, please don't go to the airport. Log in and review your options in Manage my booking.

So don't go to the airport.

notimagain · 26/02/2022 07:55

FWIW last time this happened to me with BA (not their fault, ATC strike) the process was pretty much as HundredMilesAnHour as been describing.

1.Text msg with the cancellation.

2..At some point later in the day, when BA had rejigged their program, going onto “Manage my booking” revealed a revised itinerary with the option to either accept, or cancel with refund.

Of course that was on a day when IT was fully functional.