Flight cancelled, am I entitled to an overnight?
Jun 19, 2018, 11:43 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2006
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Flight cancelled, am I entitled to an overnight?
Hi everyone,
I am hoping to seek your opinion on this.
BA cancelled my flight to KEF from LHR in Dec, part of my BRU-LHR-KEF flight.
1) Called BA only after I noticed they initially scheduled me a 20 minute connection in LHR, then totally cancelled the entire outbound flight. BA agent could not assist, asked that I call MH instead (ticketed by MH oneworld redemption)
2) MH informs BA provided 3 options -
(a)fly 24 hours earlier,
(b)48 hours later,
(c) or take the last BRU-LHR flight the evening before, overnight in LHR and catch the only flight to KEF the next morning.
(c) was the only option that would have me arrive on the original date; they refused to book me into any other airline that had suitable connections.
When I requested an overnight hotel, BA claims this is not their liability since I had accepted the reroute.
While I realize I could book a hotel given it’s 6 months away, I feel BA should offer some assistance given they cancelled for ‘commericial reasons’. They have referred me to CEDR. Should I submit a case?
Thank you!
I am hoping to seek your opinion on this.
BA cancelled my flight to KEF from LHR in Dec, part of my BRU-LHR-KEF flight.
1) Called BA only after I noticed they initially scheduled me a 20 minute connection in LHR, then totally cancelled the entire outbound flight. BA agent could not assist, asked that I call MH instead (ticketed by MH oneworld redemption)
2) MH informs BA provided 3 options -
(a)fly 24 hours earlier,
(b)48 hours later,
(c) or take the last BRU-LHR flight the evening before, overnight in LHR and catch the only flight to KEF the next morning.
(c) was the only option that would have me arrive on the original date; they refused to book me into any other airline that had suitable connections.
When I requested an overnight hotel, BA claims this is not their liability since I had accepted the reroute.
While I realize I could book a hotel given it’s 6 months away, I feel BA should offer some assistance given they cancelled for ‘commericial reasons’. They have referred me to CEDR. Should I submit a case?
Thank you!
Jun 19, 2018, 11:59 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: M&M, BA Silver, Accor LeClub Gold
Posts: 490
IIUC (although others who know the regulations better than I will be along soon to correct if I'm wrong) BA are not liable to pay for your hotel in this case, but they would have been if the cancellation was with less than two weeks notice. Obviously option A would also get you there in time for the original date, but I assume that you have some reason why you can't / won't travel earlier?
Given that I can see Heathrow hotels in December - depending on your date - (granted, only Travelodge) for Ł28 - I suggest that you suck it up. Others might point out that you could also fly direct with WOW air for less than EUR 100 depending on your dates, so this might not be very good use of your miles anyway - you might actually be better off canceling completely and just booking a new flight with the Icelandic low cost carrier.
Given that I can see Heathrow hotels in December - depending on your date - (granted, only Travelodge) for Ł28 - I suggest that you suck it up. Others might point out that you could also fly direct with WOW air for less than EUR 100 depending on your dates, so this might not be very good use of your miles anyway - you might actually be better off canceling completely and just booking a new flight with the Icelandic low cost carrier.
Jun 19, 2018, 12:11 pm
#3
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I don't personally see you as entitled to hotel, but there have been debates about it in the main EC261 thread (see the Dashboard) in previous years without landing on a firm conclusion. I do know that if a hotel bill is submitted after the event and a BAEC cardholder, it tends to get paid, but there won't be any advance confirmation of that. Taking to to CEDR is an option but I would have thought you can only really do that after the event and presumably after BA declined to pick up the tab. If BA have suggested doing that now, then it would be interesting to see what they say. I guess there's a principle involved, but if the hotel cost is low I'd query whether it's a good use of time.