Managing timetable changes | clinic thread
Jul 7, 2018, 5:49 pm
#16
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
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4 piece of baggage between two or more of you shouldn't be a bar to transferring between LGW and LHR unless there are physical issues why you can't handle them.
I do that transfer from time to time on my own with 4 pieces up to 32 kg + cabin bag.
I assume the call centre thinks 0745 ex-LGW is a reasonable alternative. Except of course that it is before the OP arrives at LGW but for some reason the call centre seems to be overlooking that rather crucial fact and therefore considers it a reasonable alternative.
I'd be inclined to do what CWS has suggested and let them go ahead with 0745 so that they will see for themselves that it doesn't work. Then they will need to come up with something else, like 17:40 ex-LGW. A long wait (could get a day room, perhaps?), but at least it's from the same airport and it does not involve an overnight stop.
I do that transfer from time to time on my own with 4 pieces up to 32 kg + cabin bag.
I'd be inclined to do what CWS has suggested and let them go ahead with 0745 so that they will see for themselves that it doesn't work. Then they will need to come up with something else, like 17:40 ex-LGW. A long wait (could get a day room, perhaps?), but at least it's from the same airport and it does not involve an overnight stop.
Last edited by LTN Phobia; Jul 7, 2018 at 5:55 pm
Jul 7, 2018, 6:15 pm
#17
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Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
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A change in the last leg does not given the op Carte Blanche to change whole other parts of the booking for free. It appears that this request is confusing the agents the OP speaks too.
when passengers come up with reasonable options when a flight has been cancelled they can be very accommodating but there is a limit to that.
when passengers come up with reasonable options when a flight has been cancelled they can be very accommodating but there is a limit to that.
Jul 7, 2018, 6:25 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: Star Alliance G*, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium,
Posts: 3,585
time is on your side
The flight is in January - and they notified you seven months in advance of the cancellation?
If that is the situation, why are you @ wits end? Relax. You have lots of time to sort this out.
I had a similar (North American) experience with WS. They changed the departure time for my TPA-YOW flight by 7 hours. Too early to comfortably make the drive from MIA to TPA after my cruise. (The cruise is in October & the schedule change happened in June = 6 months prior.) 1st, I looked @ my cancellation options and discovered all replacement options were more expensive. So I called WS customer service and asked them to move us to the FLL-YYZ flight with same day cnx to YOW. WS was happy to oblige! Currently, I am dealing with AY on a cancellation HEL-LJU one month from now. Cancelling and taking the refund may be my best option - but - that means for forfeiting a non-ref hotel stay. Still thinking about that?
My advice? Patiently tell BA you do not accept their alternative. Then call back a week from now and get it sorted then.
If that is the situation, why are you @ wits end? Relax. You have lots of time to sort this out.
I had a similar (North American) experience with WS. They changed the departure time for my TPA-YOW flight by 7 hours. Too early to comfortably make the drive from MIA to TPA after my cruise. (The cruise is in October & the schedule change happened in June = 6 months prior.) 1st, I looked @ my cancellation options and discovered all replacement options were more expensive. So I called WS customer service and asked them to move us to the FLL-YYZ flight with same day cnx to YOW. WS was happy to oblige! Currently, I am dealing with AY on a cancellation HEL-LJU one month from now. Cancelling and taking the refund may be my best option - but - that means for forfeiting a non-ref hotel stay. Still thinking about that?
My advice? Patiently tell BA you do not accept their alternative. Then call back a week from now and get it sorted then.
Jul 7, 2018, 6:32 pm
#20
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If you use terms such as "nightmare" for minor scheduling difficulties, I would suggest having someone else handling the interface with BA. It is more than likely that by now, the PNR has been annotated with what has been offered, what you have said, and the supervisor's response. Thus, you have an uphill climb.
In a clear and direct manner, that other person would simply say, "we arrive at LGW at 08:45 and have been rebooked onto a frequency departing an hour before we land. What would you advise? Can you help fix that?
Don't propose anything and then once the agent comes back with options, just suggest that you could depart from and return to GLA but do need it to be one airport.
In a clear and direct manner, that other person would simply say, "we arrive at LGW at 08:45 and have been rebooked onto a frequency departing an hour before we land. What would you advise? Can you help fix that?
Don't propose anything and then once the agent comes back with options, just suggest that you could depart from and return to GLA but do need it to be one airport.
Jul 8, 2018, 12:07 am
#21
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Your nightmare started when you made unreasonable request for a date change for the outbound flight which was not affected by the schedule change...
Obviously, such request for a free rebooking of segments not affected by schedule change will not (and should not) be entertained.
Jul 8, 2018, 12:28 am
#22
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,770
Your nightmare started when you made unreasonable request for a date change for the outbound flight which was not affected by the schedule change...
Obviously, such request for a free rebooking of segments not affected by schedule change will not (and should not) be entertained.
Jul 8, 2018, 12:36 am
#23
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- [*]
Jul 8, 2018, 1:03 am
#24
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
I don't see what the nightmare or panic is.
There are months to go and the system will
catch up. The OP is a long term participant on here and will presumably know BA's IT has many limitations.
If the real issue here is the OP wants to change outward flights too to avoid an early start and have an overnight at Gatwick then just cancel the schedule and rebook as required. Alternatively leave to BA and OP will end up on a later connection to EDI.
It all seems a massive over-reaction to me.
There are months to go and the system will
catch up. The OP is a long term participant on here and will presumably know BA's IT has many limitations.
If the real issue here is the OP wants to change outward flights too to avoid an early start and have an overnight at Gatwick then just cancel the schedule and rebook as required. Alternatively leave to BA and OP will end up on a later connection to EDI.
It all seems a massive over-reaction to me.
Jul 8, 2018, 1:15 am
#25
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
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Posts: 391
To be absolutely clear here. The agent would not offer ANY other flight as an alternative - before I made the Glasgow suggestions i sled what was available later in the day and was told I could not have a flight later on 16/01 from LGW to EDI. Only after he repeatedly stated that BA were not offering anything other than the 07:45 flight as it was a valid option did I make the suggestion of Glasgow. The reason I did not ask him to go ahead was I believed that having accepted an impossible connection BA would then deem it my problem and remove any obligation for them to assist.
I made add the point that the connecting flight was departing before the arrival of the first flight. The agent said "Yes, I. see" but kept repeating that it was valid.
At at no point did I "demand" anything nor was I rude or impatien. I simply stated why the BA option wouldn't work and, eventually, three was another alternative which may resolve things.
I made add the point that the connecting flight was departing before the arrival of the first flight. The agent said "Yes, I. see" but kept repeating that it was valid.
At at no point did I "demand" anything nor was I rude or impatien. I simply stated why the BA option wouldn't work and, eventually, three was another alternative which may resolve things.
Jul 8, 2018, 1:19 am
#27
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
To be absolutely clear here. The agent would not offer ANY other flight as an alternative - before I made the Glasgow suggestions i sled what was available later in the day and was told I could not have a flight later on 16/01 from LGW to EDI. Only after he repeatedly stated that BA were not offering anything other than the 07:45 flight as it was a valid option did I make the suggestion of Glasgow. The reason I did not ask him to go ahead was I believed that having accepted an impossible connection BA would then deem it my problem and remove any obligation for them to assist.
I made add the point that the connecting flight was departing before the arrival of the first flight. The agent said "Yes, I. see" but kept repeating that it was valid.
At at no point did I "demand" anything nor was I rude or impatien. I simply stated why the BA option wouldn't work and, eventually, three was another alternative which may resolve things.
I made add the point that the connecting flight was departing before the arrival of the first flight. The agent said "Yes, I. see" but kept repeating that it was valid.
At at no point did I "demand" anything nor was I rude or impatien. I simply stated why the BA option wouldn't work and, eventually, three was another alternative which may resolve things.
Jul 8, 2018, 1:20 am
#28
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I don't see what the nightmare or panic is.
There are months to go and the system will
catch up. The OP is a long term participant on here and will presumably know BA's IT has many limitations.
If the real issue here is the OP wants to change outward flights too to avoid an early start and have an overnight at Gatwick then just cancel the schedule and rebook as required. Alternatively leave to BA and OP will end up on a later connection to EDI.
It all seems a massive over-reaction to me.
There are months to go and the system will
catch up. The OP is a long term participant on here and will presumably know BA's IT has many limitations.
If the real issue here is the OP wants to change outward flights too to avoid an early start and have an overnight at Gatwick then just cancel the schedule and rebook as required. Alternatively leave to BA and OP will end up on a later connection to EDI.
It all seems a massive over-reaction to me.
One thing about his place is that you will get sound advice. If they are stupid enough to book you on a flight that departs before you land. I’m surprised that the system lets them do that on one PNR. it all seems rather odd and I’d let them just do it and let them sort that mess out. What I’d do is ask to fly back via wherever directly to LHR and get in a flight without changing airports in London.
The irony is is that because it’s January, it could snow heaven’s hardest and everything here will be utterly irrelevant in the ensuing mess.
Jul 8, 2018, 1:28 am
#29
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
To be absolutely clear here. The agent would not offer ANY other flight as an alternative - before I made the Glasgow suggestions i sled what was available later in the day and was told I could not have a flight later on 16/01 from LGW to EDI. Only after he repeatedly stated that BA were not offering anything other than the 07:45 flight as it was a valid option did I make the suggestion of Glasgow. The reason I did not ask him to go ahead was I believed that having accepted an impossible connection BA would then deem it my problem and remove any obligation for them to assist.
Of course they aren't going to force you to take a connecting flight that leaves before your inbound arrives. Seriously, how do you think that would stack up if you went to MCOL, or the regulator, or the media.
It will sort itself out. Ignore it for a couple of months and then see what happens. I don't think a hysterical reaction really helps.
Jul 8, 2018, 1:44 am
#30
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
[left]To be absolutely clear here. The agent would not offer ANY other flight as an alternative - before I made the Glasgow suggestions i sled what was available later in the day and was told I could not have a flight later on 16/01 from LGW to EDI. Only after he repeatedly stated that BA were not offering anything other than the 07:45 flight as it was a valid option did I make the suggestion of Glasgow.
You could just leave it for a while to see what the system will do to sort it out, or call back - most likely you will get a different agent anyway. It is really a rather straight-forward rebooking and there is probably no need to speak to a UK call centre at all once you speak to a sensible agent.
It's months and months away. No need to get stressed about it now. It's not looking like the late afternoon and evening flights ex-LGW to EDI are filling up on 16 Jan 2019 already, either.
Last edited by LTN Phobia; Jul 8, 2018 at 2:33 am