KARFA

Not under EC261.

BA do usually issue route guidance for cabin closures on specific routes which may allow for this. However, unless there is something issued to the contrary, the standard BA guidelines for cabin closures do state:

rhysflies

Thanks. And I'm correct in saying that on redemption tickets, you get the downgrade reimbursement pro rata based on your original Avios/Cash ratios?

corporate-wage-slave

In the past BA has simply refunded the difference, which it will do immediately over the phone, however EC261 has something called the Mennens Formula which goes pro-rata on the specific downgrade percentages (up to 75%). This is relevant in the context of redemptions having carrier surcharges. More details in the Wiki.

rhysflies

Yes, I'm familiar with that. I'm just wondering if the 75% then applies to both the Avios AND surcharges, or whether the Avios are simply refunded the difference but the 75% applies to the surcharges etc?

corporate-wage-slave

Both are refunded at 75% (depending on circumstances), but have a look at the wiki for the details and worked examples, since it isn't straightforward.

just_starting

Not a compensation question, but has anyone had any luck in getting BA to reimburse alternative flight bookings?

I've found myself having to pay €200+ to rebook a one-way a couple of times now after BA cancelled a redemption booking just weeks before departure. The law couldn't be any clearer, but they seem to completely ignore that. Has anyone tried MCOL for this recently?

davem4

Flying from KRK-LHR, was booked on a sunday 12 people at 65 per person.

We were considering staying an extra night as monday flight was 21 per person, but people wanted to go to work.

Now (15 days out) the Sunday flight is canceled and they are offering to move us "at no fee" to the monday flight.

Has anyone had any experience with BA to offer some compensation in this situation? 500 pounds is a huge amount!

corporate-wage-slave

You have no recourse on time change under the Regulation in that changes more than 2 weeks off are allowed without compensation, I presume BA are offering refunds as an alternative to taking the new schedule. You could try to reclaim any hotel costs for Sunday through to Monday, there is provision in the Regulation for this, and on occasions BA have simply paid for this after the event. They won't agree to it before the flight. It's also possible they will decline to pay it, on the basis that 2 weeks notice was given, but they won't have an overwhelming case for that, you may well succeed in any MCOL case.

KARFA

For a cancellation which you are informed of at least two weeks out you wouldn’t be due any compensation.

Is the Ł500 related to extra hotel costs? I am just wondering whether duty of care is actually what you are after?

davem4

We could try! Didn't know that they might do hotel costs.

Moreso that we booked the premium sunday departure and now are being thrown on the cheaper monday flight. 65 vs 21 cost, times 12 passengers = 528 pounds BA got though this underhanded practice.

---

Anyway there is now a spanner in the works!

Saturday 22nd August - Your flight on 06th September is cancelled ! (15 days out) - Your flight is cancelled
Sunday 23rd August - "please prepare for your flight on the 06th of September" (New covid safe policy) (14 days out) - Your flight is on?

Wonder how that will play out for compensation? BA have advised I'm flying the 06th.

corporate-wage-slave

The "please prepare" notifications aren't the same as other communications, and won't be accepted as such by MCOL or CEDR. As it stands a quick check on BA.com will tell you there is no flight on Sunday 6 September, but there is a (rather busy) flight on Monday 7 September.

For the fare difference, if it makes sense you could always ask for a refund and rebook, if the economics show this. However it would then deny you Right to Care for the Sunday night.

DYKWIA

Ignore the second email. It's a BA IT issue.

davem4

Monday is now 178 pounds, but at time of booking the fare difference existed.

corporate-wage-slave

That won't be under EC261 jurisdiciton, since it just covers the nuts and bolts of travel itself rather than ticketing fairness. So any remedy would have to be elsewhere, based on contract law and/or the Consumer Rights Act, but the fact that BA will offer a refund on the original fare, plus you were at liberty to book that other fare at the time, means, I suspect, that this aspect isn't going anywhere.

KARFA

It's true you don't get a refund if after a cancellation you get rebooked on a flight where the fare is cheaper. But it's also true (and more important) that you don't have to pay any fare increase if your new flight is more expensive. I can speak from experience that most of the time where I have had to rebook due to cancellations, I have been rebooked on flights where the fare is more expensive than what I originally paid. I would prefer to stick to the existing system tbh where fare differences for your new flights are not relevant.

I don't see any sense that BA are cancelling flight to force people on to flights which have a lower fare. In fact, if you think about this it wouldn't be of any benefit to BA to cancel flights for this reason.