Originally Posted by
Misco60
The forum's more experienced members will undoubtedly be along shortly to share their experience.
In the meantime, don't delay in booking a hotel - the entire plane-load full of passengers will also be looking for overnight accommodation. BA will certainly reimburse up to the amounts stated in the email you received, and even more if you can show that you necessarily had to spend more than that.
The fact that BA specifically mentioned "lightning strike" suggests that they will contest compensation claims, but deal with that later.
The lightning strike wasn’t in HK and didn’t impact on this flight in particular. It’s a knock on effect from arguably bad weather in the outbound sector in London. So will definitely try and fight on those grounds.
Originally Posted by
MKE-MR
Get creative
I'd guess EU261 won't apply because a lightning strike is the textbook definition of "act of God"...on the other hand, it's incredibly poor form of BA not to notify earlier--if the plane was delayed in LHR they obviously had at least 12-13 hours notice (or did you arrive at the airport a half day early?
)
They will claim the amount they have offered is "duty of care." GBP200 will certainly pay for a night at the Regal at the airport under normal circumstances, but I don't know about how things are at the moment. Can't help on the question of what you could claim from the other providers involved in the transaction as I haven't reviewed their terms recently, sorry.
Good point - things are a bit tricky at the moment and I would argue it’s safer in the airport vs the city!
Originally Posted by
UKtravelbear
Lightning strike on a previous sector to the outbound to HKG to your return is not grounds for BA to deny EU261 delay compensation. So claim for that when you return home. They may initially deny it but push back. There is a lot of advice in the main EU261 thread.
you are also entitled to the duty of care elements which you have listed already (but the amounts are advisory limits imposed by BA and not by the regulation) so keep your receipts for your claim.
If you chose to stay in the airport terminal rather than book a hotel then there is no extra BA payment for that as it’s something you chose to do.
your various credit cards and own travel insurance may offer additional amounts as well as actual help in booking a hotel so check what help they can give you.
Exactly what I think regarding your first point. Going to try and phone the BA call centre to suss out what their initial stance on this would be. Also, BA agents only available later on in the evening - A pain that BA shut their HK base so no staff on hand her for stuff like this. Also flight on the 777 flight is fully booked.