SaturdayKid

Which has launched a petition on their website to pressure BA to be more proactive with their compensation payments

https://campaigns.which.co.uk/upgrad...-compensation/ it has already attracted over 40,000 signatures

This could be spectacularly bad news for BA as Which can instigate super-complaints to the Competiton and Markets Authority

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...per-complaints

The ultimate sanction for a super complaint could be a fine of up to 10% of global turnover. Just the threat of that could see the shareholders turn on both Walsh and Cruz which would obviously be great news for passengers.

If you feel it is time for BA to start stepping up to their legal obligations under EU261 please sign

Ldnn1

I'll be devil's advocate here - I actually think BA are relatively good in respect of EU261. That's to say, I don't think any/many other airlines out there are any better overall.

Still, people are welcome to sign the petition of course.

NandoDave

The Which? (Consumers' Association) petition is for a mechanism of automatic compensation. For some reason British Airways is specifically named yet the remainder of airlines operating from the UK are not (they are grouped under 'other airlines').

Exactly which law ascribes an obligation to British Airways to "automatically" pay compensation?

How would that even work?

HilFly

Praise indeed. BA are only as bad as theothers.

aidy

I'll agree with that, I've never had issues with BA for eu261 but I have for other airlines

HilFly

BA may not be obligated to give compensation automatically, but if they did it would make life much easier for their passengers, and it would save all of those customer service people from spending their days generating letters full of lies to deny claims.

BA know exactly how much compensation could be claimed by every affected passenger. Wouldn't it be nice if they all got an email like this?

"Dear Customer
You travelled on our flight #123 on date from ABC-XYZ. As this flight arrived xx hours late, due to _______you are entitled to compenation of $X00. Please go to link and submit your bank details and you will receive your compensation in 3 days.

Sincerely

The new warm, fuzzie BA.

Flap, flap. Oink oink. Not.

HIDDY

I wish Which would spend their resources on something more beneficial to consumers.....like stopping charities using hyperbolic statements on their websites.

UKtravelbear

I've seen a couple of Which? facebook posts about flights delays recently and they leave a lot to be desired - giving the impression ALL delays get compensation a statement that is patently false.

As to BA friend of mine was delayed 24 hours and put in his claim. He got the payment less than two weeks after the delay and given he waited a couple of days before making his claim it was closer to ten days from claim to him receiving payment


As to petitions address them to anyone you like at BA but they will just get ignored.

Porky Speedpig

Be careful what you wish for - if pro active payout became mandatory there is only one set of stakeholders the required funds would come from - consumers! It would be applicable to all airlines just like fuel prices, airport charges etc and thus competitive forces would not apply. This is an extremely flawed, ill thought out initiative.

Dave Noble

The payouts are mandatory - what happens is that the airline tries to avoid doing ; I have trouble seeing any flaw in attempting to force the airline to meet its obligations without people knowing to claim and then knowing to persist when valid claims are denied until small claim is lodged

Porky Speedpig

Hi Dave - I agree with the second point entirely but disagree on the first. A huge proportion of people do not claim (I will not quote figures but trust me I have been active in this area for years, for airlines, for the EU, for "other interested parties"). No -one is sure why but it is a huge silent majority. Maybe they don't know, maybe they don't care. The big issue though is that if airlines were forced to pay the "don't know/don't care" people, the costs would be astronomic. Eye watering. So what happens - fares go up or as one airline has stated many times, they would just add a levy to all tickets. So we all pay a great deal extra just to compensate people who maybe didn't want compensating in the first place. And I stress again - it would be a very significant sum - maybe that's why the EU has never mandated it - they law of unintended consequences.
Back to your other point though - if someone claims and it is valid - the payout process should be quick and straight forward.

IAN-UK

Impressive analysis


The alternative might be that the airline works that bit harder to avoid delays, cancellations and downgrades. Much as the legislators intended.

Worcester

Be fair Hiddy, it's alright for us on here as most of us have at least some idea of our rights. But then for a lot on here a couple of hundred £ is not a big deal. This rule would help infrequent travellers who BA (and many other airlines) often does let down by not informing them of their rights (or at best doing the absolute minimum).

Stez

Nice idea but recipe for phishing if asked to enter banking details.

memesweeper

There are far worse offenders for avoiding paying compo, and of those operators with a UK base, the worst IMO is ... RyanAir (FR). Why on earth aren't Which calling them out? On that basis I'm not signing.