A little while ago I flew AMS-LHR-JNB-DUR-JNB-LHR-AMS.
It was a fairly short trip and I was ignoring any emails (no data roaming and no computers). Fortunately I happened to check my emails a couple of days before my DUR-JNB-LHR-AMS return to see one from Expedia stating that a change had been made to my booking.
I checked my BA app and saw my DUR-JNB, JNB-LHR and LHR-AMS sectors disappear as I hit refresh.
Now I also saw an extra flight added for my already taken JNB-DUR sector. I had a 9am flight which I had flown but a 12:25 flight for the same leg had been added. Now my LHR-JNB leg was delayed and land 90 minutes late at 8am and not managing any assistance from BA in making sure I made my connecting 9am flight to DUR I sorted myself out and made the flight with ease.
Naturally I assumed they had added the second flight in to my itinerary and because I never took it summarily cancelled the remaining sectors.
So it's too late for BA in the UK so I called the US. Bear in mind I'm in the middle of nowhere with almost no internet and a pretty dodgy phone connection.
After taking an hour to get through to a human being and have a conversation I expected an apology for their error and a quick restitution of my booking. What I got was the flimsiest excuse I have ever heard that unravelled while I was on the call.
I was told the remaining sectors had been cancelled because the flights had changed times and if that happens and the gaps between flights get too small then it automatically cancels all the flights. Now aside from sounding like the worst way to program a system to deal with flight times changing (lets just cancel all the tickets), when he rebooked me I ended up on the same flights, in the same seats and at the same times. When I asked where this mysterious time change was that caused the cancellation his response was that they must have changed back.
I explained my theory that BA, rather than providing any assistance for passengers to reach their connecting flight, simply booked everyone (30 + people on that flight) on to a later flight without checking if we actually needed it prompting an automatic cancelling.
No that couldn't possibly be it, he says. The times must have changed and then changed back.
Fortunately I got back in the end but only afters hours of trying to make an international (expensive), post-midnight call interrupting what was supposed to be a relaxing holiday
So is there anything to what the Exec line staffer tried to shovel as an excuse? Am I missing some other reason for the cancellation?

K