bmi diamond club - thanks for being so flexible and supportive BMI!

Purchased a published fare tix AMS-LHR-ORD and onwards. UA stock 016,
first segment on BMI, scheduled connection time was 105 minutes in LHR.

As I was in AMS very early (4 hours), BMI had two additional flights
going to LHR before the mine was scheduled. I asked if it was safer to use one
of the earlier serviced but was told that this was not possible at this stage.
Then there was a sever (45 minutes delay) announced for the second last
flight before mine. So I did inquire again if the delay was going to propagate,
as I assumed that this plane would be exactly the one I was bound to use later.
I was told that this was a singular incident and I should go back to the
lounge. Flight left with an hour delay.
Then there was 50 min delay announced for the last but one flight leaving
to my destination LHR. So I demanded to be put on this flight in order not to
miss my ongoing ORD flight. I was told that my original flight was well on time
and that they could not find my luggage at this stage. I was rudely told to
go away when I urged them to at least locate the luggage.

Of course my flight was delayed more than 70 minutes and also spend an
eternity on the AMS tarmac. In LHR I was able to cross the entire airport in
just 21 minutes just so to see my ORD flight being pushed back.
I arrived in ORD with nearly 7 hours delay.

Thank your BMI for being so friendly, supportive, and honest to your pax.
You beat LH and SAS when it comes to inflexibility.

To the forum members: is there any for of compensation I can expect. My
sheet with European passenger rights is very terse on the subject of
delays, even severe delays. Other than BMI should have fed and accommodated
me, I do not know if I have any stand against them.
Anyone know?

Was it a weather-related or some Act of God delay? If not, BD should be compensating you... Check this out: http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/rights/index_en.htm

Was it a weather-related or some Act of God delay? If not, BD should be compensating you... Check this out: http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/rights/index_en.htm
Since your journey originated in an EU airport, you are etitled to compensation if the delay is due to factors that the airline could control. I am not sure whether you will get compensation for AMS-LHR leg only or for entire AMS-LHR-ORD journey. The max you get is EUR 600.
If the delay is due to technical/ weather/ airport/ traffic related factors, you will get no compensation as the airline can say they can not control these factors.
I hope you have got a passenger report from BMI desk in LHR and they have mentioned the reason for delay.

To the forum members: is there any for of compensation I can expect. My
sheet with European passenger rights is very terse on the subject of
delays, even severe delays. Other than BMI should have fed and accommodated


Not sure there is much can be done. Airlines in Europe are getting very strict about making people travel on the exact flights booked unless they change the ticket (and pay the fee). Even US airlines are less liberal about this than in the past.

I agree that it made business sense to accommodate you on the earlier flights, especially as you clearly had a through ticket, but they are really no less flexible than LH, SK, AF (who are notorious for making people wait all day at CDG even if seats are available) and KL. Airlines are all trying to behave like Ryanair and I think it's a shame.

Since your journey originated in an EU airport, you are etitled to compensation if the delay is due to factors that the airline could control...
Thanks a lot for that input.
While waiting we were briefly informed that the delay was due to mechanical
problems. Weather was fine and the landing in LHR quick and smooth.

Not sure there is much can be done. Airlines in Europe are getting very strict about making people travel on the exact flights booked unless they change the ticket (and pay the fee). Even US airlines are less liberal about this than in the past....
While all you say is - unfortunately - correct, BMI caused me a 6.5 hour delay
into Chicago which means I missed my dinner event.
And they did not offer me any meal vouchers and benefits as they should
have.
I would be understanding if just something unforseen has happened but the
disaster was programmed and they could have averted it by a few clicks
on one of their terminals.
So I will try to hold them responsible as I find the procedure unforgivable.

I forgot: thank you YOWkid as well!

Not sure there is much can be done. Airlines in Europe are getting very strict about making people travel on the exact flights booked unless they change the ticket (and pay the fee). Even US airlines are less liberal about this than in the past.

I agree that it made business sense to accommodate you on the earlier flights, especially as you clearly had a through ticket, but they are really no less flexible than LH, SK, AF (who are notorious for making people wait all day at CDG even if seats are available) and KL. Airlines are all trying to behave like Ryanair and I think it's a shame.

All this is so hit and miss. I was travelling on an unchangeable ticket (Z Class) in Business on Air France (yes, Air France!) from LHR to CDG two weeks ago. I was booked on the 6pm departure and checked in at 4.30pm just as the 5pm flight was about to close. I was asked if I wanted to travel on the 5pm flight. That even involved the agent telephoning the gate to say that she was putting someone on the flight, as by the time I had agreed to the change, the computer had closed the flight. So much depends on who you get at check-in or at the gate (or on the phone for that matter) with any airline.

I had no baggage, of course. My guess is that locating the bag of the OP was just too much trouble, so they decided to stick to the rules about unchangeable tickets. If customer service had been important to the gate agent, they would have been flexible about rules and got the passenger on the earlier flight. I hope they do have to pay compensation for delay to the booked flight (if common sense and consideration of the customer had prevailed, no-one would be claiming compensation) but are they reponsible for the total delay to the journey all the way to ORD even on a through ticket? It would be good if they accepted responsibilty for it, given that they the passenger had even offered them a way out of the potential delay, but I wonder if they will?

..My guess is that locating the bag of the OP was just too much trouble, so they decided to stick to the rules about unchangeable tickets.
That is my guess too, even though it was not an unchangeable ticket :( .
..but are they reponsible for the total delay to the journey all the way to ORD even on a through ticket?..
I will try to find out - I am not sure myself. But I hope they are - who else
would be?