BRU: Delayed flight, potential missed connection! No one to talk to!
Nov 11, 2018, 10:02 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Executive Club: Gold - Flying Blue: Gold
Posts: 1,382
BRU: Delayed flight, potential missed connection! No one to talk to!
So I am now in Brussels waiting for my BA399 to London with onward connection to CPT at 21:15. The inbound flight from London hasn’t left yet. It seems we will land in London at around 21h making it impossible to catch my next flight. At check in Aviapartner have told me they were advised to check us all in to London. I said what’s the point if I can’t make the connection. They said BA said they will take care of all missed connection at London. Asked if there was a BA representative here and they said no. We are now in the lounge waiting and not knowing what will happen.
How come there isn’t a BA representative here? And if I was to miss that flight CPT what would be the other options? Would they put me on tomorrow’s flight? Or reroute me through a KL or AF day flight? I can’t possibly fly tomorrow night as I have a congress the following day and need to be on the stand the whole day. I am flying Economy and can’t possibly arrive exhausted in CPT a few hours before the exhibition starts. What do you advise?!
How come there isn’t a BA representative here? And if I was to miss that flight CPT what would be the other options? Would they put me on tomorrow’s flight? Or reroute me through a KL or AF day flight? I can’t possibly fly tomorrow night as I have a congress the following day and need to be on the stand the whole day. I am flying Economy and can’t possibly arrive exhausted in CPT a few hours before the exhibition starts. What do you advise?!
Nov 11, 2018, 10:20 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,196
Check the app to see if you have already been rebooked.
Otherwise call BA.
As an aside not every outstation has a BA rep. Many are just serviced by a contract company and have limited ability to rebook etc and will simply follow instructions from BA.
Otherwise call BA.
As an aside not every outstation has a BA rep. Many are just serviced by a contract company and have limited ability to rebook etc and will simply follow instructions from BA.
Nov 11, 2018, 10:25 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Executive Club: Gold - Flying Blue: Gold
Posts: 1,382
I haven’t been rebooked on the app. And I called the call center but they couldn’t do anything. So what everyone I talked says go to London and see qhat happens. I find this outrageous that are no mechanisms in place at outstations to deal with such situations. And what’s the point of going to London if it is to be rebooked on tomorrow’s flight oe any other rerouting (which I doubt will happen).
Nov 11, 2018, 10:27 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2007
Programs: M&M, BA Silver, Accor LeClub Gold
Posts: 490
How would you like to be rebooked? The KLM day flight tomorrow? In that case ask for it. Otherwise you are very likely going to be rebooked on the flight that you mention you can't possibly be rebooked on.
Nov 11, 2018, 10:32 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Executive Club: Gold - Flying Blue: Gold
Posts: 1,382
to know my options after arriving in London. Would have been better to do all of this now here in Brussels and go to sleep and then fly tomorrow instead of unnecessarily flying to London, deal with the situation and add a hotel night...
Nov 11, 2018, 10:36 am
#6
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Join Date: Aug 2010
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The issue here is not that BA can't rebook you, but the specific agent you reached would not. I would call back and ask to be rebooked specifically on the KL flight you want. The problem at BRU is not that BA does not have a representative, e.g. an emplyee, but rather that it has issued instructions to its contractor to have reroutes handled on arrival at LHR. Those same instructions might well have been issued to BRU had BA staffed it fully.
Bear in mind that agents at a call center do not know the larger situation and you must supply that. Keep to the facts, point out that you are at BRU, will misconnect at LHR and this wish to be rebooked on KL in the AM rather than BA tomorrow night. BA has no obligation to rebook on KL, but may well do so, particularly if you make this easy with flight number information and the like.
Bear in mind that agents at a call center do not know the larger situation and you must supply that. Keep to the facts, point out that you are at BRU, will misconnect at LHR and this wish to be rebooked on KL in the AM rather than BA tomorrow night. BA has no obligation to rebook on KL, but may well do so, particularly if you make this easy with flight number information and the like.
Nov 11, 2018, 10:42 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,281
Does the call centre accept that you'll misconnect? If so, it'll be over five hours and you'll be eligible for a refund (I think!).
KLM doesn't look too expensive right now - perhaps rebook yourself and get travel insurance / employer to pay? At worst you're on the hook for the difference in price (I think!).
It's not how things should be, but you don't have any other options.
KLM doesn't look too expensive right now - perhaps rebook yourself and get travel insurance / employer to pay? At worst you're on the hook for the difference in price (I think!).
It's not how things should be, but you don't have any other options.
Nov 11, 2018, 11:23 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Executive Club: Gold - Flying Blue: Gold
Posts: 1,382
So talked to gate agent who said that there is absolutely nothing they can do confirming what you guys said. It is all done in London. I called the call center again and the guy told me I need to go to London to be assisted and then he told me I woild probably be on tomorrow’s BA57. I said why isn’t it possible for you to reroute me. He told me
since I checked in, he couldn’t do anything anymore. In the meantime, flight delayed further to 21h32.
Poor lounge desk assistant is having a hard time with rude passengers and she doesn’t even work for BA.
I will try to get the KL flight tomorrow and if they insist on the BA option I will ask them to find me a Club World seat on the BA. No way I am flying in economy And goind straight to the exhibition.
since I checked in, he couldn’t do anything anymore. In the meantime, flight delayed further to 21h32.
Poor lounge desk assistant is having a hard time with rude passengers and she doesn’t even work for BA.
I will try to get the KL flight tomorrow and if they insist on the BA option I will ask them to find me a Club World seat on the BA. No way I am flying in economy And goind straight to the exhibition.
Nov 11, 2018, 11:26 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,659
The issue here is not that BA can't rebook you, but the specific agent you reached would not. I would call back and ask to be rebooked specifically on the KL flight you want. The problem at BRU is not that BA does not have a representative, e.g. an emplyee, but rather that it has issued instructions to its contractor to have reroutes handled on arrival at LHR. Those same instructions might well have been issued to BRU had BA staffed it fully.
Bear in mind that agents at a call center do not know the larger situation and you must supply that. Keep to the facts, point out that you are at BRU, will misconnect at LHR and this wish to be rebooked on KL in the AM rather than BA tomorrow night. BA has no obligation to rebook on KL, but may well do so, particularly if you make this easy with flight number information and the like.
Bear in mind that agents at a call center do not know the larger situation and you must supply that. Keep to the facts, point out that you are at BRU, will misconnect at LHR and this wish to be rebooked on KL in the AM rather than BA tomorrow night. BA has no obligation to rebook on KL, but may well do so, particularly if you make this easy with flight number information and the like.
Nov 11, 2018, 11:39 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: London
Posts: 201
Just to set expectations, there is next to no chance of them agreeing to this. Even an upgrade to WTP would be pushing it. What you could explore is an AUP (Airport Upgrade), assuming WTP is not full then this should be less than the EU261 compensation heading your way (assuming the delay is eligible). You may also be able to claim for the delay from your travel insurance.
Nov 11, 2018, 11:40 am
#11
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
So talked to gate agent who said that there is absolutely nothing they can do confirming what you guys said. It is all done in London. I called the call center again and the guy told me I need to go to London to be assisted and then he told me I woild probably be on tomorrow’s BA57. I said why isn’t it possible for you to reroute me. He told me
since I checked in, he couldn’t do anything anymore. In the meantime, flight delayed further to 21h32.
Poor lounge desk assistant is having a hard time with rude passengers and she doesn’t even work for BA.
I will try to get the KL flight tomorrow and if they insist on the BA option I will ask them to find me a Club World seat on the BA. No way I am flying in economy And goind straight to the exhibition.
since I checked in, he couldn’t do anything anymore. In the meantime, flight delayed further to 21h32.
Poor lounge desk assistant is having a hard time with rude passengers and she doesn’t even work for BA.
I will try to get the KL flight tomorrow and if they insist on the BA option I will ask them to find me a Club World seat on the BA. No way I am flying in economy And goind straight to the exhibition.
Nov 11, 2018, 11:44 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Executive Club: Gold - Flying Blue: Gold
Posts: 1,382
Just to set expectations, there is next to no chance of them agreeing to this. Even an upgrade to WTP would be pushing it. What you could explore is an AUP (Airport Upgrade), assuming WTP is not full then this should be less than the EU261 compensation heading your way (assuming the delay is eligible). You may also be able to claim for the delay from your travel insurance.
Nov 11, 2018, 11:46 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Executive Club: Gold - Flying Blue: Gold
Posts: 1,382
Nov 11, 2018, 11:51 am
#14
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
In that case I think your employer has some responsibility here! This kind of thing is going to happen from time to time, and if they insist on Y, then they should stump up for J for the times you have to work the next day. BA isn't responsible for consequential losses (although having said that I do hope they put you in J), although BA are responsible for EU261.
Nov 11, 2018, 11:52 am
#15
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,378
Can I just ask one question are you one one through booking with a single PNR or a separate BRU-LHR and LHR-CPT booking. Everybody here is assuming the former.
You could always tweet BA and see if someone can call you. They are usually good but your inbound aircraft now seems to be on route with ETD 2137 and ETA 2130 local,
Good luck,
You could always tweet BA and see if someone can call you. They are usually good but your inbound aircraft now seems to be on route with ETD 2137 and ETA 2130 local,
Good luck,