JohnM5

Yes, we asked the same question. However the visibility was pretty poor at that point and it wasn't obvious when (or if) we would get away. As soon as the fog started to show signs of lifting they got us on board so we were ready.


I don't know, but there might have been other things going on in the background. Due to the change from an A321 to A320 we had a refuel stop in Athens that was planned for 10.30 that we were obviously going to miss due to the late departure, so this would need to be re-planned.


I think allowing us to start boarding was an error on someone's part. The crew certainly appeared surprised when we turned up at the aircraft door, so I guess they expected us to wait in the main airport and not start the boarding process until there was greater certainty over the flight timings.

Soft Top

I've been following this from afar so thanks for the update. I think I would be happy with that offer.

My big issue with this is that it should have been offered from the point of change. That way people would not have turned up to check in without knowing what, (if anything), they would be offered. I presume the hope is that not everyone will complain and they can save money but they could have saved more money by offering less at the outset. I suspect most people would have been happy to have been told they were getting CW service with a WT fare in CE.

I can only assume BA was hoping they could re-instate the CW aircraft again and not have to give anything back.

corporate-wage-slave

The thing to avoid is having people on board, taking them off again AND wanting to reboard passengers again. I won't go into all the specifics but if there was any doubt about a departure, or a very long delay, it's much better if people don't board the aircraft at all. Otherwise the aircraft would have to go through a new set of checks before departure. The error, seemingly, was the ground agent allowing boarding to start before a decision had been made on the flight's viability, which is a very basic mistake - the turnaround manager in most locations are essentially employed to get this feature right. There would have been another problem, incidentally, if someone on the airbridge gave up and retreated to the main departure lounge area. If the ground agent was on top of that then they could be offloaded and reloaded later, but the risk of a messed up load sheet would also prevent a timely departure. This is up there with Clanger Drop Central frankly.

flatlander

It can happen to the best. CX once dispatched the first (with First and a few Business passengers) bus to the remote stand (with me and Ms Flatlander in it) before the crew had indicated they were ready, which was because there was no cooling and the aircraft interior was like a sauna. We were gently poached for half an hour until an extended sequence of malfunctions [1] was resolved and the aircraft cooled down.

And yes, de-boarding us would only have screwed things up even further, so we remained on board. Everyone took it fairly well.

[1] Aircraft APU failed. Then the mobile air con cart failed. Finally an air start cart was brought up, connected, started, and allowed to run for long enough that it felt able to sustain the effort of starting an engine. Then an engine was started and the aircon packs could run and cool us down.

V10

I think that this must partly be an AMM thing. I've been shoved on a bus there (airport buses hardly being generously endowed in the salubrious luxury stakes to begin with) long before the aircraft was ready to depart, so that we could all roast in the mid-afternoon 30+ degree sun for well over half an hour.

Pleasant it most certainly was not.

cayohueso

Now I'm wondering if I made a mistake. I had an Avios booking AMM-LHR via FRA, RJ to BA. The BA leg was cancelled so I called in for alternatives. The very helpful agent said he could get me on the BA non-stop to LHR, an A321 CW configuration for the same miles and cash even though no award availability was showing. I was even able to get seat assignments. If it plays out, it'll be one of my best redemption values ever, since I transferred Avios during the Amex 40% bonus. 39,000 Avios net for a retail $5400 pair of tickets. Fortunately, it's for my daughter and son-in-law so if there's a swap, I only have to suffer vicariously.

Ldnn1

JohnM5

I agree with the post from Ldnn1 - you have made the correct choice. When they swapped the aircraft on my flight I ended up "downgraded" to Club Europe (including CW service and £150 per person goodwill payment) with a re-fuelling stop in Athens. This is still probably a better outcome than your original itinerary? However assuming you are not unlucky it'll be a great seat on a direct flight.

cayohueso

The original itinerary after the cancellation would have ended up with about a 5 hour layover in FRA so definitely better in that regard. Time will tell.

TheDinge

Did this happen to anyone recently? I am due to fly to Moscow next week but am 'downgraded' to CE. I would love to change my flight to another time of the day but BA is not picking up my call mostly likely because of Coronavirus.

If they are still paying the GBP150 per leg I am happy to take the offer otherwise I shall try harder/ go to the airport early to negotiate. Anyone with recent experience can share? Much appreciated!

rapidex

Flying CW is hardly a downgrade, unless you were in F previously.

TheDinge

Apologies I did mean CE and thanks for point out. I have modified my original comment.

ubiest

Which flight are you on originally?
In case choice of airport is relevant, the DME flights are nearly 12 hours apart, so the better option may be the night before your original departure.

TheDinge

I am taking the 9pm flight from Heathrow, I can change it to the 9am flight the next morning without messing up my plans.

On the return, I am taking the SVO 7pm flight, in this case 5pm DME service seems like a good alternative.

But this all sounds a bit futile if I can never reach BAEC to change my flights...

TheDinge

Just to report back. The check in agent at T5 initially dismissed me insisting that A321 neos had lieflat seats, which as an FTer I would not believe, and a polite one to not argue. Later he found me just before I was passing through security to correct his mistake.

He confirmed that there would be compensation of 150 quid each way and directed me to claim it back after flights. I did raise the problem and customer service came back to offer me 300 quid in cash or 400 quid in Evoucher (not sure if this is normal policy or their way to scrape through liquidity squeeze amid COVID).