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

[Echofallen]

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

Train to London?

@saleorbouy

Train to London?

The pitfalls of doing that have been mentioned already.

It’s a single booking (single PNR)…if the passenger doesn’t attempt to fly the first sector with BA (e.g. instead they travel to London by road/train/another operator such as Easyjet) they jeopardize the remaining sectors.

Any progress @Echofallen?

If he gets a train to London instead, make sure his onward flights are "protected" (in airline terms). It means the agent flags in the system that he won't be on the first flight but will be on subsequent flights. As pp mentioned, if the subsequent flights aren't "protected" they might automatically be cancelled.

notimagain
But if the first leg of the journey is cancelled by the carrier the he's either jot going or needs to make other arrangements to meet his original schedule or wait for the original carrier to present new tickets.
In my experience in instances like this the first carrier has laid on a coach or taxi.

I know they're saying it isn't a cyber attack but surely this is too much of a coincidence given that Russia banned BA from their airspace yesterday?

Surely they're telling us it's not a cyber attack to stop everyone going into a panic? Because if it is in fact a cyber attack by Russia, then things are escalating very quickly outside of Ukraine.

2.5 hours queuing (as we'd been told to do if we were catching a connecting flight) barely moving and then when we got near the front they said they'd stopped taking calls to try to rebook us. So we're going to go home and rebook there. What a faff.

He should be eligible for some money back if it’s BA’s fault

@confusedlots

People are obviously seeing what they want to see (unless it’s their BA booking ).

What I would say I guess some people looking at this problem for the first time, perhaps seeing it in the context of current events may not be aware of BA’s long and inglorious history when it comes to IT and associated problems..the systems have been pushed over the edge in previous years without outside help.

To provide examples of such you’ll find the links below take you to headlines that v similar to those being used today so it’s worth actually checking the dates these articles were written.

www.reuters.com/article/us-british-airways-technology-idUSKCN1UX0M3

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-40069977

@Echofallen

Also it was booked through a third party website so no BA text, not sure if he'll get anything back either!

He'll be able to claim compensation under EU261 (now UK 261), most likely the max amount of £520 since he's flying to the US and he's obviously delayed by more than 4 hours. This is in addition being rebooked etc.

Make sure he puts a claim in via BA's website as it's unlikely he'll get it automatically given the state of BA's current processes as well as him having booked through a third party.

@HundredMilesAnHour it’s too early to say whether or not he’d get the £520 compensation because BA don’t have to pay it if the cause of the delay falls within the definition of “extraordinary circumstances”. This does sound like an IT balls up, in which case they will indeed be on the hook, but if it was in fact a cyber attack it might be EC. It’s quite a nuanced area of the law, and it’s for the airline to make out the defence so definitely worth putting the claim in. But just saying it’s not automatic for any delay.

What he IS entitled to, regardless of the cause of the cancellation and delay, is reimbursement or re-routing (he can choose). If he choose re-routing they are also obliged to offer him care and assistance (meals, accommodation) until his new flight goes, though of course if they are near enough the airport he will probably just go home and not need that.

Make sure he puts a claim in via BA's website as it's unlikely he'll get it automatically given the state of BA's current processes as well as him having booked through a third party.

Just to clarify- nobody gets UK261 compensation automatically. You always have to claim it, even if you booke district with the airline and their systems and processes are working perfectly. No airline gives the money out unless it is asked. They do have to inform passengers of the right to claim, but that is where the obligation to be pro-active ends.

OP, do not bother with organisations who say they will pursue the claim for you. It’s easy to do yourself and not worth the cut that they take.

Booke district-“booked direct”

PS get the entertainer app to save loads on restaurants, snacks and attractions. I think it costs about £30 but it’s more than worth it.

Sorry wrong thread

That’s it! Thank you so much 😀

Wtf I wasn’t even on this thread, sorry

Thanks for the advice I'll tell him to put a claim in.

Also had to pay 40 quid for parking, absolute rip off.