theultimateflyer

Hi all,

Just had a curious conversation with a BA rep on the phone. I'm booked on BA 84 (YVR) tonight connecting to a flight to FCO. However, 84 is delayed by 5 hours, so I called BA to change my onwards flight to the next day. I asked about a hotel in Heathrow for the night (since I now will be overnighting at the airport) and the customer service rep said he couldn't guarantee a hotel would be available and to ask at the airport. Is this SOP for them to not guarantee it (even though you'll get it) or has there been a change in policy whereby some delays are no longer eligible?

Cheers,
TUF

orbitmic

BAEC

If your LHR-FCO flight is on same ticket as YVR-LHR, upon arrival at LHR, just go to Flight Connections desk and they will have a package waiting for you.

The package includes Hotel, Meal (Dinner and Breakfast), vouchers for the hotel transfer and your Boarding pass for your FCO flight.

Hope that helps

theultimateflyer

orbitmic

The thing is - you cannot know that until you arrive. A flight currently planned to arrive at 6pm may well be further delayed and land at 8pm, but equally, it may also catch up on some of the delay especially if it manages a quick turnaround and to get good winds and land at 5pm. Conversely, even though the last FCO flight is indeed at 18.35, it can easily be delayed a little or asked to wait to pick up late passengers. For instance, it left at 19.09, 34 minutes late. Finally, at LHR, BA may very well rebook you on the AZ flight which leaves at 20.00.

I understand the preference for getting organised early, but unfortunately it involves a risk. An expected delay hours before the flight will not be construed by BA as a guaranteed new time, and unfortunately, if BA would ultimately be able to fly you on the same day, they will likely show no sympathy in paying for a hotel. In many ways, in a case like yours, it may be advisable not doing anything ahead of time (unless you wanted to get a completely different rerouting that would work - e.g. YVR-XXX-FCO instead of YVR-LHR-FCO) and wait till you arrive at LHR hoping for the best, even though I know it is frustrating as it is mid summer and many flights are booked up so I sympathise with wanting to guarantee a seat.

Certainly, however, if your goal is to arrive into FCO as early as possible, at this stage, I would personally say that there is actually an extremely good chance that a same day arrival could be achieved and I suspect that this would actually be the most likely outcome (either through catching the BA flight or being rebooked on AZ) unless your YVR flight is delayed at least a further hour.

KARFA

corporate-wage-slave

I think the subject line is misleading. BA Contact Centres have never arranged hotels for travellers, nothing new there at all. The usual process is for this to be done by ground agents, and in some circumstances BA are entirely relaxed about people booking their own hotel and sending in the bill afterwards. There has been no change in policy, and the law is fairly clear on this. Contact centre staff, however, have to be careful to avoid saying things which could then end up with misplaced expectations. That's why there is the BA forum on Flyertalk, I guess.

The ambiguity mentioned by orbitmic is indeed there, luckily BA don't appear to be too punctilious about it. Nevertheless I personally wouldn't normally rearrange connections pro-actively via the Contact Centres, you never know what could happen. Moreover ground agents have more abilities to get you on to another airlines' services if it saves an avoidable hotel bill.

warakorn

If IRROPS causes you having to overnight at the connection airport, you are always eligible for a hotel. This is spelled out in EC261/2004. It is not within the power of BA to change the rules. Also weather and extraordinary events do not relieve BA from the obligation.
If BA refuses to book/pay for the hotel, you may book/pay by yourself and claim it back.

Dave Noble

However the OP was wanting to change the flight in advance of any misconnection by the airline. At the time of requesting the change, there was a potential to misconnect, but it wasn't guaranteed

As suggested by another poster, the OP would ( I would say) be best served by staying on the booked flight; if he makes the flight all is good but if he misconnects , then will be due compensation (subject to reason of delay) and duty of care

EC261 doesn't require that an airline provide a hotel or compensation for potential disruptions

KARFA

there is no change in policy though. ba continue to book hotels. the issue was the OP was asking for a voluntary change so no duty of care would apply in that situation.

as advised above, the OP should just wait and see what happens, if the onward connection is missed an an overnight is required then BA will provide a hotel and all the other elements required.

A P Yu

How can they guarantee something they are reliant on others providing? So whilst they cant guarantee it, they cant use this line to avoid their commitment for ultimately paying for such.

ajeleonard

Exactly. I didn't interpret the CS comment as denying eligibility for a hotel. simply a caveat that they can't guarantee one will be available (although it most likely will)

rapidex

Sometimes passengers from the US and Canada do not understand that EU airlines are controlled by EU261. That means that 1 they will get you to your destination, 2 duty of care applies at all times including weather or extraordinary circumstances, and 3 compensation may apply in the event of delays or downgrades.

BA phone reps are not in control here and not the best people to speak to. If the delay causes you to miss your onward connection you will be provided with a hotel and meals etc, but that wont happen until you miss your next flight. Sometimes BA give you a hotel voucher, or sometimes ask you to sort your own hotel and reimburse. Due to the compensation payable BA will doe their utmost to get you on a connection that gets you to your destination in a timely fashion.

Calling before you leave achieves nothing as you are talking to the wrong people.

Mns1977

dodgeflyer

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