MikD11

My flight from IAD to LHR got binned today, I was in WTP( paid upgrade offer from WT) and got bumped to economy for new flight from BWI.

I spoke to BA this morning they said raise a complaint when I get back, claim for disruption costs etc of travelling to BWI and and no room for upgrades on new flight so stuck with WT.

Got to airport, asked again about fixing situation to be told no seats available and people being downgraded. I then overheard someone getting a paid for CE upgrade. Also, when I checked on BA app and expert flyer, there are clearly seats available in every class.

I’m not one to make a fuss and scene at checkin desk but feel as though being lied to and no apology offered or explanation as to what happened for original flight has come at a time when I was already looking at status matching to another airline.

would appreciate the advice of the forum on how best to deal with complaint and also options for status matching to other airlines? I’m BA gold and have defended BA to those who slate it but it’s really getting hard as the service is poor and feel as though I don’t get any real benefits of being gold and other than the CSM coming to shake my hand on the odd flight, they don’t seem to give a toss!

TIA for any advice!

Mwenenzi

MikD11 Welcome to FT

Seats allocated is not the same as seats sold, especially when BA charge for seat selection.
Add flight disruption complicates it more.

EC261 2004 may apply. We need more exact details
Link----> The 2019 BA compensation thread: Your guide to Regulation EC261/2004

Status matching is not that common. Even less so within an alliance. Status challenges offered by some ffp's.
Flying many paid fares on other airlines will get status

The grass in not always greener on the other side
For example on AA from USA to UK EC261 does not apply

Often1

EC 261/2004 is your friend. File a claim (not a complaint) with BA for:
1. Reimbursement of 75% of the base segment fare for IAD-LHR as the result of the downgrade.
2. Refund of your local travel expenses from IAD to BWI and presumably a reasonable meal somewhere along the way. Include the receipts.
3. EUR 600 compensation for the delay exceeding four hours into LHR.

This should amount to a tidy little sum.

Note that the BWI service does not have F and accordingly BA would have had to accommodate all of the F pax from the IAD flight into CW or worse. Without knowing the loads, it is impossible to say for certain, but I presume that the disrupted F passengers would have eaten any remaining CW or WTP seats.

MikD11