Flights to Houston [Austin and New Orleans: Disruption from Storm Harvey, Aug 2017]
Aug 28, 2017, 8:24 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: BA Exec
Posts: 17
Flights to Houston [Austin and New Orleans: Disruption from Storm Harvey, Aug 2017]
Afternoon All.
Meant to be flying to Houston this weekend coming.
Official BA line is that anything between now and 31st is changeable but anything after that is not. Fair I guess for just now. May change over next few days.
Forecast is more and more rain between now and Friday and infrastructure wise the place looks to be a bit of a shambles, not set up for a productive week's work (my office incidentally closed until Weds / Thurs at earliest).
Am aware BA has a legal liability point to point but would they insist on no refund / change if by weekend place was still a mess but airport was open?
I think I know the answer but thought I would check!!!
Thanks all
Meant to be flying to Houston this weekend coming.
Official BA line is that anything between now and 31st is changeable but anything after that is not. Fair I guess for just now. May change over next few days.
Forecast is more and more rain between now and Friday and infrastructure wise the place looks to be a bit of a shambles, not set up for a productive week's work (my office incidentally closed until Weds / Thurs at earliest).
Am aware BA has a legal liability point to point but would they insist on no refund / change if by weekend place was still a mess but airport was open?
I think I know the answer but thought I would check!!!
Thanks all
Aug 28, 2017, 8:51 am
#2
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,804
One thing to bear in mind is that crew needs to be able to get to and from their less-than-palatial hotel in Houston safely and in a timely manner.
Aug 28, 2017, 9:14 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,735
Most of the US airlines are just now updating their waivers to include the weekend, so I would keep watch for BA to make a change. IAH is scheduled to be closed through at least Thursday morning per an update from the FAA's website this morning.
Aug 28, 2017, 9:16 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland
Programs: AY+ Platinum, SK Gold, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, Radisson VIP
Posts: 6,530
I am not an expert but I would be surprised to see IAH reopen that soon. Many roads are under water after all, with more rain forecast. Opening an airport is one thing, but employees will need to be able to travel to the airport in the first place.
Aug 28, 2017, 9:36 am
#6
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,804
For the record, the current advisory circulated by BA is:
So if the flight is cancelled you can get a refund or a rebooking. If the flight is 5 hours late, you can cancel. Otherwise no refund if the flight is operating, however for flights until and including Thursday 31 August can be moved to other dates.
I'm expecting this to change to change on a daily basis.
Originally Posted by BA Travel Advisory
Due to Tropical Weather Harvey, the following flexibility options have been made available to our ticketed customers whose travel may be impacted:
Advice for British Airways-125 ticketed customers whose BA, AA, IB or AY flight is still OPERATING.
Rebook onto..
BA, AA, IB or AY Joint Business
Airports affected
AUS – AUSTIN
HOU/IAH – HOUSTON
MSY – NEW ORLEANS
BPT - BEAUMONT PORT AUTHUR
BRO - BROWNSVILLE
CLL - COLLEGE STATION
CRP - CORPUS CHRISTI
LCH - LAKE CHARLES
MFE - MCALLEN MISSION
SAT - SAN ANTONIO
LRD - LAREDO
LFT – LAFAYETTE
SHV – SHREVEPORT
AEX – ALEXANDRIA
BTR – BATON ROUGE
Tickets issued by
23 August 2017
Ticket travel dates
25 August 2017 – 31 August 2017
New travel dates - Up to and including 13 September 2017
Rebooking Allowance
Rebook into the same class as the original flight or lowest available in the same cabin
Origin/Destination/Stopover changes
No
Available for Trade
Yes
Refunds Allowed
No
Redemptions included
Yes
Important Info: one involuntary ticket change allowed
Advice for British Airways-125 ticketed customers whose BA, AA, IB or AY flight is still OPERATING.
Rebook onto..
BA, AA, IB or AY Joint Business
Airports affected
AUS – AUSTIN
HOU/IAH – HOUSTON
MSY – NEW ORLEANS
BPT - BEAUMONT PORT AUTHUR
BRO - BROWNSVILLE
CLL - COLLEGE STATION
CRP - CORPUS CHRISTI
LCH - LAKE CHARLES
MFE - MCALLEN MISSION
SAT - SAN ANTONIO
LRD - LAREDO
LFT – LAFAYETTE
SHV – SHREVEPORT
AEX – ALEXANDRIA
BTR – BATON ROUGE
Tickets issued by
23 August 2017
Ticket travel dates
25 August 2017 – 31 August 2017
New travel dates - Up to and including 13 September 2017
Rebooking Allowance
Rebook into the same class as the original flight or lowest available in the same cabin
Origin/Destination/Stopover changes
No
Available for Trade
Yes
Refunds Allowed
No
Redemptions included
Yes
Important Info: one involuntary ticket change allowed
I'm expecting this to change to change on a daily basis.
Aug 28, 2017, 9:56 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Seattle, Wash. USA
Posts: 1,531
Forget it. The rain and flooding will continue through the weekend (maybe beyond). What are you planning to do there if they re-open IAH and Hobby to commercial traffic? It's going to be difficult getting around for some time, and the hotels are already filling up with evacuees.
Aug 28, 2017, 11:27 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,735
At least one of the flights to IAH this past weekend was cancelled well in advance due to the strikes, so fingers crossed there isn't a crew stuck there.
Aug 28, 2017, 11:52 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: BA Exec
Posts: 17
Called BA and yes they said the same.
Updating on a daily basis. Made the point that infrastructure probably wasn't the best and could people go back and forth, essentially said that as long as they can deliver passengers what happens after that isn't their responsibility, which I guess is fair.
So will wait and see what next few days bring.
Last one was cancelled due to strikes and one before that was in the end of May IT shambles so not much luck on this route!!!
Updating on a daily basis. Made the point that infrastructure probably wasn't the best and could people go back and forth, essentially said that as long as they can deliver passengers what happens after that isn't their responsibility, which I guess is fair.
So will wait and see what next few days bring.
Last one was cancelled due to strikes and one before that was in the end of May IT shambles so not much luck on this route!!!
Aug 28, 2017, 5:44 pm
#12
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: IAH
Programs: BA S, AA G(1MM), Hilton D
Posts: 253
Probably repeating what you've already heard/seen, but it's a real mess here, and floodwaters probably won't peak until the end of the week. Can't believe any businesses will function close to normal by weekend. Imagine 30" of rain falling across the whole city area, and on terrain that's as hilly as East Anglia. I've got a trip back to UK in 2 weeks, hoping I can cancel, as I know there's no way will I be able to travel.
Aug 29, 2017, 2:45 am
#13
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,804
This was probably inevitable. This is known as Update 7, issued at 19:31 GMT on 28 August 2017 and now allowing flight changes for a much longer period. If you have a flight until 7 September it can be moved up to 20 September.
Originally Posted by BA Travel Advisory
Due to Tropical Weather Harvey, the following flexibility options have been made available to our ticketed customers whose travel may be impacted:
Advice for British Airways-125 ticketed customers whose BA, AA, IB or AY flight is still OPERATING.
Rebook onto..
BA, AA, IB or AY Joint Business
Airports affected
AUS – AUSTIN
HOU/IAH – HOUSTON
MSY – NEW ORLEANS
BPT - BEAUMONT PORT AUTHUR
BRO - BROWNSVILLE
CLL - COLLEGE STATION
CRP - CORPUS CHRISTI
LCH - LAKE CHARLES
MFE - MCALLEN MISSION
SAT - SAN ANTONIO
LRD - LAREDO
LFT – LAFAYETTE
SHV – SHREVEPORT
AEX – ALEXANDRIA
BTR – BATON ROUGE
Tickets issued by:
28 August 2017
Ticket travel dates:
28 August 2017 – 07 September 2017
New travel dates:
Up to and including 20 September 2017
Rebooking Allowance
Rebook into the same class as the original flight or lowest available in the same cabin
Origin/Destination/Stopover changes
No
Refunds Allowed
No
Redemptions included
Yes
Available for Trade
Yes
Important Info
one involuntary ticket change allowed
Advice for British Airways-125 ticketed customers whose BA, AA, IB or AY flight is still OPERATING.
Rebook onto..
BA, AA, IB or AY Joint Business
Airports affected
AUS – AUSTIN
HOU/IAH – HOUSTON
MSY – NEW ORLEANS
BPT - BEAUMONT PORT AUTHUR
BRO - BROWNSVILLE
CLL - COLLEGE STATION
CRP - CORPUS CHRISTI
LCH - LAKE CHARLES
MFE - MCALLEN MISSION
SAT - SAN ANTONIO
LRD - LAREDO
LFT – LAFAYETTE
SHV – SHREVEPORT
AEX – ALEXANDRIA
BTR – BATON ROUGE
Tickets issued by:
28 August 2017
Ticket travel dates:
28 August 2017 – 07 September 2017
New travel dates:
Up to and including 20 September 2017
Rebooking Allowance
Rebook into the same class as the original flight or lowest available in the same cabin
Origin/Destination/Stopover changes
No
Refunds Allowed
No
Redemptions included
Yes
Available for Trade
Yes
Important Info
one involuntary ticket change allowed
Aug 29, 2017, 2:47 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: BA Exec
Posts: 17
Many thanks and yes just spoke to BA and can rearrange between now and April 2018. Or, as booked with a car (technically a holiday booking) can change to go anywhere else in the world I want, not specifically Houston.
But most likely should keep the booking and defer for a few weeks.
Thanks all.
But most likely should keep the booking and defer for a few weeks.
Thanks all.
Aug 29, 2017, 7:00 am
#15
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Staffs
Programs: BAEC, Etihad Guest, Platinum Tesco Tart
Posts: 589
I too am in a quandary!
Due to fly to MSY on Saturday and now wondering whether to move out by a couple of weeks, our itinerary is very flexible so it's no great shakes to move everything.
On reflection, probably best to delay by 2 weeks.
Due to fly to MSY on Saturday and now wondering whether to move out by a couple of weeks, our itinerary is very flexible so it's no great shakes to move everything.
On reflection, probably best to delay by 2 weeks.