Broken seat in J
 

I flew ORD-LHR last night and my seat would not recline despite the best efforts of the crew. J was full, as was F so I had no real alternative other than to lump it.

Was offered 30k Avios as compensation. Seems fair?

The CSM also mentioned an "e credit" of £ 350 as an alternative.

Personally, I wouldn't accept this. A non-reclining Club World seat is, to me, equivalent to a chunky version of WT+.

I would push for a space-available upgrade on another booking, or more Avios.

How did you pay for the ticket? If an Avios ticket, then 30K is probably the difference to WT+ and then some on top for the disappointment.

If you paid full-fare J, this is laughable.

Another thought: if J and F were both full, and the seat was taken out of service (as it should have been), then you would have been downgraded to WT+. So I would consider invoking the argument that you should be offered something closer to the 75% you would be entitled to if downgraded.

Obviously you weren't actually downgraded, so EU261 doesn't apply, but as far as compensation goes, it's a reasonable line to push.

It was a POUG the day prior to the flight.

I would not be willing to accept that unless your ticket was paid for with Avios.

If I had paid cash I would demand a cash refund of the fare difference between Club World and World Traveller Plus at the time I purchased the ticket.

EDITED...

In that case, I would demand a refund of the POUG in cash.

Had the same issue on a full flight to JNB and was offered 50,000 avios.

No it doesn't seem fair to me. Flat bed is an integral part of the proposition.

50K might be nearer the going rate.

And that was before the devaluation -- the logic was (if I recall correctly) that I could spend them on a one-way LHR-JNB flight in J (subject to availability and paying taxes, of course).

I would be pushing for the POUG cost back, or equivalent (whatever I thought was equivalent, such as a space-available upgrade WT+ to CW on a future flight or suitable Avios). Which I would go for depends whether I want money more, or the upgrade more, and then if BA push back, then press the alternative.

Broken seat in J
 

BA won't give you the money back. You can forget that route.

You're compensation will be in the form of avios, an e-voucher for use on BA or a space available upgrade, or a mixture of 2 out of 3.

I've had 20k avios for a missing breakfast. So 30k for a broken flat bed is laughable. Minimum 40k is what I would accept and a space available upgrade on a future flight.

Keep us updated and good luck

My recent experience of F seat not reclining on brand new 789 - 15,000 or £70 evoucher on board. Once home tried to increase this - was reluctantly offered 20,000 or £100 evoucher. Laughable. Customer Service also wouldn't offer me Space Available Upgrade

I'd be interested to hear (PM or otherwise) your final outcome

If that's the best they will offer I would be onto the Small Claims on the basis that they failed to provide the service advertised.

You paid (upgraded) for a flat bed on a 7hr+ overnight flight which was not delivered. I don't see you should be fobbed off with vouchers, or Avios which you may or may not be able to use.

With respect, IIRC, you accepted their first offer. That puts BA in a staggeringly better negotiating position - had you rejected the first offer, and taken it up with CS later on, you would likely have ended up with a much better outcome.

Accepting the offer, then changing your mind, puts you in a weak position, and the negotiator on the other side will have used that to their advantage.

OP is in a better situation (relatively), and so should be able to push them for appropriate compensation.

Is a "space available upgrade" that others were offered a one-class upgrade between any class (i.e. WT to WT+, WT+ to CW, CW to F) or let's say restricted to CW to F only? Or a two-class upgrade?