Losing plot whether to cancel BA holiday

[PrettyLittleCryer]

Argh! I know nobody has a crystal ball to know what will happen but am driving myself mad trying to second guess what we should do.

We have a hol booked for peak Summer. Including flying on one of the busiest days of the airport calendar. We are flying with BA, from Heathrow. It is a complete package from BA, including transfers etc. This isn't small money- we are paying a hefty chunk of our savings for it as so wanted to splash out on a special hol after missing so many for covid, including missing our big wedding anniversary holiday we'd planned.

But we haven't paid the full amount yet, only the deposit. We've got 2 weeks to decide and just don't know what to do. Part of me is clinging onto any hope of going. The other part is ridiculously worried about:

• Losing all or part of such a huge amount of money
• it getting cancelled and ending up with nothing for 2 weeks' of the DCs summer
• Things going hideously wrong like getting stuck there or transfers not happening
• Security! Surely there are big security risks at the moment with everything being so chaotic. I'm a nervous flyer as it is.

WWYD?

But you'll be refunded if it doesn't go ahead, so surely there's nothing to lose.

Start packing !!!

If they cancel then you’ll be refunded and surely you will be in the same position with anything else you book instead . I don’t think security is any more of a problem than it’s been for the last few years .

Just go, life is too short, if anything does happen insurance covers it.

If you cancel then I think you'll lose your deposit, so don't do that. I'd just pay the balance and hope for the best. If BA cancels then at least you'll either get offered an alternative holiday or vouchers so you can book something different. And if they do cancel, they tend to do it more than 2 weeks before departure, so you'll have time to rebook or arrange an alternative.

Security! Surely there are big security risks at the moment with everything being so chaotic. I'm a nervous flyer as it is

Hate to say but I agree with this and this would be my main concern at the minute.

I could deal with delays, lost luggage, even last minute cancellations. Awful, disappointing, but I'd take the risk. If its all ATOL protected and on a credit cards, there's no real risk to your money.

But the level of chaos at the minute makes me feel really jittery. I don't want to see photos of the bloody co pilot on the runway chucking luggage on the plane because there are no staff. I want him on the plane, concentrating on all the pilot-y stuff he should be!

The lack of staff is an accident waiting to happen imho and personally I wouldn't get on a plane right now.

id just make sure everything had flexible cancellation with full refund

We flew with BA from Heathrow on the Friday of the jubilee weekend and it was absolutely fine, completely normal.

From what I could work out, BA have been more proactive than e.g. Easyjet with their cancellations. Even if it's not altruistic, they've been giving more than two weeks notice.

Plus Heathrow is by and large managing the issues better than other airports because it (and especially T5) has continued to operate throughout Covid. It's not had a sudden ramp up like Gatwick.

I would go for it.

I'm abroad at present and everything went smoothly, slightly longer to check luggage in, I've flown from several UK airports this year and have no complaints.
Make sure your insurance covers forced stay; in case you have to remain longer at your destination.

Just go. Life is too short and we’ve had too much stolen already.

Maybe the media are making it all sound much worse than it is. But by all accounts, a massive % of BA travellers from Heathrow at the moment are arriving without their luggage or the wrong luggage - surely that in itself is a security issue if luggage isn't being checked and handled properly

If you're concerned by these pictures www.itv.com/news/meridian/2022-06-18/passengers-forced-to-fly-without-luggage-at-heathrow-as-bags-pile-up, these were from T2 from which BA does not operate.

Ultimately only you know yourself. If you're going to fear the worst and worry about all the what ifs then perhaps you'd be better off not going. I think it would be a great shame given what you'v said.

p.s. data source for 'massive % of BA travellers'?

Another alternative OP might be moving your holiday to a later date. If you've only paid a deposit it might be worth checking the Ts and Cs to see if you could switch it to a later date you're more comfortable with.

So you're thinking of losing your deposit in case your holiday gets cancelled, rather than waiting to see if it is cancelled, in which case you'd get all your money back?

We flew from Heathrow with BA a couple of weeks ago. It was totally fine, no queues at security - I think that Heathrow (apart from the recent baggage fiasco) is the least affected airport, and BA have cancelled flights proactively rather than at the last minute. I would try to go with hand luggage only though if you can and your kids are old enough to pull their own bag along, Have a great holiday :)

I flew into Heathrow yesterday and had to wait about an hour for luggage. Not ideal, but a lot better than we were expecting from recent media reports. I also flew out of Terminal 5 on the jubilee bank holiday and it was fine. Very busy, but only noticeable in the bars and restaurants. The queues for security were no longer than usual.

Aim to go.
Have insurance in place.
Take carry on luggage with some essentials for a few days just in case.
Why assume you wouldn't be one of the majority who are having no issues??

Also I flew through LHR over half-term. BA did cancel my flight but weeks in advance. It was really easy to go onto the app and move the flight.

There's probably an 80/90%+ chance it will all be fine or with only minor delays/queues.

You have a package so if it is cancelled, you'll get a full refund.

If this happens, you could possibly look for something last minute within the time you have available. Imagine the fun you'd have walking into a travel agent or looking online and saying 'where can we go for a week/ten days from tomorrow. We can go anywhere'

Mix up your packing between your suitcases and squeeze a couple of outfits each in your hand luggage to cope with any luggage delays.

If something goes wrong with the transfer, just get a bus or taxi and send the bill to BA.

Have a lovely holiday.

Thank you so much everyone, the perspective is really helpful. The media do love to hype everything up and it's hard not to feel stressed but we all really really want this holiday so I think you're right we just need to take the chance. Does anyone know what happens with BA package holidays to your transfers if you get massively delayed or moved to a different day? Our hotel is 2 hours from the airport so not so easy to just flag a taxi

if it's a proper package then hope for the best. BA have been preemptively cancelling flights but I know are aiming not to cancel at short notice and thus far have mostly held to that. I know a few people who have been cancelled on BA but they were to places where there are several flights a day so they have been re-accommodated same day. Tui or Easyet otoh are cancelling all over the shop.

Just been on a package and like you was worried. but at least as a package i would get it back if we didn't fly. As it happened we did, airports were very busy but no major drama and we're pleased we went. Do make sure you have change of clothes, swimwear and some suncream in your hand luggage though. I bought apple airtags (trackers) to put in my luggage which eased the anxiety a bit.

Whilst it seems like loads of delays and cancellations, the actual figures haven't actually been that high. It's still only a pretty low percentage of flights cancelled and most people have found out in advance and given the chance to rearrange, mostly able to fly in the same day and from same airport albeit with a different time.

A very small percentage have found our last minute or even when on the plane. Obviously this is awful if it happens to you. But the risk is still very low if you being affected to that extent.

Missing the flight can be combatted but being even earlier to check in than ever before. Or trying to go hand luggage only where possible. If security is very busy going through for bag check tell someone as soon as you can. We did this and they weee great and took us forward. It's essential to let people know though rather than just standing and hoping someone officially calls your name. But we've travelled 3 times and Dd twice this year so far and it only happened once, we told someone and all was fine.

You shouldn't lose money if you have a cancelled or delayed fine. The airlines should refund. However if booking separately get good travel insurance and take it from the minute you book the holiday, not from the date you go away.

We've not had any issues at all with passport control or bag collect on the way back any of the times and not has Dd.

Keep all essentials in your hand luggage just incase, and if room, pack a spare set of clothes for your way there. Ensure all medication etc is in hand luggage.

The airline should give you an allowance to buy anything you need if your case doesn't get there with you. Almost all cases arrive within a day or two after if it is delayed but even then they give you an allowance to replace anything needed before hand.

We've been through Manchester and Heathrow this year, abd Dd has been through Manchester and Liverpool. We've flown a mix of BA, TUI, Jet2, Ryan Air and Easy Jet.

The only issue we had was Tui long haul via Manchester. The Tui check in line was huge for bag drop and the bag check/security line was huge. We were very tight for time in the end but asked part way through security line and they let us skip the queue and we made it with no issues behind that. We've been away since with no issues and only yesterday booked a summer holiday for just under 5 weeks time, so it hasn't put me off.

I hope you get to enjoy your holiday!

do go -media love hype and drama -it's unlikely you'll be affected.don't worry about pilot helping with luggage - no short cuts would be taken by him

Argh now BA are striking at Heathrow! The irony of all this is we were originally booked with Tui and switched....that seems to have backfired spectacularly!