Can we claim our extra costs after BA cancelled our flight?

[Cockahoophappy]

Morning all

BA cancelled our flight home the morning we were due to leave and put us on a flight 56 hours later.

We were unable to contact BA (numerous phone calls only lead to being cut off and sent a useless text message being directed to the their website, online options all fruitless) so had no alternative but to accept this change.

We have incurred huge costs because of this as you can imagine. Hotel, hire car extra days plus we are now flying home from a different airport, living expenses, missing 2 days work, extra dog care)

Does anyone have any legal advice please? Can we claim all this from BA?

TIA

I knew it wasnt on her side or force majeure. But my mistake was to assume it was a long haul flight. Because I always have long hauls (Work related). Sorry I irked you

...and you are also entitled to compensation

Not necessarily, it depends on the reason for the delay.

How did you know it wasn't force majeure?

Because OP has posted the reason…which was crew in the wrong place.

She did - long after the post where the PP said she knew it wasn't force majeure. So, the question still stands.

They reimbursed all of our costs within a week or so of the claim, no quibbles

That could still be Force Majeur. Lots of crew and planes were in the wrong place because of the weather and not being able to fly beyond their control.

Goodness McSpoot! How will it change your life? OP can take the advice or not. She can adjust it once she gets to the link. Do you seriously have nothing to do other than question me on this. Here we go, the way she said BA cancelled I made an assumption. If OP had come back and said the reason was different that falls outside the compensation I would have changed or someone else would have. Do you want my address so you can come get the explanation in person? Three posts I think you have made on this for me? I hope my answer has pacified you and that you feel suitably superior now

I already felt superior to you (and I made one comment to you) and, based on your response, I feel even more so. Thank you ever so much.

How did you know it wasn’t force majeure? OP said nothing of the sort. The only thing that was obvious was that she wasn’t the one that cancelled.

You didn’t irk me - just didn’t understand how you could post advice so confidently without knowing all the facts.

Very very much agree

if for example crew and aircraft were out of position Sat/Sunday AM due to ATC capping capacity in the London area late Sat/early Sunday then the company may be able to argue that the disruption was weather related and so no comp.

E.g. an aircraft/crew meant to operate ex London Sat night, with a view to nightstopping in Europe, might have been cancelled, meaning there's no crew/aircraft in position to fly the return sector to London Sun AM.

Thank you for all your replies and particularly the links, which are very helpful.

Hopefully tonight’s flight will go smoothly and I can start appealing tomorrow.

This happened to me on both outbound and return flights with BA. I filled out a form and also claimed for a taxi and 2 nights accommodation. It took an age but I was compensated for it all.

The reason was that the pilot was unwell on the way out and lack of staff on the way back.

That's not entirely accurate. You're right about the reason for flight cancellations affecting what airlines are responsible for to their customers. However, while weather related ATC restrictions may have been the reason airlines decided to cancel flights in those circumstances, ATC do not force airlines to cancel flights

Claim through BA’s website. It’s really easy and quick. We did 3 years ago for a cancelled flight to the US due to technical problems. Flew 12 hours later with another airline which BA paid for. The compensation, drinks and dinner for 3 of us was just under £2000. Paid within about 10 days. Submit receipts for everything. If they don’t agree with something, they’ll let you know.

@Throwntothewolves

ATC do not force airlines to cancel flights

I'm afraid that's not entirely accurate either.

I wish I'd kept at snapshot of what I was reading on Saturday on an ATC related site but I didn't so my memory will have to do.

Late Saturday afternoon as convective activity (Thunderstorms) started developing over SE UK, those that oversee the airspace around the London airports demanded the various airports/operators using those airports reduced departures and arrivals by a set amount - reason being airspace was being blocked by the storms, so flow had to be reduced.

So whilst it may be true in some parts of the world ATC can't cancel a specific flight (and personally I'd caution even thinking they can't do that) ATC can and do on occasions demand airlines reduce the number of flights they operate into out of specific airports or control areas/zones.