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Informed of Delayed Flight means I miss my connection - need some help please

Informed of Delayed Flight means I miss my connection - need some help please

Old Aug 11, 2018, 2:12 pm
  #1  
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Informed of Delayed Flight means I miss my connection - need some help please

I'm due to fly tomorrow AMS-LHR-ORD.

I received an SMS earlier this evening telling me that BA423, my AMS-LHR, due to depart at 08.05am, has been pushed back to a 10.35am departure. My issue is that BA295 (LHR-ORD), is due to depart at 10.30am which means I'll miss the connection.

I called the Gold Line and explained that I needed to be in Chicago for 1.30pm and want options did I have. They said there was nothing they could do except book me onto the next LHR-ORD flight, which won't leave until 16.35. There is a AMS-LHR KLM flight at 7.20am so I asked whether they could book me onto that. They said they could not book me onto a non One World carrier. I did try to explain that if I took the 16.35 LHR-ORD I would be able to claim EU261 and rather than BA giving 600EUR compensation, could they just buy a one way for 200. No can do. They also explained that as this is an agency booking (booked through AMEX Global Business Travel) I had to call them up if I wanted to make an earlier flight with a different carrier.

I called AMEX and they said because I'm already checked in they can't make any changes to the ticket and I would have to ask BA to uncheck me.

So I'm in a pickle as to what to do. Unfortunately I've already lived with this scenario last December, when the Saturday night LHR-AMS went tech, and they delayed the first flight the next morning, promising me it was only going to take 2 hours to fix, and then I eventually left at 7.30pm that night because I checked in some luggage in and they wouldn't offload me.

I don't know if I should:
a) get to the airport really early and see whether the airport would put me onto a different flight (the Gold line did explain that the airport had more options than they could offer via phone) - but if my flight is now delayed until 10.35am, what chances anyone from BA will be at Schiphol at say 6am if I wanted to make the KLM flight

b) Call BA and get them to make the changes now to my flight - I guess I wouldn't therefore get any compensation as my ticket has now been changed, but I still wouldn't make Chicago on time

c) I turn up at the airport for the new scheduled flight and just accept that I've lost 64K on my LHR-ORD and just see what happens. Clearly my least favourite option

What are the chances of BA either getting me a ticket on the KLM flight (KL1001) at 7.20am or even if I purchase it, BA not offloading me from my LHR-ORD because I missed the AMS-LHR leg? I don't know what are the steps I need to take. Would appreciate any advice.

Thanks
silonic is offline  
Old Aug 11, 2018, 2:17 pm
  #2  
 
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Are you on one ticket or separate ones for the different legs?
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Old Aug 11, 2018, 2:19 pm
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I'd say (a). The BA ticket desk should be open as normal. Whether or not they'll put you on that KL flight I don't know, but it's worth a try.
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Old Aug 11, 2018, 2:22 pm
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Originally Posted by bisonrav
Are you on one ticket or separate ones for the different legs?
All one ticket
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Old Aug 11, 2018, 2:26 pm
  #5  
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Though the flight indeed is delayed, I suspect passengers will be there are 06:00 hrs onwards and I further suspect that there will be ground agents on duty at that time too.

So in your position I would leave it to the airport, get there just before 06:00 hrs and see what they can do. If they won't rebook via KLM, then you can ask them to protect LHR-ORD (and then buy a walk-up fare on KLM). There will be a lot of people with on-carriage connections so this may be a slow process and the agents may just want everyone to rebook in LHR, but you can at least try it. It will help if you can go HBO.

There is also a 12:15 hrs AA flight (which doesn't help the new AMS service it's below MCT) and a United service at 14:50 hrs. If you accepted the new timings you don't lose your EC261 eligibility, assuming the reason is due to crew shortage (etc).

Incidentally there is a procedure for Amex to offload their clients, via their Trade Manage My Booking / Manage Booking link
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Old Aug 11, 2018, 2:27 pm
  #6  
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If it is a through booking of AMS-ORD, BA will sort out the rebooking on the day; just turn up for the new flgiht time and enjoy the EUR600 compensation ( unless it is an extraordinary circumstace)

If it is 2 separate bookings, then once BA has got you to London, it has done its job and you will liekly be up for any change fees/fare differemce for getting the LHR-ORD changed

Getting to airport early will likely just extend your travel day - I would be very surprised if with such a short delay, it would rebook onto KLM

If you really need to be there at 13:30, perhaps cancel and rebook on KLM
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Old Aug 11, 2018, 2:28 pm
  #7  
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there is the BA 429 dep 10.15 arrives LHR 10.40

BA 431 dep 11.35 arr 11.55
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Old Aug 11, 2018, 2:36 pm
  #8  
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Incidentally, my guess as to the cause is that the night stop crew arrived too late on Saturday for their minimum rest period.
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Old Aug 11, 2018, 3:11 pm
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There is also a Vueling flight from AMS-LTN tomorrow at 7am. If that's on time, you'd be able to taxi from LTN to LHR to catch your original flight.

Might it be worth a quick call tonight to the US call centre to see if they could rebook you on that flight? It has an IB codeshare, although unfortunately not a BA one.

[Edit: Actually I think that LTN-LHR connection is a tad short of MCT, so it will be a no.]

Last edited by Ldnn1; Aug 11, 2018 at 3:17 pm
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Old Aug 11, 2018, 3:17 pm
  #10  
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Originally Posted by Ldnn1
There is also a Vueling flight from AMS-LTN tomorrow at 7am. If that's on time, you'd be able to taxi from LTN to LHR to catch your original flight.
It's about 1 hour between the airports, maybe a bit less on a Sunday, almost all of it motorway. VY and BA share ground agents in AMS.
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Old Aug 11, 2018, 4:11 pm
  #11  
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Thank you everyone. I'm going to get some sleep and get to the airport before 6am and see what happens from there. I was looking at delayed flights into AMS for knock on impact of crew not having a long enough rest period but aside from a flight around lunchtime, nothing had more than 30 mins delay
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Old Aug 11, 2018, 10:38 pm
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Got to the airport at 5.50am and there were around 11 people already at the ticketing desk. They had proactively moved me to a direct United flight later this morning. Just have to wait 90 mins before I can check in and get my ticket issued.

Fingers crossed that all works out fine. Thanks again for the advice shared on here.
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Old Aug 12, 2018, 2:51 am
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Originally Posted by silonic
Got to the airport at 5.50am and there were around 11 people already at the ticketing desk. They had proactively moved me to a direct United flight later this morning. Just have to wait 90 mins before I can check in and get my ticket issued.

Fingers crossed that all works out fine. Thanks again for the advice shared on here.
Don't forget to give UA your *A frequent flyer number at checkin to get those points (set one up quickly with Aegean beforehand if you don't have one already), and to claim the Avios and TPs from BA for your Original Routing Credit after the trip.
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Old Aug 23, 2018, 7:28 pm
  #14  
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As expected I havent been given the TPs and Avios for the outbound as I got moved onto a United flight. What is the process for claiming missing TPs and Avios in this situation? Do I still go via the website and use the original ticket numbers or do I need to call the Gold line in this instance?

thanks in advance
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Old Aug 23, 2018, 8:44 pm
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Originally Posted by silonic
As expected I havent been given the TPs and Avios for the outbound as I got moved onto a United flight. What is the process for claiming missing TPs and Avios in this situation? Do I still go via the website and use the original ticket numbers or do I need to call the Gold line in this instance?

thanks in advance
I called in, which allows you to explain the circumstances better.
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