BA and Doha
Feb 28, 2018, 2:35 pm
#121
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,263
Feb 28, 2018, 3:13 pm
#122
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS/AMS/HAM
Programs: HH-D / IHG-Sp / Marriott-P / LH-SEN / BA-S
Posts: 215
Is your intended destination Doha? If so why make your life much harder adding tricky connections in the current situation, as opposed to accepting Y direct with some comp? Pick the QR A380 and the difference to WT+ really is not worth the hassle of going via DXB/AUH/BAH/KWI!
The problem is Avios and TP. I need to pass the threshold at the end of May and these are the last flights for this membership year. If they book me in QR Eco, I don't know what the new QR booking class would be.
And even if they - as a gesture of goodwill - provide the missing TP/Avios afterwards, t.b.h. I don't want to chase those: BA is a good airline provided that you have nothing to do with their CS.
Also if I accept the QR downgrade, I probably have to fill the refund form afterwards and wait some weeks/months/years(?) until it's gets reimbursed.
Moreover, I don't know how much I will get as I only paid about 500 EUR for the tix.
I believe the best deal with BA&EC is 'fly and avoid all post-travel experience with their CS'...
What do you think? Do you have any similar experience?
Thanks in advance.
Feb 28, 2018, 4:31 pm
#123
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,844
BA's services cancelled from 25 March 2018 to 30 June/1 July 2018/
I'll put down the customer guidelines below, but the formal policy is that First redemptions rebook into QR business, however you can rebook to final destinations on alternative routes on BA and remain in First. WTP downgrades to QR economy.
Advice for British Airways-125 ticketed customers whose BA flight is CANCELLEDFlights/Dates affected
BA123 LHR-DOH 25 March – 30 June 2018
BA122 DOH-LHR 26 March – 01 July 2018
Tickets issued by
27 February 2018
Rebook on BA
Use options from Conditions of Carriage – BA Cancellations
Rebook on QR
Please ignore Options 5 and 6 from Conditions of Carriage – BA Cancellations
The following rebooking allowance is available onto BA*QR/QR services.
Rebook ONLY:-
LHR-DOH BA7006 (QR6) or BA7014 (QR16)
DOH-LHR BA7005 (QR5) or BA7015 (QR15)
Rebook into lowest class in the same cabin either 3 days before or up to 3 days after the original travel date.
IMPORTANT:
For any BA-125 ticketed customer on a BA, BA*QR or QR multi-sector journey through LON or DOH where a more direct route is also available on either a British Airways or Qatar Airways operated flight.
Examples:
A customer travelling LHR BA DOH QR HKG on a cancelled flight may book on a direct LHR-HKG British Airways operated flight.
A customer travelling CDG BA LHR BA DOH on a cancelled flight may book on a direct CDG - DOH Qatar Airways operated flight.
Rebook the lowest class in the same cabin either 3 days before or up to 3 days after the original date of travel
Origin/Destination/Stopover changes
Yes - as per Option 7 from Conditions of Carriage – BA Cancellations
Refunds Allowed
Yes - as per Conditions of Carriage
Redemptions Included
Yes
Available for Trade
Yes
Important Info
Adherence to commercial policies/conditions of carriage guidelines remains entirely the responsibility of the user. BA reserves the right to withdraw guidelines at any time.
Contact Centre Staff – Use ATU
I'll put down the customer guidelines below, but the formal policy is that First redemptions rebook into QR business, however you can rebook to final destinations on alternative routes on BA and remain in First. WTP downgrades to QR economy.
Advice for British Airways-125 ticketed customers whose BA flight is CANCELLEDFlights/Dates affected
BA123 LHR-DOH 25 March – 30 June 2018
BA122 DOH-LHR 26 March – 01 July 2018
Tickets issued by
27 February 2018
Rebook on BA
Use options from Conditions of Carriage – BA Cancellations
Rebook on QR
Please ignore Options 5 and 6 from Conditions of Carriage – BA Cancellations
The following rebooking allowance is available onto BA*QR/QR services.
Rebook ONLY:-
LHR-DOH BA7006 (QR6) or BA7014 (QR16)
DOH-LHR BA7005 (QR5) or BA7015 (QR15)
Rebook into lowest class in the same cabin either 3 days before or up to 3 days after the original travel date.
IMPORTANT:
- All reissues onto QR prime flights must include an OS QR INVOL AGMNT BA
- Z class Redemptions MUST be rebooked intoQR’s Business cabin in the lowest class available. Ticket will need to be requoted with Avios differential refunded.
- WT+ customers must be rebooked into Economy cabin lowest class available. Advise customers to claim a downgrade refund post travel OR follow BA’s guideline for Cabin Closures
- Exception for F and A class customers – rebook onto any BA*QR service between LHR and DOH, lowest available in the First class cabin
- For any Business or Economy cabincustomers with an onward connection,please offer the above designated services first but if these do not connect then you may rebook onto a more suitable BA*QR (QR) LHR-DOH-LHR service. Rebook into lowest class in the same cabin either 3 days before or up to 3 days after the original travel date.
For any BA-125 ticketed customer on a BA, BA*QR or QR multi-sector journey through LON or DOH where a more direct route is also available on either a British Airways or Qatar Airways operated flight.
Examples:
A customer travelling LHR BA DOH QR HKG on a cancelled flight may book on a direct LHR-HKG British Airways operated flight.
A customer travelling CDG BA LHR BA DOH on a cancelled flight may book on a direct CDG - DOH Qatar Airways operated flight.
Rebook the lowest class in the same cabin either 3 days before or up to 3 days after the original date of travel
Origin/Destination/Stopover changes
Yes - as per Option 7 from Conditions of Carriage – BA Cancellations
Refunds Allowed
Yes - as per Conditions of Carriage
Redemptions Included
Yes
Available for Trade
Yes
Important Info
- Visas may be required for the connecting point, these are the responsibility of the customer
- one involuntary ticket change allowed
Adherence to commercial policies/conditions of carriage guidelines remains entirely the responsibility of the user. BA reserves the right to withdraw guidelines at any time.
Contact Centre Staff – Use ATU
- Please use Amadeus Ticket Update (ATU) to Involuntary Reissue e-tickets. This functionality allows e-tickets to be changed and reissued without any additional collection.
- Customers ticketed in World Traveller Plus who are downgraded to Economy should be advised to claim a refund on their return. Ensure remarks to show the customer has been downgraded
Feb 28, 2018, 7:20 pm
#124
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: SFO, BRU, ADB
Programs: UA Gold, BA Silver, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 707
Wait am I reading correctly that passengers booked in for example full fare J are rebooked into "lowest class in the same cabin." ? That's doesn't sound fair? Am I missing something?
Feb 28, 2018, 7:33 pm
#125
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,844
It's a fairly standard condition in the industry. Generally it works to the customer's advantage since usually it's not done with such long notice and therefore the passenger ends up in a higher class than where they started. Here, it would seem improbable that someone in J ends up in lowest QR since that pretty much implies a full flight from way out - and even if that happened there is always the option to cash in the refund and buy the cheaper (or more expensive) fare basis directly. Hypothetically the sort of problem it could cause is lower number of Avios (though for WT/economy travel it can also affect TPs too) compared to the original booking, but in reality it's more usually the opposite impact.
Feb 28, 2018, 7:47 pm
#126
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS/AMS/HAM
Programs: HH-D / IHG-Sp / Marriott-P / LH-SEN / BA-S
Posts: 215
It's a fairly standard condition in the industry. Generally it works to the customer's advantage since usually it's not done with such long notice and therefore the passenger ends up in a higher class than where they started. Here, it would seem improbable that someone in J ends up in lowest QR since that pretty much implies a full flight from way out - and even if that happened there is always the option to cash in the refund and buy the cheaper (or more expensive) fare basis directly. Hypothetically the sort of problem it could cause is lower number of Avios (though for WT/economy travel it can also affect TPs too) compared to the original booking, but in reality it's more usually the opposite impact.
Do I see it correctly that their guideline is violating EC261/2004 regarding re-routing?
Feb 28, 2018, 8:23 pm
#127
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 63,844
I think we would need to go to the specifics of a particular case to be sure, but there is a requirement in EC261 that if there is a rerouting to another airport in a particular area by an airline, replacing a service booked by the passenger then generally the airline has to pay the out of pocket expenses to get the passenger to the original airport, or if jointly agreed to another place (e.g. a city centre). However across the board BA tends to give this advice "if you choose another place, any out of pocket expenses are for your account" - this isn't always correct. In other circumstances it could be (e.g. BA offers to fly someone to EDI, the original location, tomorrow but the passenger wishes to go to GLA tonight). And if QR or another non European airline is operating a service it may not be under EC261 cover anyway.
Mar 1, 2018, 12:43 am
#128
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS/AMS/HAM
Programs: HH-D / IHG-Sp / Marriott-P / LH-SEN / BA-S
Posts: 215
I think we would need to go to the specifics of a particular case to be sure, but there is a requirement in EC261 that if there is a rerouting to another airport in a particular area by an airline, replacing a service booked by the passenger then generally the airline has to pay the out of pocket expenses to get the passenger to the original airport, or if jointly agreed to another place (e.g. a city centre). However across the board BA tends to give this advice "if you choose another place, any out of pocket expenses are for your account" - this isn't always correct. In other circumstances it could be (e.g. BA offers to fly someone to EDI, the original location, tomorrow but the passenger wishes to go to GLA tonight). And if QR or another non European airline is operating a service it may not be under EC261 cover anyway.
Mar 1, 2018, 1:00 am
#129
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: ±38,000 feet
Programs: LH HON, BA GGL, AF Plat, EK Plat
Posts: 6,428
no, I don’t 5ink so, because they would have offered you direct QR alternative as well as refund.
Mar 1, 2018, 1:03 am
#130
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: London
Programs: DL FO, BA Bronze, Avis Preferred
Posts: 851
Off topic : does anyone else havehproblems posting from a mobile phone of late?
Mar 1, 2018, 1:37 am
#132
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,618
I'm having this on both my Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and Tabs S3.
Are you using Swiftkey Keyboard by any chance? That's what I'm using on both devices.
Only affects FT...
I'll report it in the Tech Help section.
Mar 1, 2018, 1:40 am
#133
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS/AMS/HAM
Programs: HH-D / IHG-Sp / Marriott-P / LH-SEN / BA-S
Posts: 215
Since QR doesn't have PE cabin, it's not comparable condition.
Anyway, I'll later post my experience here. The CS hotline is too busy right now.
Mar 1, 2018, 4:04 am
#134
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS/AMS/HAM
Programs: HH-D / IHG-Sp / Marriott-P / LH-SEN / BA-S
Posts: 215
Just talked to the CS. They said if I opt for the downgrade, there would be no compensation since the lowest class available on QR is more expensive. 
Clearly rubbish.... EU states the compensation should be 75% of the flight price...
Clearly rubbish.... EU states the compensation should be 75% of the flight price...
Mar 1, 2018, 4:09 am
#135
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,844
Indeed 75% of the flight price, but you need to exclude some fees and taxes, so it's never going to be as much as 75% of what you paid. You should do some calculations to see if this is the best option compared to refund and rebooking elsewhere.