Charlie Whiskey

Am in JNB and find tonight's 056 to LHR delayed 5 hours due to 15 hour delay to the 055 inbound.

How do I find out the real reason for the original delay if I eventually need to put in an EU261 claim?

corporate-wage-slave

It's probably too soon for the two sources we tend to use (ExpertFlyer and thebasource) since the aircraft hasn't left London yet. I would expect both to be updated in the next few hours and you're absolutely right to find out now rather than later. If all else fails then the captain in his initial address on board usually will give a detailed explanation and it is always worth making a contemporary note of the captain's name and his/her explanation.

If I were to speculate, this looks like a mechanical failure of the initial aircraft, which could not be fixed within the crew's operational hours, and therefore they needed a 14 hour rest before having another go at it.

Charlie Whiskey

Thanks CWS for such a helpful reply.

As I will have plenty of time on my hands on this extended First 241 ^ I shall check your sugested sources later via here if I may.

Can I help you

It's delayed is due to to DAMA what ever that means?

msm2000uk

On Twitter, BA are stating the delay is a 'Rotational delay due to the late arriving aircraft into JNB'.

If BA are to claim anything other than a Mechanical issue, they would try claiming Exceptional Circumstances (aka weather).

If you've got the time, it might be worth taking screenshots of the other flights which flew LON-JNB last night, just so you've got proof that flights were departing.

You may not need the info, but it's easier to do now, than in 2 months time if BA refute your EU261 claim.

M

wingtip428

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Aircraft damage, I think? Normally means a catering truck drove into it...

msm2000uk

According to an older thread, CWS commented that DAMA means damage (unsurprisingly I suppose).

M

ahmetdouas

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Can I help you

I guessed the same but haven't seen this written before.

msm2000uk

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1752543-ba-8004-canceled-3-12-a.html

I saw the info in the above.

M

Corpt

Slightly OT, but I had something very similar to this last year Catania to LGW with Norwegian. Luggage truck collided with nose wheel, causing 12 hour delay. Norwegian claiming extraordinary circumstances so refusing EU261. Not easy to claim when it's a nonUK airline originating outside the UK.

foolonthehill

Is there precedent that now shows that catering truck damage is subject to EU261?

I recall a flight I had with Virgin delayed by 24hrs+ due to damage from a catering truck, where I spent a long time chasing compensation to no avail. Granted, it was some years ago now, but the outcome was that they convinced me that they are not responsible for third party suppliers - was I duped?

ahmetdouas

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corporate-wage-slave

Indeed it does mean Damaged, let's see what the dispatch code says in a few hours' time.

That's absolutely right, though this very thread will also be self documenting to a degree. On the main EC261 thread one of the more maddening things is when someone says "my flight was delayed and I don't know why". In the most unlikely event the captain didn't say anything, one needs to ask! As the OP has done here.

In this case I can't see much wriggle room for BA, since this happened at their LHR base and there were (and are) other things BA can do if it wishes to mitigate its losses (and indeed the passengers' time loss too), such as finding another aircraft or rebooking people on other carriers. That said, it's just about possible for the service to arrive back into London under 4 hours late, which would halve the compensation payable.

Broadly speaking not paying EC261 in this situation can normally happen when some event not under the airline's control causes the damage. So if a catering truck working for Virgin prangs a BA jet then that would to me be extraordinary (though there can still be a debate even on that one). If a catering truck working for BA did the damage then BA is liable. There have been some recent-ish judgements in this area so yes, there is now precedent, and being a third party supplier is not on its own a reason for refusing compensation. If Virgin gave the wrong ruling, and it was under 6 years ago you can still pursue it. If more than 6 years ago it gets complicated!

Tobias-UK

It's not too late to pursue your claim, and nothing to prevent you issuing proceedings in the English county court.