Flexible preferences

It does seem odd that the OP was offloaded at T-2, even before check in closed. This seems hard to make sense of, and I don't know why AA did that.

TravelLawyer

It sounds like a HUACA situation here (despite you not being able to given the time frame). I assume the twitter feed is handled by multiple people and one may not be necessarily reading the history of the other. Hopefully BA can give you refund or voucher for the unflown segment as a good will gesture.

navylad

rpjepson

By way of update, I contacted BA to ask if they would consider a partial refund given what happened.

​​​​​​I was told they only communicate about refunds by letter. Letter duly sent.

Ironically, they have replied by email. It's all very odd -

- we only issue refunds if you die.
- you didn't die (it actually says that!)

- you refused our offer of rebooking (see original post for what happened there.)

- anyway, would you like a refund in accordance with the fare rules?
- finally, don't reply to this email.


Have I landed in the Twilight Zone?

DYKWIA

Ask to get a copy of the recording where your relative was told you'd be able to change the flights on they had medical proof. Then do a Money Claim Online to get BAs attention.

rpjepson

Thank you. In terms of an MCO, what would be a reasonable sum to claim? Half the ticket? I wouldn't have minded had they just agreed to pay a proportion of the taxes back, but sending me an email confirming I'm not dead is just plain weird

Flexible preferences

It seems to me that there are some unknowns that might be explored before a MCOL - perhaps these can be clarified with BA in the run up to your 'letter before action' which needs to be sent before you claim.

As I understand it, you only received your medical evidence just 2 hours before your flight (of course, not your fault), and it is unclear at what time you then sent this to BA (1.5 hours before? Less/more?) or when BA were telephoned to draw attention to this medical evidence. Notwithstanding the weird 'no-show' thing, this gives hardly any time for BA to liaise with AA to facilitate changes and prevent loss of your ticket, and I wonder what a judge might consider a reasonable amount of time to action this. Regarding AA marking you as no-show before check-in closure, this does seem odd and needs further exploration I think. If this was AA's error, and they were the carrier, I'm unsure if BA are the party to claim against anyway? (I'm sure others on here will know this) Finally, BA did offer to rebook you FOC, although I understand that this did not suit with your needs, but does that mean that BA are responsible to make changes for you only within certain parameters that suit you? My thoughts are more information needed, best of luck.

Andriyko

I was laughing so hard when I read that. But I can't believe they would actually write something like that to anyone.

sxc

Often1

Your MCOL claim should be for the monetary amount which fulfills BA's commitment to the nominee caller. As others note, having that recording is important because the exact statements matter and you were not there to hear them.

rpjepson

Thanks, all fair questions.

I was in a rural area when I fell ill, so no phone service. I had wi-fi, so sent BA a message on Twitter explaining (a) I was off to hospital and (b) nominating a relative back home to speak for me.

The medical evidence wasn't available until after departure time - I wasn't discharged until then, so impossible to obtain. However, the call to BA was 2 hours prior to departure. My relative was told (and I concede I'm relying on the accuracy of their reporting) that evidence was irrelevant - I was a "no-show" and would not be re-accommodated. A "gesture" fare of £2000 was quoted to get home the next day. To be fair to my relative, they made notes during the call, so I'm reasonably happy on the accuracy front.

It was only after that refusal to budge, and after sending BA the evidence of hospitalisation (receiving no reply to that for some time) that I had to pull the trigger and buy a fresh ticket home.

I would probably care less but for the silly "you didn't die" email received today. What possesses people to think that's good customer service?

Dave Noble

In post 1 you implied that medical evidence was provided before departure and now it seems that it wasn't provided

What has your insurance company said? if you are insured and it covers the situation, why deal with BA at all?

When making the call, did the relative try to make a change and pay any change fee but was denied at 2 hours before departure? Did the ticket allow changes?

footballfanatic

rpjepson

Sorry, my fault for not being clear - wasn't terribly well when I wrote the original post. To be clear - my relative offered medical evidence, but at the time of the call I was still being poked and prodded so it wasn't available. The point I was (badly) driving at is the phone agent refused to countenance the prospect of medical evidence being provided. It was a simply "computer says no" moment.

The agent refused the offer of paying a change fee. As for whether the ticket allowed changes, I'm not so hot on such things so can only cut and paste the endorsements on the ticket - noend/chng fee reiss-rfnd refr iss agt -bg:ba. It was a WTP/PE ticket.

The insurance will (hopefully) cover the fresh flights home, but not any part of the BA ticket. I guess it's more me being a bit miffed at the "you didn't die" email than anything else.

Dave Noble

If the insurance company has covered the replacement flight costs for the flights which were unable to be changed, then would seem that any reimbursement from BA for the original flights is something to be claimed by insurance company

Being ill doesn't waive conditions of the ticket - if changes were not permitted at that time, then it doesn't matter that you were ill

Was the ticket purchased directly from BA or via a travel agent?

If the amount that you hope to reclaim is less than the amount that the insurance paid, then why bother since the insurance company would be owed the amount up to that which it paid ; it is only covering you against loss, not there to provide a profit with a free flight from insurance with the original ticket cost coming back to the insured