Hi Anonba

I'm interested to read this and would be grateful if you can advise whether this is a BA policy or covered by law. From what I understand (and I am far from an expert) EC261/UK261 both say the responsibility is the "operating air carrier" and I cannot see any mention of 48 hour timescales or that the ticketing party is responsible.

Just trying to understand - not trying to be argumentative!

Many thanks

BONDY

that is very much common practice throughout the airline industry. unless within a day or two, you deal with the airline who you made the booking with and who issued your ticket - or a ta if you booked thro one. if you try calling the operating airline they will not want to help as they do not own the ticket.

whoever you contact should be able to process any invol disruptions based on the polices of the operating carrier tho.

Karfa has already answered for me! Haha

I was booked on the morning BA flight to TLV in September which was cancelled. They still are flying the BA night flight which I took instead as I wanted to secure my flights. The agent at the time said this was my only option. After that they added the option to change to ELAL. I assume I can't do anything now?

Sadly not, once rebooked unless it cancels you cant rebook without any charges

That's not 100% certain. You could claim that there was no other option for you to choose from at the time so you took it, even though the times are highly inconvenient, and mean a wasted day on arrival at TLV, but that now they are allowing rebooking with ELAL things look different. I did that for two different bookings (both Avios, btw) with two separate agents, and it worked. If it fails the first time, HUCA.

Formally though, it is one bite of the cherry only: once you have accepted a rerouting you can't then change it, and that is in the customer guidelines too. So if an agent said "no more changes possible" then that is the correct position. Hence the advice up in this thread and in the Irrops signposts thread to not rebook things immediately but to wait and see what happens. I know some travellers don't like the uncertainty of that, but with a large company like BA it can take a while for options to become apparent.

I have had my flights cancelled by BA put onto Elal. I have now realised that I have chosen the wrong child from list of travellers. Same surname, different first name. Can this be changed? Do I contact Elal, can they make changes? BA? it was originally an award booking.
Thank you

Best of luck with that. Be prepared for a 'no'.

Thanks!
are there ever any situations you can change names?

I'm not aware of an airline that offers that. Before you were re-routed, there would have been the option of cancelling and (subject to availability) rebooking, but I don't think that option will be available now you have been reaccommodated on LY.

Only in the 24 hours after the initial booking (so rebooking won't restart that clock). When you accepted the rebook then you would also have had the option for a refund so it seems this was a double fault unfortunately. You may be able to cancel a redemption for the usual fee, to recover the Avios, but BA would have paid for a revenue bucket so that complicates matters.

Is it worth the extra costs and inconvenience for BA to maintain suspension with rebookings etc vs cancelling the route and re-evaluating at a later date?

I am sure that would come with its own costs and admin complexity as well, but do we imagine that is an option BA is considering?

I can’t fathom customers on this route having confidence making bookings given the uncertainty of the suspension, seems like a headache to deal with. (Unless being rerouted to LY via a BA cancellation is cheaper than booking them to begin with, in which case I can understand it having some appeal)

Ryanair

HI so pleased to find this site and hoping someone can help.
Due to fly back BA from TLV to London on 7th May. Received email on 6th saying flight cancelled and could rebook or get refund and wirh a helpline number to call. Called the number (call centre in India) offered their first available flight on 13th - so 6 days later! Woman said we'd get all expenses refunded and listed them..accommodation, food, taxi fares etc. Said she'd never heard of El Al when i asked if she could try them for an earlier flight! We accepted this flight as no other option seemed available. A few hours later on the same day i received another email saying that flight had also been cancelled. Same advice re could rebook or get refund. Same helpline number to call. Called the next morning to be told no flights leaving TLV until further notice.and couldn't advice when flights would resume. Offered flights next day from Larnica but with no help/advice on how to get to Larnica! Refused this option as no El Al flights available next day to Larnica and couldn't risk other carriers also cancelling e.g. Wizz Air etc (they did indeed cancel all flights from TLV so just as well!) Managed to book ourselves with El Al to return to London on 13th May. BA have rejected our claim for flights, accommodation...the lot! The rejection email was one line saying they were rejecting on the grounds of "the ongoing Gaza/Israel situation". (Actually this was incorrect anyway - it was the Houthis terrorist attack on the airport). It says on their T/Cs that you aren't covered for "political instability". But can they just outright refuse to take any responsibility or duty of care? I understood this to mean the compensation part - not the refund of new flights and (modest) accommodation etc. Can anyone advise if we are just being fobbed off and we do indeed have a claim for legitimate expenses.