1210mk2

Ask BA to put you on an earlier flight from AMS instead of later? 1445 BA2761 for example.

FlyerTalker39574

That's not in accordance with Article 8.

corporate-wage-slave

Yes, I can see what you are getting at there, though some of us are grateful that option exists at all: it never used to be available, and with mass irrops it could be very frustrating, often impossible, to sort something out. Ideally the App would indeed list several options, as happens with Plus Fares, but rest assured, if you call BA other options are available to you.

As for what you could do, and this isn't EC261 related, but if you accepted the late AMS service and then used a taxi to get to LHR, you would get at least £50 of that back, on the basis that it was now too late to use public transport. Having said that, public transport is now operates 24 hours a day between those airports.

Tafflyer

I called the gold line and they claimed to have no information on why the flight was cancelled.

They did offer but we arrive in AMS on separate tickets at 14:25. Plenty of time for the booked flight but not that one. Nothing else to LGW until 21:15

No, it's not. I called a different agent and now rebooked on Saturday to LHR instead of LGW to connect straight on to our ORD flight at 15:45. (Via the CCR, of course

We have abandoned our plans for a night out tomorrow, cancelled the hire car and hotel and booked a hotel at AMS instead. A probably un-claimable €200, thanks BA. Hey ho, could be worse.

corporate-wage-slave

Crew shortage at LGW is what I was told.

Tafflyer

So they've taken Eurofleet to plug gaps due to the MF strike and it's backfired ?

So, to return to my original question. If I specifically booked Friday AMS-LGW with an overnight stop and an onward flight the following afternoon from another airport (LHR), is the cancellation of the first flight relevant for EU261 purposes. Is the difference between a transfer (<24hours) and a stopover (>24hours) as airlines define it relevant for EU261 ?

I assume probably not, but wanted to ask the forums opinion.

corporate-wage-slave

That was why I prefaced by earlier reply with the question on whether it was one booking. The wording of the Regulation doesn't make a precise distinction on this, but if it got to court I'm sure the airlines would have plenty of evidence to say you are connecting and therefore it's not 2 trips here. If connecting it's the arrival time that matters. Ironically, if you had been rebooked on to an earlier flight from AMS to London, then you would have had a claim at the 50% rate, so long as it was more than an hour earlier. I actually see this as the Regulation acting as intended. I can see from your perspective it got in the way of your plans at the London end, but that's consequential losses which airlines don't normally cover in any circumstances.

Tafflyer

Yes, it's first world problems that I'll miss the night out planned tomorrow and spend it in Amsterdam instead. It does irk me to hear it is because of crew shortages which to me basically means poor planning by BA has screwed me up and I have little to no comeback. But as I said before, there are worse things.

corporate-wage-slave

I've had further clarification on the crew situation at LGW: it's not so much they are short staffed, it's more to do with the French strikes, which have a heavy impact on flight timings from LGW, e.g. ACE-LGW 2 hours late on Thursday, ditto the BCN services. The AMS service on Friday is the only cancellation, so far.

rapidex

If the previous duty exceeded 12 hours,then crew rest would be the same as that duty.So it may well exceed 12 hours,and is non negotiable.Enforced by the CAA.

Palmer

Does the Regulation cover industrial action?

I'm due to fly to Tallinn and I received a text message about an hour ago to say that my AY flight between HEL-TLL is cancelled due to a strike.

Palmer

vbroucek

Strikes are specifically listed as extraordinary, so not much joy.

Palmer

No worries. Thank you for your quick response.

I checked alternative flights and I called Finnair. They've moved me onto a later flight. All done within a few minutes, as you can see.

Palmer

FlyerTalker39574

including strikes by airlines' own employees and employees of others who have a principal-agent relationship with airlines?

FlyerTalker39574

If you can spend them, ask for a stack of Avios.