Reissuruuna

I'm flying today MAD LHR and LHR HEL with separate tickets (BA / AY). I have three hours connection at LHR but now the the flight from MAD to LHR is delayd for two hours and one hour connection at LHR from T5 to T3 is very tight.

Few years ago OW has "Oneworld connection protection on separate tickets". Is still still valid? So if I'm missing my connecting flight to HEL will BA handle this?

Thanks.

NickB

BA will not protect you on separate tickets. You may want to check what AY policy is regarding missing a flight due to events beyond your control, especially where you miss only by a few minutes. AY may conceivably have some kind of so-called "flat tire" rule that would allow re-routing on the next available service.

NickB

Just another thought: is there another BA/IB MAD-LHR flight leaving earlier and can you see whether BA would reroute you on that one instead?

rapidex

First of all to set the record straight, you do not have a connection, but 2 completely separate tickets. BA will do nothing for you as their contract is to get you from MAD-LHR. Not sure what AY will do for you, but I suspect nothing.

To make matters worse minimum connection time T5-T3 is 90 minutes, so to do it in 60 minutes on separate tickets is something of a challenge. Your best bet would be to hope the delay increases to more than 3 hours and you can use the EU261 compo to pay for a new ticket.Good luck.

Reissuruuna

Thanks for your reply. BA CS told me not to be worried about connection. If I'm missing the flight they will reroute even I have separate tickets. I'm OWE if this may help. Fingers crossed.

LCY8737

A one hour connection is doable, but you will probably want to run and throw queuing etiquette over board on this occasion.

If you do miss your connection, airport staff can - and in many cases will - help you. I'm not sure about the details, those would be covered by AYs conditions of carriage and the good will of the person you're dealing with.

Often1

The only OW carrier which protects across separate tickets is AA. BA does not even protect acrross its own tickets.

As OP does not have a connection, but is rather than simply transferring between separate tickets, he is entirely at the mercy of the goodwill of BA and then AY as to whether one or the other rebooks him with or without fee or whether he must purchase a new ticket. This will all be dealt with on the ground with the luck of the draw.

TTmex

Best of luck. I have been there before and luckily just made the connection. Let us know how you get on. I know AA have a policy (deeply embedded in small print) that covers separate tickets, but I believe the other OW guys all left agreements some 3 years ago. It seems be at the discretion of whoever you deal with.

orbitmic

KARFA

Indeed, the BA agent was talking rubbish. Once the OP has stepped off the BA flight BA will have no further interest in rebooking the OP. The hope may be to plead one's case with an AY agent who may help but (unless AY's policy is unusually generous) may just tell the OP to buy a new ticket.

I wish the OP luck and hope they make it - if landing at T5B or C remember that you can pick up the airside connection bus from T5B so no need to go back to T5A.

Globaliser

I'm not sure that this is a BA --> AY connection, anyway. The only delayed MAD-LHR flight today appears to be IB3172, scheduled 1450-1620, ATD 1706, ETA 1758.

Those scheduled times would be consistent with the OP's description of "connecting" to an AY flight to HEL, as AY1342 is scheduled to depart LHR at 1925 (ie 3:05 after IB3172's scheduled arrival at LHR).

At any rate, with an ETA of 1758 and a STD of 1925, the OP still has a decent chance of making it to the onward flight, if the weather does not prove to be disruptive.

simons1

Good luck but most likely they have just said whatever was necessary to keep you quiet and move you on.

Reissuruuna

Thank you for your replies Gents.

I had already boarded the IB aircraft, when the crew annouced/let us know of about an even more extended delay (45 min). We decided with my co-flyer to disembark the aircraft, yes a radical decission.

However, we were able to reach an advanced plan. We're flying with TP to our overnight final OW (!) destination. At this time I'd like to provide the audience with the certain details of the OW customer service. The travel party in question was OWE and OWS (!). Eventually I was expecting a bit more from IB.

This ain't a holiday, I'd need to be at HEL in time for an early morning busines meeting the next morning. OW CS was below the standard. Nothing, actually I felt like being the party causing the trouble. No advice, no booking to the next flight... - nothing just the usual 80's, pls. go away.

Ps. Off course we were well aware of the risk when booking separete tickets, but still

Ldnn1

Sorry so to be clear, you just bought a new ticket with TAP Portugal to HEL, correct?

To be honest I'm not sure what you're implying by 'this ain't a holiday'. Personally I have a lot more sympathy when people's leisure plans are disrupted. Business is business, and you made a business decision to book separate tickets I'm afraid.

IAMORGAN