Any suggestions on how to proceed?
I have called EI multiple times, always getting the same response, even from a supervisor, that BA/Avios must handle any alternate arrangements.
BA have only offered me a reroute via YYZ, refusing to put me on YUL-LHR-DUB, which is beyond me.
Really getting frustrated at this point....

BA refusing re-route on cancelled EI avios ticket
 

Hello to all,

I am at my wits end with BA. I have a booking with BA avios for YUL-DUB with EI in business class.
As many of you may know, EI has cancelled the YUL route until 2020, thus my ticket was cancelled.
Despite numerous calls (at least 4 to BA, 2 to EI) I cannot seam to be re-accomodated on a suitable alternate flight.

EI flatly refuse to touch my ticket, since it was issued by BA avios.
BA offers me a complete free refund (which I am not interested in) or a re-route pending avios availability.

My suggestion for a re-route onto YUL-LHR-DUB (which makes the most sense IMO) was flatly refused for lack of avios availability.
I was offered alternate YYZ-DUB or BOS-DUB with EI, but with me having to take over the cost of getting to YYZ/BOS, which is unacceptable in my view.

On the other main thread, I have noted some members with the same type of ticket as me have been rebooked (not just by BA but surprisingly also EI) onto services operated by BA, so why am I getting the run-around and complete contrary information?

I am really loosing it as I am spending significant time already now by calling both airlines, and I seem to be getting nowhere.

What are your thoughts on how I should proceed, any suggestions are duly welcomed!

Cheers,

LX64A332

Did you try the Canadian BA line? Not sure if it makes a difference, but they changed mine to YUL-LHR-DUB without any issue. I was prepared for a fight and had the flights all ready to tell them exactly what I wanted, but the rep booked me on them before I could tell her they were the ones I wanted. You may want to mention EU261 and what your options are under the regulations.
If all else fails, file a claim under EU261. I would expect that they would respond pretty quickly rather than deal with the regulators

Thanks for the advice. I will try the Canadian line to see if it helps, however I fear all the comments on my reservation have most likely complicated things....
Did you just call the regular BA line or the Executive club Canadian line?

Thanks

To be clear here, under EC261, if an operating airline cancels a service, it's the operating airline's responsibility to resolve it, not the frequent flyer scheme arranging tickets. It's nice if BA do something here, and they may be on the hook for it under contract law or the CRA provisions, but for EC261 protection all paths lead to Aer Lingus.

Also important to remember that there is no precedential requirement for rebooking on other carriers under EC 261/2004.

Thus, EI has an obligation to rebook, but not on BA. BA on the other hand can easily rebook onto its own metal without getting into the specifics of whether it must do so, but is free to offer a reroute via YYZ rather than YUL if that is what it prefers.

On the other hand, if EI refuses to rebook on carriers other than EI, then you can point at the duty of care provisions and inform EI that you want EI to pay for a hotel room until the flight departs. At some point, it becomes a lot cheaper for EI to rebook on other carriers than to pay for hotel rooms for an extended period of time.

I just used the Canadian number that they gave me in the email. The first person could not help because it was an Avios booking, so he transferred me to what I assume was the executive club line, so I am guessing that my initial call was to the general line, although it might have just been rerouted before it got answered.

There isn't a Contact Centre in North America, so you would still end up in Newcastle, Manchester or New Delhi any way you did it. If it was an Avios booking then it does tend to end up with EC specialists, unless it was for an immediate departure.