Hi everyone,
I'm split on whether this belongs in the United or BA thread, but hoping you can help here as the most pressing issue concerns BA.
I was booked on an early-morning flight today LHR-EWR with United. When I arrived at the airport, United had delayed for five and a half hours due to bad weather at EWR, and gave breakfast/lunch vouchers for the wait. We went straight through security, and as soon as we'd passed it was announced that the flight was cancelled. The United transfer desk quickly rebooked us onto a BA flight leaving just under three hours after our scheduled arrival time. This flight left, and we're now in the US. Apparently bad weather for United isn't bad weather for BA....
Question 1: Are we eligible for the €300 per person EU cancellation compensation, even though we were quickly put on a BA flight? Our BA flight took off and landed two hours, 55 minutes after our scheduled United flight. If we are entitled, could United avoid paying by claiming bad weather as exceptional circumstances? This sounds odd given BA was able to fly.
When we arrived in EWR, our baggage didn't come through. The BA staff member told us we were entitled to 50USD total per person for "essentials" during the first 48 hours. We also have travel insurance through our UK Amex Platinum (I shared a suitcase with my partner, but we both have cards).
Question 2: The Amex insurance is much more generous than the BA offer, at 300GBP per person for the first 48 hours, followed by another 300GBP after that (refunded against receipts). Are we able to take the BA offer as well as the Amex offer, or is it an either/or (and is such a low BA offer really correct)? Secondly, what counts as "essentials" for BA and Amex? I was hoping to put toiletries etc. through BA given the much lower limit, and clothes, a replacement suitcase etc. against Amex. (A suitcase is especially important as we're moving locations in a few days). We're also on a long trip, so I'll need to visit a doctor for some replacement medicatino. Is "essentials" very strict, and do I need to speak with both BA and Amex to discuss purchases ahead of time?
(To add to this trip's pleasures, we can't submit an online BA baggage claim as we only have a United baggage receipt ID, which the BA website won't accept! So now I'll be up at 4am to ring the BA call centre...)
Thanks!