Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

BA are blaming us! Cancelled Saturday 27.6 flights

40 replies

sleepstrategy · 02/06/2017 18:19

kids were in tears as we were kicked off the plane on Saturday.
Our kids were in tears when BA sent our luggage Inc. cuddly toys to greece without us.
BA blamed us throughout - "We should have lied on the missing baggage form"... Who knew? Greece to LHR, would have guaranteed baggage delivery to home...
And "most people made it to greece" so they've booked us a return to LHR on 2.9.17, instead of refunding the return leg
Anyone want to join in a joint legal suit for compensation? My husband has been phoned at midnight and we've been pacing the floor at 4am with kids over this

OP posts:
SavoyCabbage · 02/06/2017 18:21

What? Confused

TheMysteriousJackelope · 02/06/2017 18:24

If they sent your baggage to Greece without you on the plane that is a huge security problem. I would make a formal complaint to whoever in the UK administers such things as a start.

FeckinCrutches · 02/06/2017 18:29

I've read this twice and still don't understand Confused

Original poster
sleepstrategy · 02/06/2017 18:32

Sorry for rant, so Angry at BA
Saturday BA cancelled all the flights and sent us home without our bags.
Then they sent our bags to greece

OP posts:
SavoyCabbage · 02/06/2017 18:41

So the flight was cancelled?

What do you mean they told you that you should have lied on your missing luggage form?

My dh got stuck in NY on that same day for 24 hours. His luggage was sent to Boston of all places so he was just there in the clothes he was wearing. The suitcase was returned on Tuesday. Broken but nothing missing. We were glad to get it back. This sort of thing happens all the time.

RootDeToot · 02/06/2017 18:47

BA are blaming you? Wasn't it a international computer failure?

I understand that your kids must have been really upset and it's awful for all of the people who had their plans messed up but finding your luggage when all of that was going on would have been almost, if not actually, impossible. I'd have told my kids that everything was going to be Ok.

I don't get what you mean about the return bit.

CotswoldStrife · 02/06/2017 18:51

OP, you're not making any sense. Did you actually go to Greece? Have you got your luggage back yet?

DropZoneOne · 02/06/2017 19:00

Unless you told them you wanted to cancel your flights, they would have assumed you were going to book on the next available flight out thus sending your bags on. I have 3 colleagues who's Saturday BA flights were cancelled, all made it to their destination the next day although bags took longer.

If you didn't use the outbound sector then call and ask for a full refund - they said they would waiver canx fees for affected customers.

MirandaWest · 02/06/2017 19:01

I'm confused. Why do you have a return flight booked for September?

Original poster
sleepstrategy · 02/06/2017 19:02

BA are passing the blame on to passengers for their IT incompetence eg us for not getting to greece with another carrier!
Thats the justification for not refunding the return leg.
Savoy has your dh pursued a refund with BA yet?

To get our bags delivered home, their advice was we should have lied on their form and stated the flight was going greece to LHR. That is indicative of their attitude

OP posts:
AyeAmarok · 02/06/2017 19:05

Twitter.

Original poster
sleepstrategy · 02/06/2017 19:06

Dropzoneone problem was we didn't know that
Only BA staff member in t5 airside told us to go home and wait for BA.com to come online
Then it's been days and nights of crappy phone calls trying to get bags back
We've tried on the phone to cancel the return leg instead the booking reference shows a return date of 2.9.17

OP posts:
Aliveinwanderland · 02/06/2017 19:07

I've read the whole thread 3 times and still don't understand!

So you had a return flight to Greece booked? They cancelled the flight but still sent your luggage (on another flight I assume) to Greece???

Original poster
sleepstrategy · 02/06/2017 19:22

That's exactly it Alive

We have tried to cancel flights and get the luggage sent to UK address but it's still an ongoing fight

BA are blocking refunds, telling us to claim through travel insurance

OP posts:
akkakk · 02/06/2017 19:35

read the news today on the BBC website - EU law says that BA has to sort it out - not tell you to claim on your insurance - and the Association of British Insurers have publicly told them that...

www.thecomplainingcow.co.uk/how-to-contact-ceos/

then go here: www.ceoemail.com/index-search.php
and type in british airways - start contacting the CEO and the directors - copy them all in... Grin far too much effort for them to change their email addresses - so open targets for complaints! The more you complain, the more chance it will be sorted out...

however be factual - bullet points - non-emotional and clear about what went wrong and the resolution you want...

sooperdooper · 02/06/2017 20:04

I'm very confused by the way you've described what's happened - if you're going to complain you need to be much clearer as to what happened & why you're complaining

DancingGoose · 02/06/2017 23:51

It's not that hard to understand what's happened?! Hmm

OP get armed with knowledge on your rights first and then hound the hell out of BA.

TinselTwins · 02/06/2017 23:57

OP some advise: when dealing with BA to get this sorted, leave out the crying kids part. It migh be true, it's no doubt unfortunate, but it won't help you!

Focus on their obligations and your rights! keep emotion out of it

SofiaAmes · 02/06/2017 23:59

Then call the Daily Mail and tell them about the kids crying.

Therealslimshady1 · 03/06/2017 00:07

Outrageous!

You can claim money back, but don't get emotional, just state facts.

Don't give up

Outrageous behaviour by BA!

Original poster
sleepstrategy · 03/06/2017 09:08

Thanks you all, I'm contacting moneybox live on radio 4, today, I'll stick to the facts

OP posts:
dailyshite · 03/06/2017 09:14

Before you go on twitter / money box etc I'd suggest that you try to be a bit more coherent!

youarenotkiddingme · 03/06/2017 09:45

Why is the return flight not booked until September? Were you young for a long holiday or have they changed the flight until then along with their other cock ups?

And just be clear and calm as others suggested.

They cancelled your outward bound flight
They sent your luggage on a flight you weren't on
They need to refund the return as its conditional on outbound flight being available.
They need to return your luggage to your house.

Original poster
sleepstrategy · 03/06/2017 09:49

I haven't felt strongly enough to post on MN before, though I've been a reader for a decade.
My rant was cathartic to write. Though it was difficult to read, I now realise.
Maybe I focused on everybody's kids crying, as a proxy for us adults feeling small.

OP posts:
Qtipsrsweet · 03/06/2017 09:53

I don't understand how they would have sent the bags to Greece without you being present on the aircraft. That's not BA policy at all and a huge security threat. It's something BA absolutely don't do. Even if it means delaying flights, they get the baggage off if the passenger is not on board.
I just find that hard to believe having worked for them for 20years.