corporate-wage-slave

Thanks for reverting back with the outcome, since it will help others.

The comment about taking an unnecessarily extreme response seems to ring true with some other cases and PMs I've seen. By way of a summary, had you raised it on board you would have received 30-40k Avios from the CSD or CSM's iPad or an e-voucher for around US$500. Had that not actually reached your account, due to the vagaries of iPad connectivity, Customer Relations would then do the necessary. But if you complain - as you did - to Customer Relations in the first instance then they seem to be paying no more than 5k Avios as happened here, 10K in extreme cases. If you then escalate it via Premium or marketing channels then much higher amounts can be forthcoming (with perhaps similar off the record comments that Customer Relations in Newcastle are over-implementing a crackdown on remediation costs). So in the end you got what the CSD or CSM should have offered in the first place, though I hope they also covered your legal fees too.

Is that a fair amount? That's really for you to decide, but in reality broken seating is a fact of life, and where the 40k is paid promptly and without quibble I don't think we see that many complaints about it. You could certainly have done without the unnecessary hassle. At some point avoidable legal costs will mount up and hopefully CR Newcastle will relent, and you may well have contributed to that.

justforfun

Onboard I wasn't offered anything. All I was told it would be written up and I should contact customer relations.

omarlc

Regarding the compensation levels for dodgy seats, on a recent companion trip back from Brazil we had a bundle of fun. The RIO-LON leg was cancelled by BA some weeks out and we were offered to be rebooked a day earlier/later, neither of which were optimal. Eventually they put us on Iberia same day, just via Madrid. This is where the fun really happened.

1. My seat wouldn't go into lie flat position.
2. My wife's seat had no working IFE
3. The state of the business cabin was disgraceful. In addition to the above it was dirty, cracked seat pods and generally run down.

Iberia offered 42.5k avios each in compensation which I accepted. They then tried to renege on that and said actual amount was 22.5k. Needless to say I kicked up a stink and said I accepted 42.5k each and they paid! 85k avios for two dodgy seats sounds amazing given some of the stories here!

On the way out there was 1 food option in business despite being near empty. BA offered 8k and then 10k avios each so in total almost managed to reclaim the full avios cost of the trip!!

Morale of the story...keep pushing and don't accept their first offer

stephem

I have just returned from a summer holiday trip with my family (5 pax total) in CW on YVR-LHR-YVR and had a defective seat for one of us each direction. The outbound was a real hassle as I was trying to sleep and my son had to come wake me several times to help get his defective seat manually lowered to the flat position because nobody would actually respond to his requests. On the return we were on a MF crew plane with several shy and so service was pretty weak and they literally didnt come to put his seat upright until a couple of minutes before landing. I paid for these tickets with cash so am pretty put off that one of our party got a bad seat on both outbound and return.

Any tips for where I should escalate and what I should be asking for?

simons1

Write to BA - they will try to fob you off with Avios so be prepared to go to MCOL.

I would say 25% of the fare paid is reasonable.

V10

A working seat is complimentary and not part of the fare paid.

On a more serious note I think that you'll be offered nothing more than some standard boilerplate and thanks for travelling BA in the initial response from customer services. On followup you'll probably be offered 5k Avios tops.

To get beyond that you'll need to go the mediation route or small claims court with a clear indication of what you're looking for by way of restitution.

stephem

Thanks, appreciate that. I figured I would have to go through several layers of boilerplate response. Shame on BA, clearly the A380 seat has a problem, I have been on the YVR-LHR flight 5 times since January and at least one seat in the CW has been inoperable each time. I was assigned one but was able to score an empty seat that was working. On our recent flights, the CW cabin was entirely full so we were stuck with the lemon...

stephem

It has taken a month, but I finally received an email from an actual live person at BA in London who has asked for a time that we may speak by phone to discuss resolution. I'm not at all sure what they are willing to do for us, but at least I was able to get beyond the initial automated type reaponses. Will update once I have the call with this person.

rapidex

I think they will offer you a $500 voucher or 40000 avios.

thegreatmrsj

I have just come off a flight to HKG. Broken seat in J would not fully recline. The flight was absolutely full so no swaps possible. They did try to reset it but no joy. This morning I was feeling very groggy I've a spinal condition so had to take a lot of painkillers through the night because I could not fully lie down . The CSD was very pleasant but the offer was $50 or 9000 Avios. Seemed no negotiation so I said Avios and gave her my email.

Now the cocodomol have is wearing off - though I'm still sore, I'm wondering was that offer fair, should I have done something else and should I do something more now. Given the cost of the ticket I'd have been better down the back.

lavajava

Best to take a look through this thread and others. BA are severely limiting service recovery payments. As quoted above I would expect alot more than this for a non functioning seat. I am surprised the crew didn't manually recline the seat though which might have made 9000 avios more palatable.

thegreatmrsj

Thanks. The crew did try to manually recline it. At one stage 3 were involved but no joy. They were exerting force, they disassembled parts etc etc. I doubt they could have done more.

710 77345

$50? Surely a mistake by the CSD.

lavajava

Maybe it had a Mobile phone stuck in it

Good to know. I would be pushing for more than this but would first decide what this is worth to you. You have mediation options with CEDR if BA fail to raise this offer. To me the avois or cash difference between CW and premium econ might be more realistic. Failing CEDR, there is always MCOL.

All the best with this.

rapidex

The CSD is not the final arbiter.When you feel better contact BA and ask for more.