Flying Flis

My flatmate's family (2 adults and 2 young children) are stuck in the Caribbean. They were due to fly back today with BA but the flight was cancelled due to the poor weather in England (I'm assuming the outbound couldn't leave Gatwick). BA have told them they probably won't be able to fly them home until this time next week as all the flights inbetween are full but that they will only pay to cover their hotel and meals for the first 2 nights. My flatmate has managed to find available seats for them on a Monarch flight tomorrow but BA are refusing to pay for that as well as it's not an affiliate airline.

Is this all correct? I know the cancellation isn't BA's fault but it seems completely unreasonable for them to be abandoned there with no asistance after the first 48 hours. We can't even find a 24 hour helpline number to call BA for more information (they all seem to close at 8).

Any suggestions

dobba

You could try one of thse options

USA 877-767-7970
- United Kingdom 0844 493 0787
- or click the link below for numbers elsewhere:
http://ba.com/contactus

Flying Flis

Thank you but the UK numbers listed all close at 8pm. I was hoping there would be an "out of hours" number somewhere.

pboae

Have they spoken to their travel insurance company? They usually have a 24hr line.

Flying Flis

They're trying to get hold of their insurance company again at the moment. So far I gather they would have to pay for everything and then claim it back when they get home which they don't have the means to do as replacement flights are running into thousands.

terminalfive

Monarch might not depart either

Beware of buying a ticket and then not being able to fly either on BA or on Monarch

Worthing Scottish

Seconded.

If there's ever an occasion to get in touch with an insurer, this is it. They'll focus directly on their paying policyholders (who have rights of complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service) far more effectively than BA will on a couple of ticketholders out of several thousand who are currently stuck somewhere they should have departed right now.

Worthing Scottish

Most policies require the insurer to pre-authorise expenditure - they shouldn't spend a penny more than they absolutely need to before they get approval

Flying Flis

Thanks everyone, fingers crossed they'll get hold of their insurance company soon (I'm guessing with the bad weather there are a lot of people trying to get through).

Does anyone have any more info re: BA only covering their hotel for the first 2 nights if they can't fly them home until next week?

Hubbabridge

Shona is the person you need to advise with this.

sunrisegirl

I'm sorry to hear of this problem, but unfortunately there are many people in the same situation at the moment. None of BA's long haul flights left today as the airport was closed until about 6pm this evening. As a result all flights out of the Caribbean (and MCO and TPA) are full in both directions.

I think what the agent told you is correct, although I'm not very familiar with ticket rules. Monarch are a charter airline too, which may affect it being turned over. Ironically when my parents flew with Monarch last year and needed to get home a week early, Monarch forced us to buy new tickets as they wouldn't change them. So, yes, I think there are a lot of restrictions.

As others have suggested, it would be best to contact their insurance company to see how they can help.

Good luck

ginger50

Years ago I got bumped off a Pan Am flight from MIA to LHR. I argued that under the Warsaw Convention the carrier had to get me to my destination "with reasonable dispatch", and that if the carrier with its affiliates flew alternative routes to my destination then these would be considered to be within the same obligation as the direct route. The argument worked and I was routed back via Paris.

For your friends.... AA operate flights to the Caribbean, perhaps they could get BA to accept that a route via MIA would be within their Warsaw Convention obligations. I may be barking up the wrong tree here but from my experience it could be worth a try.

imt24

I was thinking that, but then there have been delays into LHR as well. I dare say most flights from the US - UK but there is potential to be flown to MIA on AA then on to LHR on BA, it depends on a million factors I guess. eg that here by Gatwick there is a LOT of snow forecast for Saturday evening and all day Sunday. Things are going to be in a mess for a long while to come sadly but BA aren't in charge of the weather...

colm

Under EU Regulation 261/2004, they are entitled to:
and
These provisions apply regardless of whether or not the circumstances of the delay are extraordinary.

BA's offer of 2 nights, where a week is necessary seems to be unlawful.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_261/2004
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/...4R0261:EN:HTML

Colm (IANAL)

bealine

I don't want to be unhelpful, but colm's post, whilst correct, doesn't take into account that next week's flight is probably the earliest opportunity of providing a confirmed seat, providing of course, that we're not into yet another cold snap by then - because there are no weather guarantees at the moment!

I am pretty sure my colleagues in the Caribbean will be doing their best for all the passengers caught up in this. The best bet is for the family to file an insurance claim straightaway and get those wheels in motion. If BA has to pay for further hotel accommodation, let the insurance company fight it out with the airline - the family should just be able to get on with bumming around for a week and thank their lucky stars they aren't sitting here and feeling "nithered"!