GentleGiant

Hi,

A good friend of mine was downgraded on Monday from a paid first class flight to business. He was handed a visa card with $657 on it which is not much use for him as he resides in Asia, despite being British.

He does not hold any status with BA.

He was then disturbed asleep in his business seat with a dripping from above him, so didn't have a great return flight from Miami.

What options does he have and what should he do?

He is a regular flyer but made the mistake of assuming that a first class ticket was a first class ticket and didn't book his seat only, however did turn up well before the flight so was not late at all.

Advice welcome from those who are experts here. Thanks!

corporate-wage-slave

Anyone with a First ticket gets free seat reservation, and an auto-seating if they don't go to MMB, so I guess there is more to that story (e.g. a very late booking? Unticketed?).

Otherwise refer him to the main EC261 thread, via the Dashboard, for the detailed calculation for downgrades. The dripping water should have been mentioned to the CSD / CSM since they can make instant amends via the iPad, and if that wasn't done the traveller should raise that as a separate issue with Customer Relations via the webform.

The card can of course be used in any ATM, supermarket or what not, you just lose a chunk on the exchange rate. It's important not to accept a card if there is no way to use it, and just as important to use it quickly in case the password slip is lost or is incorrectly matched to the card. The best thing to do is to take as much out as possible, then use the remainer of the card when next is a US dollar zone to exhaust the last few cents. Unfortunately the current cards don't appear to be touchless, otherwise they could be used on public transport (etc).

nufnuf77

UKtravelbear

He has two separate claims - and I would keep them separate

1. for the downgrade as per the other posts for downgrade reimbursement under EU261

2. for a customer service gesture for the dripping water. I assume they raised it on board - if he did the CC should have logged it already.

GentleGiant

This was a return flight - flew to Miami a week or so before. Purchased the ticket about 2 or 3 months ago.

He was told that the cabin had been oversold and that he was the one picked out - he didn't check in online and I suppose did not go to book his seat or check where he was. He usually flies business, but fancied going first on this trip. No issues outbound etc.

Often1

The first question is what the base segment fare was for the F ticket. He is due 75% of that. Depending on how much he paid for his ticket and how much of that is base segment, it is impossible to calculate whether he is due more and, if so, how more. As to the form of payment, it is more than likely that BA will reissue that either in his preferred local currency or as a check or bank transfer as the case may be. In other words, a Yen card if he lives in Japan.

I would forget about the drip. It only detracts from the central issue here and frankly, if he did not take it up onboard, not worth much now.

GentleGiant

Thanks!

How would he find out the base segment fare? is that 50% of the fare paid? Sorry for being a bit thick. But trying to help him out.

travelsweets

corporate-wage-slave

I think it's fairly well known here that checking online is the best policy. I don't think you need to do it on the dot of 24 hours but had he been the last to check in then he would indeed be the one selected for the downgrade. Hence the advice to do OLCI (and indeed check seats before that). It also resolves other problems (e.g. reticketing issues), I can't think of a good reason for avoiding OLCI, and on the App it only takes a few seconds. Even if he was the last to OLCI and still get downgraded, he could have taken further action / options given the extra time. Water under the bridge I guess but I'm surprised he didn't know this if he was a regular flyer.

Several ways of doing it, but have a look at the e-ticket on his email, since the base fare and taxes are listed out there. You can also do a dummy booking now for a flight in the near future, though there would be minor(ish!) exchange rate differences. The main EC261 thread then steps you through the Mennens calculation method.

Often1

If your friend looks at his e-ticket receipt, he should see 1-3 lines of what looks like gibberish with letters and numbers. Somewhere in there, he should see MIA-LHR/XXXXX/YYYY.YY. The "X" is the fare basis and the "Y" is the base segment fare for MIA-LHR. If he multiplies that number by 75%, he will have the refund he is due (note that it is a refund, not compensation).

Jagboi

I thought F was never overbooked?

Airprox

BA will overbook F by 1 on some flights.

warakorn

75% refund of not the base segment fare, but the pro-rata part of the full fare. Pro-rata is calculated on the great circle distance.

NickB

It depends. It would be pro-rata for a through fare. However, if the price was made-up of several distinct fare components, the calculation would have to be based on the relevant fare component (which may or may not have to be pro-rated depending on what the fare component covers).

mastutio

Does this mean if you are in a group of two or more you are less likely to get bumped from F?