Nuster

Perhaps they realized there was only one operable toilet for First?

This happened me in KL about 3 years ago with AF and I started demanding a transfer to SIN and they suddenly solved the issue.

Often1

It's entirely possible that the entire conversation with OP was a charade to make OP feel good. It is entirely possible that whoever got the seats was of greater commercial importance to BA than OP and that goes far beyond status.

It could be some local who can make like difficult for BA in many ways and for many more people than just OP, so the Station Manager makes the decision to take care of that person, knowing that OP will be upset but that OP lives far, far away and will be well taken care of and can't really do anything bad to BA.

In turn, BA could certainly find someone to order the Station Manager to change his decision. But, did not. That tells you that the Station Manager's decision was essentially ratified back in the UK and that all of the apologies were simply alligator tears to make OP value feel valued.

I doubt that OP will need to resort to an EC 261/2004. He will be well taken care of, but the underlying point cannot be repaired.

paul4040

Interesting points, but one has to wonder.

There's:

1. "A local who is a CIP"
2. A GfL+GGL and his wife

and

five other people in F

One wonders why any of the other 5 people weren't bumped.

710 77345

But what can the ground staff do if the route is full? They clearly are not empowered to endorse over to MAS or Singapore, and that'd put them at risk of losing an F customer for life!

With regards to the fare paid, I suspect it was the most important factor in the downgrade. The 75% is based on what you paid, not the $0 fare. So (depending on Amex vouchers / day of week etc), two F returns could cost 560,000 Avios + £ 1,017 in fees. If I didn't get suitable apologies from BA, I would be submitting a claim for 75% of this cost based on my EU261 rates and, because you can't claim for Avios, the cost of purchasing the equivalent - i.e. about £5000 all-in.

This is much less than BA would be paying out otherwise, and it seems from other reports they've been targeting passengers on error fares & 2-4-1 vouchers before touching others.

travelwithross

Perhaps they were also GfL or GGL or Gold...

^

Gshumway

If the oversold/bumping was due to a broken seat, why bump two? That doesn't chive. When you hear stories about someone getting downgraded in a party of two because of a broken seat, it usual is only one of them gets bumped. Now there could have been a broken seat and oversold by 1.

I would definitely raise a stink and file for EC261, 75% of the Avios back.

Gomac

I know that bumping from F to J is rare but I think we may start seeing more of it with the new smaller 787 F cabin.

stewaran

A prem and his family? Board of an important customer book all 8 seats late on?

Many reasons why this could be justified internally at BA. None of which makes it any easier for the OP to stomach

TabTraveller

As a general FYI (in case this happens to me in the future), would I be within my rights to say that I don't accept the downgrade and there are two seats on [XX airline] departing in 1h and that I require you to book me onto that flight? Or can they make you wait for the next BA flight? Or just downgrade you and say tough lucky, claim the compensation?

I once had the station manager try to downgrade me HKG-LHR and I refused and said I'd move to F on CX if they wanted to rebook me. He backed off so I'm wondering whether that was a legitimate right or whether he just thought he'd find someone else who'd put up less of fuss.

kauppias

It is a pity these things happen and a bigger pity that ba customer service falls short on these issues instead of them being more proactive... I have never been downgraded by ba but their handling of even smaller issues has allready cost them all my premium bookings! I really hope they take care of the OP to keep the relationship good and healthy I hope he doesnt get a reply from India...

Tobias-UK

... or Prem, as suggested above. Whilst unlikely, it is possible that the rest of the cabin had higher CIVs (or the family members/travelling companions of higher status pax). The problem is, we are told the checkin agent told the OP they were downgraded due to oversales and they were selected because they had used Avios to pay for their tickets. It appears the status of the other passengers was not taken in to consideration, only the fact that the OP was on a redemption ticket. If that is the case, then that is wrong in my view.

I'd be less miffed if I was bumped because someone else had higher status, I'd feel as aggrieved as the OP if I was downgraded for the simple reason I'd paid for my ticket with Avios.

stewaran

Good point.

PAX like yourself and the OP have a mass of avios to burn though, being punished for doing so would not be fair

HarryHolden68

This almost happened to Mrs Harry on the same route 2 weeks ago. That was ZBKC and yes it was the broken light in 2K. Eventually common sense prevailed and she was allowed to sit there.

technical_bob

Surely it's not unlikely that in an 8-seat F cabin a significant proportion of the passengers would have (at least) gold status? Anyone who makes a habit of flying F will get there pretty soon. Presumably someone in the know could say what % of F seats are typically occupied by >= any given status.

crazy8534

I think there was someone else on here recently who reported on a similar-ish incident: I think it was refusal to book on another airline in F when the flight was cancelled and the reason given was the fact that it was a redemption. It does seem that somewhere along the line or in certain outstations this has become a 'thing' i.e. that redemption F < fare paying F, regardless of CIV.

Not that I am defending it in the slightest, and obviously not a happy state of affairs for the OP.
F should be F IMHO, regardless of how you get there. But then you can see how the walk-up $8k F blue/never flown BA before because he/she is usually in a PJ would be peeved if he was bumped by me on a redemption..