Originally Posted by
ISTFlyer
In case of IRROPS, would BA would accommodate me on an AA flight to CLT which would allow me to catch a BA or BA codeshare flight to London and then BA 676 without an overnight or BA would insist that an overnight connection is possible with a full BA itinerary so I wouldn't be rebooked on a joint-venture AA flight. For your info, BA only codeshares AA's DCA-ORD & DCA-MIA services although none of the ORD-LHR and MIA-LHR services are transferrable to LHR-IST due to the MCT. My only option would be DCA/IAD-CLT-LHR-IST without an overnight if the afternoon flight to IST gets cancelled.
If you get a cancellation 2 weeks off, then the usual issue of codeshares won't apply, you are on joint business services and you are covered by the "and beyond" provision. So any reasonable alternative would be OK, personally I'd be looking as DCA to JFK to maximise options. Indeed if you get a timing change or something benign then I'd use the opportunity to go that way, in fact it wouldn't normally cost anything more to return that route if it is a UK POS, usually, maybe it does if it's a Turkey POS. Then there are all sorts of other options such as BOS and ORD, so I don't think you need to rely on CLT, though it is a great place to transfer domestically. So I think that means you don't need to worry about a visa, there will probably be a way around it.
If it's a short term irrop, with under 24 hours notice, then BA have many more options, any may just put you on a TK jet anyway. If you get to London and discover your connection no longer works then usually the Border Force will just give you a pass for that, so long as you've been a good boy in the past.