BA Cancelled flight - reroute downgrade
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 11
BA Cancelled flight - reroute downgrade
I used avios point a to buy a Business class trip from HK to Billund in denmark, via HEATHrow in Business class.
it was bad enough that the connecting flight was +13 hours, however the flight was then cancelled with 1 hr notice.
The have now now put my wife on a morning flight which transits via Manchester and also seems to Be in economy class.
she will be waking soon, so would appreciate any advise as to whether she has to accept this..... will she still get lounge access, is there anything she can claim for other than hotel which I assume they have already covered and meal vouchers?
.... may Also be an issue with the car hire which she should have collected last night...
appreciate any help
thanks
it was bad enough that the connecting flight was +13 hours, however the flight was then cancelled with 1 hr notice.
The have now now put my wife on a morning flight which transits via Manchester and also seems to Be in economy class.
she will be waking soon, so would appreciate any advise as to whether she has to accept this..... will she still get lounge access, is there anything she can claim for other than hotel which I assume they have already covered and meal vouchers?
.... may Also be an issue with the car hire which she should have collected last night...
appreciate any help
thanks
#2
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: NT Australia
Programs: QF WP
Posts: 4,159
Presumably the MAN-BLL is operated by SunAir on a dornier 328 which is all economy? Would be an experience if nothing else 😉
cant help with the rest but worth checking what class the other 2 legs have booked into would be my advice
cant help with the rest but worth checking what class the other 2 legs have booked into would be my advice
#3
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beijing
Programs: SK EBG, BAEC Gold
Posts: 932
My reading of the situation is that the passenger is now already in London after arriving from HKG, but that the LHR-BLL flight was cancelled so she has been rerouted LHR-MAN/MAN-BLL to arrive at 11:35 Wed morning.
In terms of the downgrade she could certainly ask to be put on the later LHR-BLL flight in business class but (i) at the moment I can't see any business cabin availability on that flight, and (ii) does she really want to waste any more time of this trip (when with the rerouting, albeit in Y, she could be there by midday)?
In terms of expenses and compensation, the hotel cost for the enforced overnight stay near Heathrow, plus meal costs can certainly be claimed (if this was not already taken care of through vouchers). My reading of the "Flight Info" on ExpertFlyer is that the cancellation was weather-related ("FLIGHT CANCELLED 1122 WEAT") in which case only BA are only required to cover duty of care (hotel/food/transport/communication) costs with no compensation under EU261.
Reimbursememt (rather than compensation) for the downgrade could be tricky - in theory this should be a distance-based fraction of the total Avios cost of the HKG-LHR-BLL trip. However, BA may try to recalculate the Avios cost for the routing, which will not be in her favour, as the LHR-BLL business class flight is replaced by two flights now (with possibly the same total Avios cost).
Assuming that both the LHR-MAN and MAN-BLL flights are downgraded, I think that she should be able to ask for lounge access at both airports (though the transfer at MAN is just 55 minutes), on the basis both that her original ticket was in business class, and that she arrived on a same-day flight from HKG in business class (but her connecting flight was then cancelled). I don't know of any rule that says BA should give lounge access under this circumstance, but it would be very poor of them if they did not do this, in my opinion. If it is just the MAN-BLL flight that is downgraded, then given the flight connection time, the only impact will be on the cabin for that flight so I would definitely recommend just to take the new routing, arrive without any further delay and start enjoying the trip (and then take care of downgrade reimbursement later). I hope in any case the rest of the trip goes smoothly.
In terms of the downgrade she could certainly ask to be put on the later LHR-BLL flight in business class but (i) at the moment I can't see any business cabin availability on that flight, and (ii) does she really want to waste any more time of this trip (when with the rerouting, albeit in Y, she could be there by midday)?
In terms of expenses and compensation, the hotel cost for the enforced overnight stay near Heathrow, plus meal costs can certainly be claimed (if this was not already taken care of through vouchers). My reading of the "Flight Info" on ExpertFlyer is that the cancellation was weather-related ("FLIGHT CANCELLED 1122 WEAT") in which case only BA are only required to cover duty of care (hotel/food/transport/communication) costs with no compensation under EU261.
Reimbursememt (rather than compensation) for the downgrade could be tricky - in theory this should be a distance-based fraction of the total Avios cost of the HKG-LHR-BLL trip. However, BA may try to recalculate the Avios cost for the routing, which will not be in her favour, as the LHR-BLL business class flight is replaced by two flights now (with possibly the same total Avios cost).
Assuming that both the LHR-MAN and MAN-BLL flights are downgraded, I think that she should be able to ask for lounge access at both airports (though the transfer at MAN is just 55 minutes), on the basis both that her original ticket was in business class, and that she arrived on a same-day flight from HKG in business class (but her connecting flight was then cancelled). I don't know of any rule that says BA should give lounge access under this circumstance, but it would be very poor of them if they did not do this, in my opinion. If it is just the MAN-BLL flight that is downgraded, then given the flight connection time, the only impact will be on the cabin for that flight so I would definitely recommend just to take the new routing, arrive without any further delay and start enjoying the trip (and then take care of downgrade reimbursement later). I hope in any case the rest of the trip goes smoothly.
Last edited by GinFizz; Oct 1, 2019 at 10:13 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 3,681
Alternatively, she can ask to be re-routed to CPH and make her own way to Jutland if that is a better fit (might be less hassle than a connection in MAN). Train connections (depending on final destination of course) are frequent, and if preferable, renting a car and driving there is easy too.
#5
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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EC261 applies and sets downgrade payment at 75% of the cost of the downgraded portion, which would be denominated in Avios. BA doesn't have the option of recalculating the cost of the downgraded ticket as flown and doing a refund this way.
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PVG, FRA, SEA, HEL
Programs: UA Premier Gold
Posts: 4,783
It won't be much; but 75% of the total cost (avios + cash for taxes/carrier imposed fees) of the segment has to be refunded.
One must apply the great circle distance HKG-LHR in relation with LHR-BLL.
LHR-BLL needs to be refunded 75%.
One must apply the great circle distance HKG-LHR in relation with LHR-BLL.
LHR-BLL needs to be refunded 75%.
#7
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: BA Gold, VS Gold, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hertz Presidents Circle.
Posts: 1,443
Connecting in MAN - both flights will be in T3 but landing from LHR you/she will be funnelled into UK arrivals.... Essentially when exiting the gate turn right and go all the way to then end of the corridor, up the stairs and back down the corridor the other way, there's a desk by gate 142 that should let her through if she has the BLL boarding pass. Once through hook a right up the small set of stairs and head for the gates behind the bar with a view of the airfield as the BLL will go off that side.... As I say it depends on the arrival gate so advise asking BA staff on arrival to be sure.... Assuming on time and connecting airside 55 mins is plenty.
Last edited by tuonopepper; Oct 2, 2019 at 1:51 am