Originally Posted by N1120A

Here's the thing - there is so much to this story we aren't getting. I'm never one to side with the airlines when they do things within their control (and that includes MX, scheduling turns that are too tight, crewing (even in weather), and overbooking) but there were a ton of steps left out here.

1) Was BA actively soliciting volunteers? Under US law, which governs flights to and from the US from other countries, BA was obligated to solicit volunteers first and then IDB people. If so, just how far over were they that they couldn't get enough volunteers?

2) I don't see anything here about EU 261 compensation. If BA "forgot" that bit, the guy has a real gripe.

3) That he is a shareholder is irrelevant and probably just something he thinks adds oomph to the complaint. "I own a bit of this airline and they should treat me better because of it." Guess what - that is irrelevant and it would have been much better if the guy simply had status.

4) Who on earth sits for FIVE FREAKING HOURS to hope a large corporation is going to sort them out? Look, I don't blame the guy for BA's actions, but take just a sliver of personal responsibility here. I get the agent telling him to go off and get a coffee while they sorted through options, but sitting around for 5 hours? Doing nothing? I'm not saying this person needs to know the ins and outs of ExpertFlyer or something like that, but maybe look to see who is selling seats from London to Chicago that day? Or even somewhere close enough that they can get an onward flight? Or just go back to the counter after have a nice Nero cappuccino and reminding the staff of your existence? In this situation, they are looking at rebooking several angry people during a busy time. They aren't going to remember MB from Saffron Walden, unless MB decides to make them remember. You can't tell me that there wasn't a single routing that would allow this person to get to Chicago, or somewhere close, in the 5 hours they sat around doing nothing.