mec72

I think someone asked this question but I haven't seen an answer - to what extent can you refuse the downgrade and ask to be put on the next flight with two F seats? To what extent would BA have a duty of care (accommodation, meals until the next flight)?

SvenAge

deleted

sueoverend

Getting a bit twitchy about our return from JFK 2 weeks tomorrow in F, as the cabin is now totally full. We are travelling on an Amex 2 for 1 ticket which we have had booked for nearly a year now. We would be totally gutted if we got downgraded due to the fact that this will be our last overseas holiday for some considerable time, due to a change in circumstances. My question is, we are on the last flight out of JFK at 23.15, but I can see there is plenty of space on the earlier two flights in F. We plan to check in very early anyway, but do you think they would switch us to an earlier flight if it was looking like we would be bumped? Quite happy with the 23.15, but would hate to be bumped - we are big people and don't fit in small seats!

corporate-wage-slave

Firstly this thread gives a misleading impression this is a regular occurrence. You are far, far more likely to miss your flight due to traffic or bad weather. But even so, yes, if you check in at OLCI, get your boarding passes you don't particularly need to turn up particularly early. If there are any difficulties there then yes, get to the airport early. I guess there is merit in arriving 1 hour before the departure of the earlier service just to give a bit of leeway. And you could take the option to go the next day too. But all of this is an excess of caution.

I hesitate to reply to these posts since I feel I'm feeding the monster, to be brutally honest.

V10

Indeed.

If I were to make one suggestion, I think the Dashboard could go into a bit more detail in respect of what the options are in the unlikely yet unfortunate event that someone does find themselves in this situation. It's clear on what your rights are after the event in terms of refunds/compensation but not so much on what you might be able to request at the time. If it does already then that's great (apologies that I've not found it myself) and pointing people in that direction would help.

Having this available might go some way to putting minds at rest, being prepared with some alternatives that can be used instead.

I can only reiterate that this is a big deal for some, it being the only route to a very rare treat in F. We shouldn't necessarily castigate people if they get the jitters over it because they don't want things to go wrong.

sueoverend

Thanks VT for your understanding - this is a very rare treat for us, one that is unlikely to ever be repeated. We have spent so many months watching you tube videos of people's trips in F and reading on-line reviews. We are ordinary folks who hope to live the dream for just a very short while and would be so upset if our best laid plans fail!

marshy11

We are off in a week for our first First (to BOS) and I completely understand how you feel. The angst of the downgrade etc. Thankfully this forum has made me more confident it won't happen (did I jinx myself?). But it has also made me more prepared should it happen.

Our way of dealing with it is firstly, not to worry and secondly, to plan.

If it happens (and it would be me and not Mr Marshy if it were the 2-4-1 freebie ticketholder) then I would sit in J and him in F but at least he could guest me into the CCR (we are lowly Bronze so nothing there for us). Trip would otherwise be as planned.

If it were both, we would try and see if we could take a later flight (the last one) in F or failing that, the one in between in J.

Ultimately I think it's a case of being fore-armed and working out what fixes you would be happiest with. We've been dumped by VS in the distant past when they only had 2 class planes and felt totally blind in what we could do. Thankfully that was a long time ago and we've learned to have some options available 'just in case'.

Nothing will stop you feeling worried about the downgrade until you are sat in that F seat. Hopefully it will all be perfect and you'll have a lovely trip.

If I get as much luck I shall be there and back (in F) just as you depart!

corporate-wage-slave

I'll have a consultation with the other ambassadors and moderators on this. You are correct the EC261 and now CRA aspects are well covered, but I guess to those fretting it may be better to indicate what positive things can assist, such as paying for seat reservations or adding an on carriage connection. But it still remains a rare event, it's not that often that an FT regular poster reports a tale of woe, certainly not a weekly event.

V10

Thanks. Whilst I don't dispute the rarity of these events, some more reassurance than "it won't happen" would be valuable to those who do "win" this particular lottery.

If I can assist in some way - bearing in mind that my knowledge on this is about as deficient as it gets - I'd be happy to do so.