Wife involuntarily downgraded
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 13
Wife involuntarily downgraded
A very disgruntled wife was messaging me earlier today as she was involuntarily downgraded from J to WT+ on BA28 back from HK. Full fare business but she has no BA status. Groundstaff apparently were pretty blunt / not apologetic and once she got on there was no spare CW pillow, bedding etc to give her in WT+. Am expecting a rather grumpy better half to arrive early tomorrow morning. Her work pay business fares so she arrives fresh to work and to allow her to arrive back home fresh to enjoy weekend with our kids having been away with work all week.
Is it really too much to expect BA to deliver on a multi thousand pound ticket?! No legitimate excuse offered to her even. Just a shrug.
I have to travel quite a bit for work (BA Gold) and just moved my May flights to the US onto AA metal as a modest / token protest...
Is it really too much to expect BA to deliver on a multi thousand pound ticket?! No legitimate excuse offered to her even. Just a shrug.
I have to travel quite a bit for work (BA Gold) and just moved my May flights to the US onto AA metal as a modest / token protest...
#2
Join Date: May 2006
Location: 5 miles from EMA
Programs: BD, BAEC Pleb, VS Pleb, Accor Pleb, HHonors Gold, Big White Season Pass
Posts: 5,901
A very disgruntled wife was messaging me earlier today as she was involuntarily downgraded from J to WT+ on BA28 back from HK. Full fare business but she has no BA status. Groundstaff apparently were pretty blunt / not apologetic and once she got on there was no spare CW pillow, bedding etc to give her in WT+. Am expecting a rather grumpy better half to arrive early tomorrow morning. Her work pay business fares so she arrives fresh to work and to allow her to arrive back home fresh to enjoy weekend with our kids having been away with work all week.
Is it really too much to expect BA to deliver on a multi thousand pound ticket?! No legitimate excuse offered to her even. Just a shrug.
I have to travel quite a bit for work (BA Gold) and just moved my May flights to the US onto AA metal as a modest / token protest...
Is it really too much to expect BA to deliver on a multi thousand pound ticket?! No legitimate excuse offered to her even. Just a shrug.
I have to travel quite a bit for work (BA Gold) and just moved my May flights to the US onto AA metal as a modest / token protest...
I’m sure the others will be along to offer the appropriate advice on claiming compo etc. shortly.
#3
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
I may well be wrong here (someone please correct if so), but don't AA and BA revenue share as a result of the JV on transatlantic routes? In other words, it's possible your gesture will cost BA precisely nothing?
I'll leave more experienced hands to comment more fully on the downgrade - compensation is due to your wife
A frustrating experience for sure, and no doubt the customer experience could have been better but an unfortunate consequence of overbooking that sometimes, even if rarely, these events happen
Last edited by BertieBadger; Mar 23, 2018 at 12:34 pm Reason: Remove incorrect info
#4
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Sorry to hear about this, did she check in online at the first opportunity / have an allocated seat etc? The best thing she can do to avoid this in the future is to try and at least get Bronze status, and usually a return flight to HKG would get you fairly close to this (corrected: 280 of the required 300 TPs).
One key factor here is that BA will have to pay the downgrade refund, but if she is not careful it will go to the company rather than to her. So she needs to exercise her EC261 claim at the first opportunity (assuming she wasn't given a cash card) since BA also use an internal involuntary fare refund - which is sometimes more generous than EC261 - but it's paid to whoever paid for the ticket, perhaps her employer - whereas EC261 is due to the traveller. Downgrading is never much fun, I appreciate that she probably wanted to get home, but she would have had the option to travel on the next available flight.
From which almost certainly BA are in a revenue share with AA.
One key factor here is that BA will have to pay the downgrade refund, but if she is not careful it will go to the company rather than to her. So she needs to exercise her EC261 claim at the first opportunity (assuming she wasn't given a cash card) since BA also use an internal involuntary fare refund - which is sometimes more generous than EC261 - but it's paid to whoever paid for the ticket, perhaps her employer - whereas EC261 is due to the traveller. Downgrading is never much fun, I appreciate that she probably wanted to get home, but she would have had the option to travel on the next available flight.
From which almost certainly BA are in a revenue share with AA.
Last edited by corporate-wage-slave; Mar 23, 2018 at 12:54 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold / O6 Diamond
Posts: 149
I feel for your wife. She should be entitled to some form of compensation under EC261. But I'm not surprised that she just got a shrug for the downgrade. I flew LHR-HKG-LHR in J last week and I found a huge plaster wrapper lodged in my drink, which the crew just shrugged off and gave a somewhat half-hearted apology. Not to mention, we also had menu photocopied on a sheet of A4 (I have photos of both so I'm happy to share!) and the new Club service was AWFULLY slow.
All in all the service on BA was pretty bad so good on you to vote with your wallet and moved your flights to AA (although part of the revenue under the JSA will no doubt find its way back to BA lol).
All in all the service on BA was pretty bad so good on you to vote with your wallet and moved your flights to AA (although part of the revenue under the JSA will no doubt find its way back to BA lol).
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 13
Sorry, should’ve been clearer - switched my flights to be booked via AA rather than just on AA metals via BA website
I told her not to take any prepay card etc in compensation but she may not be listened to me...work pay for her flights so really she’s not bothered about getting some money, more that she won’t be rested for the weekend so enjoyment of it with the kids is massively diminished. The attitude of BA during it just stinks too. The other flight back from HK at about the same time was also fully booked / overbooked.
Agreed re getting status to help prevent this thing but when shelling out for a business class ticket people shouldn’t have to worry about this, especially for long haul when there’s such a difference in hard product.
Thanks for the replies!
I told her not to take any prepay card etc in compensation but she may not be listened to me...work pay for her flights so really she’s not bothered about getting some money, more that she won’t be rested for the weekend so enjoyment of it with the kids is massively diminished. The attitude of BA during it just stinks too. The other flight back from HK at about the same time was also fully booked / overbooked.
Agreed re getting status to help prevent this thing but when shelling out for a business class ticket people shouldn’t have to worry about this, especially for long haul when there’s such a difference in hard product.
Thanks for the replies!
#7
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,826
Sorry to hear about this, did she check in online at the first opportunity / have an allocated seat etc? The best thing she can do to avoid this in the future is to try and at least get Bronze status, and usually a return flight to HKG would get you fairly close to this (240 of the require 300 TPs).
One key factor here is that BA will have to pay the downgrade refund, but if she is not careful it will go to the company rather than to her. So she needs to exercise her EC261 claim at the first opportunity (assuming she wasn't given a cash card) since BA also use an internal involuntary fare refund - which is sometimes more generous than EC261 - but it's paid to whoever paid for the ticket, perhaps her employer - whereas EC261 is due to the traveller. Downgrading is never much fun, I appreciate that she probably wanted to get home, but she would have had the option to travel on the next available flight.
From which almost certainly BA are in a revenue share with AA.
One key factor here is that BA will have to pay the downgrade refund, but if she is not careful it will go to the company rather than to her. So she needs to exercise her EC261 claim at the first opportunity (assuming she wasn't given a cash card) since BA also use an internal involuntary fare refund - which is sometimes more generous than EC261 - but it's paid to whoever paid for the ticket, perhaps her employer - whereas EC261 is due to the traveller. Downgrading is never much fun, I appreciate that she probably wanted to get home, but she would have had the option to travel on the next available flight.
From which almost certainly BA are in a revenue share with AA.
#8
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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As mentioned in other threads here, always take the prepaid card, and always take all the money out immediately. You can't compromise EC261 by taking the card, but you can compromise ever seeing any recompense by not taking the card. When it comes to downgrades, any amount of rose petals isn't going to make it a good experience, though usually the CSD on board would do their best. HKG airport isn't renown for being cheerful when imparting bad news, in my experience, the agent would just want the conversation over with as soon as possible - which won't improve your spouse's view of the matter. Did your wife do OLCI at T-24 or pre-reserve a seat? Usually it's the last person without a seat allocation that is at most risk of this, and where status helps is indirect - in pre-allocating a seat.
Still revenue share, it's a joint business arrangement. Flying United would be a better idea to achieve your aim.
I agree it's never good (and I may have said that upthread), But to clarify, my point was to help her and others avoid this in the future.
I agree it's never good (and I may have said that upthread), But to clarify, my point was to help her and others avoid this in the future.
#9
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Elite
Posts: 1,713
This still has the same outcome. BA and AA have a joint venture on flights to most destinations in the USA and they share all revenue on those routes. The only way to,hurt BA in the pocket is to travel with VS, DL, UA or someone else outside of the JV.
#10
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
[QUOTE=corporate-wage-slave;29558989]Sorry to hear about this, did she check in online at the first opportunity / have an allocated seat etc? The best thing she can do to avoid this in the future is to try and at least get Bronze status, and usually a return flight to HKG would get you fairly close to this (240 of the require 300 TPs).
I think this should be 280 Tier Points.
I think this should be 280 Tier Points.
#12
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,826
I just don’t agree that status and checking in early is te way to guarantee a seat you’ve paid thousands for...
I’d refuse to fly. Really puts me off BA given I barely ever fly them anymore despite F being significantly cheaper than EK why would I risk being downgraded? (Or not having any claret 😂
I’d refuse to fly. Really puts me off BA given I barely ever fly them anymore despite F being significantly cheaper than EK why would I risk being downgraded? (Or not having any claret 😂
#13
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Yes, sorry I mistyped there, I will correct
The reason for heavy demand for flights tonight is that there is a big UK / DIT sponsored trade fair in Hong Kong coming to an end, and that also explains why Alex Cruz was in the region, since BA is one of the sponsors.
https://www.events.trade.gov.uk/the-...ong-kong-2018/
The reason for heavy demand for flights tonight is that there is a big UK / DIT sponsored trade fair in Hong Kong coming to an end, and that also explains why Alex Cruz was in the region, since BA is one of the sponsors.
https://www.events.trade.gov.uk/the-...ong-kong-2018/
#15
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
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on EK you’d be given accommodation until the next flight (usually a few hours) and free return flight in the same class - then again EK only do this to people who are on cheap tickets not full fare passengers and then on a voluntary basis as they usually have many people who,will accept such offer.