Hello
A few weeks ago I made a booking using the following route: JFK-LHR-KRK + WAW-LHR-JFK return (J+W restricted fare).
Recently, both onward segments (BA172 on Dec 4, BA872 on Dec 5) were cancelled independently. BA moved me to BA114 automatically, but the outstanding segment remains cancelled as there's no longer any BA service to KRK or any adjacent airports until Dec 17.
I called BA expecting to be rebooked to another airline (either via LHR or from JFK), but was told by the agent that there's no availability with partners, and in any case their partnership with LH is only for short-haul flights and that my booking doesn't qualify. I was offered a partial refund for the LHR-KRK segment (which I didn't accept), and told to HUCA in a few days in case something changes.
I intend to fly on or around that date. I just booked a backup flight with UA/LH, but I'd prefer to fly BA, and I'd rather not cancel the entire booking since I might need the return flight — though I have an alternative Avios booking for return as well. A couple questions then:
1. Was the agent right saying they can only rebook if there's some magical partner inventory, and that inventory is based on whether my flight is short or long-haul? Availability for LHR-KRK is indeed very low around those dates, BA wasn't the only airline that cancelled service. There are acceptable connections out of LHR with KL or LH, but quite expensive (500-700 GBP in J, almost half of what I paid for the whole trip). Is published fare price a factor in involuntary rerouting?
2. If there's no onward connection from LHR, shouldn't they consider rerouting from JFK?
3. If I decide to take the alternative (UA/LH) flight out, is it still possible to fly the return segments of the original BA booking, while getting a reasonable refund for JFK-LHR-KRK?