IAMORGAN

It is perhaps unfortunate that the BA8705 leaves at 7:35 and the BA8711 departs at 7:05.

nancypants

and “8705” sounds astonishingly similar to “at 7.05”

s0ssos

Only with an Aussie accent

IAMORGAN

I see, so Lilley Allen was singing about Nepal, then!

Avallon

To be fair - considering the OP rang a short period of time after changing the flight, having already paid a change fee - I would have given him (as the customer) the benefit of the doubt. There's an opportunity here for BA to gain some goodwill at very little cost, instead of incurring customer resentment.

Often1

If the change is important, I would have the change made, pay the fee and then send a note to BA asking for it to listen to the recording (which can take some time) and then refund.

For the benefit of others, anytime I have an air carrier or other provider such as a hotel make a change of any sort, I look for email confirmation, check the website if need be and call back if the change is not proper. It is more likely that the phone agent read back what was on the display monitor, e.g. the "incorrect" flight than that the read back was of what the OP had requested.

cauchy

That's what I would have done as well. However, the issue is that the call was handled in Germany, and so there is no recording.

navylad

Personally I would have logged in after the phone call to check within an hour, having said that though this isn’t a great help to the OP now and if I was in their situation I would work to make the earlier flight or if that was not possible pay the change fee and then see where I got with CR after the flight, but with low expectations. If the former one can try a SDFC come midnight which given they are all currently showing plenary of availability has a high chance of success.

SteveF

I'm confused. If you can't make the earlier flight and BA won't change it without a fee isn't that your only option?

Often1

That is the practical reality. While there is always the chance that BA will relent, one can't plan on it. Thus, the choice is getting up earlier or fronting the money for the change with the full understanding that it may not be refunded.

Mike P

Well put. I can't see another option if you can't manage the earlier flight but to pay the change fee and hope that BA refunds it but be prepared they may not.

NandoDave

It makes me so sad to read of an organisation operating this way. I'm fond of flying with BA, but what a sorry state of affairs. Presuming that the OP doesn't have notes on file that this has happened before, any sane customer service policy would be tipped in favour of giving the customer the benefit of the doubt here. (Perhaps even some Avios as an apology for having to call up again!)
​
​​​The thought that a one off instance of this kind would require the customer to double their change fee payment, go to the trouble of complaining, wait to get to the front of the complaints queue, have someone attempt find and listen to a recording from a call centre in another country, and then make a judgement on the veracity of said one off issue.... it beggars belief!

Just give the change as a one off, stop looking at the £60 as lost revenue, and start considering 'the doomed' as a customer that is a) much more likely to choose BA in the future and b) much less likely to tell all his friends and family how terrible the treatment was in this situation.

​​​

BA6501

How did it go?

(regarding that policy, I’ve used it 2-3 times, most recently Friday)

The doomed

I can make the earlier flight, but due to others (logistics and others in household) it has significantly more impact than simply getting out to bed 30mins earlier.

The doomed

Twitter team have acknowledged my request but no outcome yet. Understandably busy last 24hrs.