BA sadly has turned into Ryanair

[julieannexx]

Trying to keep my disappointment / devastation to just welling up with tears and not a volcanic explosion of frustration.....

So here's my story....
We are family of 5 ecstatically looking forward to a holiday at Oct half term in Barbados with extended family.
As school break up days worked out, it seemed like a good idea to send my DD1 (12yrs) out with my brother (her uncle) 2 days before the rest of us fly.
Flights were booked - restricted of course, but still mega bucks - what could go wrong - we were with BA !
My brother is no longer able to go (long story).
So rather than get cross - I thought I'd call up BA and use their Skyflier Solo service for DD1 (12yrs) as Granny will be there to meet her at the other end.

No they said - it's been discontinued as of Feb this year (despite most other airlines having this)
OK - Can we change the name on booking from Uncle to Dad?
No they said - No names changes allowed (despite most other airlines allowing this for an admin fee)
OK - Can we move Dad's flight by 2 days?
No they said - you have to cancel (no refund except half the taxes) and you have to buy a new ticket £1021.50.

I am not naïve enough to think that if you buy a restricted ticket and then change you mind, that an airline will accommodate.
However to discontinue a child safe guarding service and offer absolutely no flexibility whatsoever to a family who has spent £3.5k - I think stinks.
We are not asking for anything that we haven't already paid for.
In fact we are giving them back a seat !

So our choices are:
(1) our child travels completely alone on a long haul flight
(2) we don't get to go on holiday

So massively disillusioned with BA - which has this year turned into Ryanair :-(

Most people work hard for their holiday.
Your brother is the one who has fucked you over, not BA.

I think people are being a bit harsh here. OP clearly understands the T&C's etc. BA are not going to give any special treatment or flexibility, and yeah, that sucks. Customer service has gone downhill just about everywhere these days. It is now at the point of being a pleasant surprise to find companies willing to go the extra mile or show a little compassion. After all, OP has spent a lot of money on the tickets. Maybe it is not a lot to some, but it is to the OP, and as she said, it is hard earned.(and there are many of us who could only dream of such a holiday)
More fools the companies who value their bottom line over their customers. They seem to have lost the memo about brand loyalty.

On the practical side, I once used a helper service at the airport when travelling alone with two babies. It was booked through the lounge services. Someone met me at the door and was literally a spare pair of hands getting babies and luggage etc to the correct gate. It was a fantastic service. The price included entry to the lounge (which I couldn't use due to the children's age) but I really didn't mind, as it was the help that I needed, not the free cuppa

Ok, deep breaths @julieannexx, you are getting a bit of an unnecessary kicking here, to no real benefit except the kicker.

I understand your comparison - nobody in their right mind thinks BA and Ryanair are an equivalent offering, that's what you are saying. Its not about whether Michael O'Leary flies his planes to the exact same destination etc.

....and yes I am upset with my brother
Understandably. As my pp, is there ANY option where he can commit to his original plan, even if it puts him out a bit? Think as laterally and off-the-wall as you can. Could granny/someone fly here and escort her back?

If not, then you can...

1. Fork out for a new ticket for your daughter (do check whether your bro's travel insurance covers whatever emergency means he cannot travel now, there might be something to be claimed to offset the cost).
2. Send her off alone and practice and instruct her about navigating the airport in advance. Use the special assistance service, facetime her, give her a written list of steps if you need to. She could easily surprise you - and if you treat it like "of course I know full well you are capable and clever enough to get there" then she might pick up this positive vibe from you and excel! She doesn't need to be a gibbering wreck" at all!

It's do-able, and there IS a solution. Just need to find it!

Big girl pants on, shoulders back....

I get the point you are making.

I also think that a good airline would be able to offer you some solution. You wouldn't expect a budget airline to do anything because you really aren't paying for anything other than a seat on a plane. Other carriers like BA need to offer service as reflected in their prices. Otherwise next holiday you pick a different airline.

I think your 12 year old should travel alone. Their must be some help from somewhere in airport. I get your concerns though - delays, something goes wrong with hand luggage, leaves her tickets on the seat etc etc. She'll be fine on the plane. Just needs a bit of lateral thinking perhaps.

But you aren't wrong Op. BA are increasingly budget airline.

I'd be extremely concerned about my 12 year old flying alone.

My solution would be to get DB to buy a new ticket and pay for a chaperone for her.

This is what your DD needs OP: www.heathrow.com/airport-guide/terminal-facilities-and-services/concierge-service

Really though, it's your brother who has landed you in the shit as it's going to be a bit miserable for your DD to travel on her own. Sure she'll survive tho

I flew a lot at that age on my own. I was escorted to and from the plane. That's all she needs really.

What if she gets sick on the plane? Surely an adult needs to be with her.

I was on my own at that age, get staff skiving wanting to keep you company etc. Will be a great experience for her

I wouldn't worry about a 12 year old flying. Ds1 would have been fine.

I get your point. BA isn't what it once was. Agreed.

Now. Onto practical issues. Seriously, I'd talk to dd. What exactly is the alternative?

What if she gets sick?

Heaven help us. What if she ........

OP, I think you might have got some different and more sympathetic answers if you were flying to Magaluf!!!
My 12 year old could probably cope in practical terms but she wouid be so anxious ( and so would I) that we wouldn't even consider her going alone
It's a bit crap but it looks like on paper BA have done nothing wrong

I couldn't give a shit where the OP's DD is flying actually @hoppinggreen

The only person that the OP should be annoyed with is the person who was supposed to be accompanying her DD.

And I hate to bring boring old economics into it but the cost of air travel has absolutely plummeted in the last 20 years. Which is great in one way (unless you bring climate change into it) because those destinations that were once the preserve of the very wealthy are now accessible to lots of people; but the inevitable consequence is that it is now more like a long distance train. If you want all the bells and whistles, you pay extra. If you buy a cheap, non-refundable, non-transferable flight, it does what it says on the tin.

Yes, you're absolutely right jiggly. The OP is claiming she's paid a premium, but at £700 per return ticket I think actually what she's got is an absolute bargain. How long is the flight to Barbados - somewhere between 8-10 hours I'm guessing? So that's £350 per person per flight to fly for 8-10 hours, which works out at about £40 per hour. That's cheaper than taking a train on many routes!

If she gets sick on plane, the cabin crew will be amazing with her. I have recently experienced this on a BA flight Barbados - London

I want an update.

Think you've had some arsey responses op. I get your point completely. This airline is completely unwilling to make any cost free changes. You expect that from Ryanair but not from BA who set themselves apart but actually are just as crappy as any budget airline (especially when you pay for a BA ticket but actually get a budget flight on another airline complete with no food etc as happened to me recently).

As for being entitled - hate that MN buzzword. How is it entitled to hope that a trusted brand will do what they can - when it costs them nothing - to make something better. They don't want to - that's their choice. But feel free to think it's a bit crap because it is.

Can she really not fly alone?

My DC have bother flown accompanied minor but at 12 I'd have no issue with them flying alone. Once they're onboard they can't go anywhere - they put headphones on and watch movies and it's a miracle if you get a peep out if them.

If it's a single flight from A to B, a sensible 12 year old should have no problems going alone. Really.

This airline is completely unwilling to make any cost free changes.

That's because the OP bought the cheap tickets which don't allow changes. No airline is going to 'bend the rules' in this instance, whether its BA, Ryanair, Emirates or anyone else. If you buy the Flex ticket, then yes, because you've 'paid a premium' to buy the flexible ticket which allows you to make changes.

I take the point that BA ain't what it used to be (you have to pay for food on shorthaul flights now, which is shit, I agree, and they have hardly any gluten free options), but in terms of adhering to its Ts&Cs it's not really fair to bash it. The OP wants an exception to made for her. I agree that her brother should be the one to sort this out, since he's the one who's caused the problem.

*cheap being a relative term here, since most people couldn't afford even those!

Juneau - actually though that makes the Op's point. Easyjet on their non flexi ticket let you make changes for a set fee plus the difference. So BA is actually less customer friendly than a budget airline.

And even if there is nothing they can do about the ticket they don't have any useful solutions for the Op other than buying a new ticket. Her daughter only needs hand holding till she's through the airport. Their must be some advice BA can give even if it's not a service they offer themselves.

OP, I think you are misdirecting your anger at the airline. You can't even book online for young people aged 12-15 travelling unaccompanied, you have to make a booking by phone. Presumably this is so they are assured the young person will be capable of travelling alone now the escort system has been discontinued.I fly regularly on BA and have received excellent service. On the last holiday it did not cost much more to fly business class, which means you can relax in the lounge first. I have flown Ryanair twice, once when all the family was split up in the rush to find a seat (before you were allocated a seat) and our DS ended up sitting alone next to a man who was looking at porn (we only found out during the holiday, not on the flight) and, more recently, with DH, where we were all put onto the aircraft and then told the flight was delayed for over an hour. Now Ryanair are cancelling flights because their staff haven't been able to take their holiday - sounds like there is industrial unrest.

Could you (or any trusted adult) book whatever the absolute cheapest flight to anywhere leaving similar time to your DD, an internal UK flight or something, then accompany her to the airport and get her to the gate? You'd just then need to go to your own gate and tell them you have to leave and won't be flying, no problem.
She'd still be flying alone but she's supported up until she's on the plane.