wb1969

To the average traveller who doesn’t understand their rites, this is very difficult to get one’s head round.

Not to repeat the whole story again, I was booked on BA10 and have been pretty much bullied into accepting a flight that returns to LGW on the grounds that there is nothing available in the same class in the narrow window I have for getting home.

I took it, but if I see any availability come up for a return to LHR I will insist on being rebooked even though BA will try and charge me change fees because I have already accepted an alternative to the cancelled flight.

Edit: at no point on any of the 3 calls I’ve actually got through to BA have they offered me a solution outside of what they and I can see on the booking screens, which seems in direct contravention of the 261 legislation requiring airlines to use the services of every available airline, despite the fact I actually quoted the clause to them on the phone.

JezzaG

Sorry if I wasn't clear CWS et al. I was offered QR2 / QR838 or QR16/ QR838 but am not keen mostly because of the early morning transfer in DOH although the 2x2x2 configuration is a bit of a pain and the later arrival into BKK means we won't get to our final destination until very very late. Maybe I'm just getting old and don't like a long journey any more!

So I have been offered something but they are not convenient IMHO and I'd prefer a flight that leaves earlier in the day so the transfer in DOH is at more respectable time, etc.

corporate-wage-slave

Yes, hence the advice repeatedly offered at the time to slow down a bit and wait for more options to come up. BA's core policies all state you are only allowed one attempt at rebooking, and any further changes will indeed be chargeabe at fare difference or even fare difference and change fee. The situation is fluid and I cannot think of any advantage of moving quickly in this space even though that may seem counter-intuitive. However there may well be further changes to your new booking, so that may allow you to have another go at this, and if it's the second or subsequent sectors that you are uncomfortable with, it may be relatively cost effective to change them after completion of the first flight on the booking.

Spongthrush

I thought I'd call to see what the latest policy is with re-routing. Very pleasant chat, but no conclusion.

Agent said that +-3 days of booked dates to re book on QR in lowest available same class booking bucket. I said that according to EU261 re-routing at any date in the future was an option. Agent said in that case, as you booked using Avios, outside +-3days the policy is to only rebook in I class on QR.

Although I could argue about BA's policy, I had found I class availability LGW-BKK and HKT-LGW in Feb which would suit and proposed this. Immediate response was that the ticket was issued 29-Nov-21 the outbound must be flown within 1 year, thus an outbound date of Feb-23 would not work.

After the call, I looked at the e-ticket for the BA booking and it says ticket valid until 5-Nov-23, which is 1 year after booked outbound (cancelled) LHR-BKK date.

I thought I'd just check that I'm not missing anything? Outbound has to be flown within 1 year of ticket issue and return has to be within 1 year of outbound? Not sure how 're-routing at any future date' under EC261 works if ticket issue date means this is, in practice, not possible, or at least, not possible in my case.

sammyg901

You'd likely win at MCOL if you were very clear that you're enforcing your right to reroute "at your convenience" but I think to be safe you'd need to book from BKK not HKT. But I imagine the lowest priced ticket in "comparible conditions" i.e. nonstop will be Thai airways and likely they've got low/no change fees so you could swap it afterwards.

The BIG BUT here is potentially your case wouldn't get heard before Feb - some courts have a 1 yr backlog. So it's a big risk

You've very little to no chance to get QR + a big date change + ticket validity extended by BA otherwise and people have been losing cases at CEDR where ticket validity extension would be required

Spongthrush

Thank you, if I was going down either claim route I'd make sure it was BKK out and back, only reason I was proposing HKT on return was that it had QR availability on a date that worked with an outbound. It was just an idea, as for domestic reasons a 'free hit' to move the trip after Xmas would suit the family better than Nov.

I'll sit tight for a while and watch expertflyer for J availability +-3 days of original dates and I class before 29-Nov. If anything appears or the policy changes I'll book anyway; worst case is I cancel at last minute and won't be any worse off than I would be if I cancel now.

dalbyl

My preferred Qatar flights booked with no issue for 5th November.

JezzaG

Sorry if covered up thread but … Did you have a cash or Avios booking? Do you know if there was I or J availability? Were you changing dates and by how much.

Eskimoboy

Your post motivated me to phone up again about my 2 4 1 booking for December in CW. Was told no policy change as yet and refund was the only thing they could offer. I politely declined and said i'd keep waiting for the rebooking policy to be updated. "Don't hold your breath!".

dalbyl

My booking was a redemption booking. Kept it the same date, agent said the policy had been extended. Called the gold line and got through immediately.

thomasd21

Just keep escalating and remind them of the recent letter sent to them by the CAA outlining their unlawful behaviour and remind them of their obligations under law. https://www.headforpoints.com/2022/0...stomer-rights/

Eskimoboy

Thanks, I'm going to give them a while longer to sort a rebooking policy out but eventually escalate. A refund is of absolutely no use to me

JezzaG

Just been called by the GGL line and they advised there is a new policy which allows rebooking in the lowest available class no matter whether the original ticket was commercial or Avios.

Also allowing date change -3.

So I’ve just rebooked our 241 Avios flight on QR LHR-DOH-BKK-DOH-LHR one day early and returning one day later, some in J some in I.

Eskimoboy

Thanks! Saw your message and phoned up the blue line and was able to be rebooked on Qatar on same day so all good.

SW7London

Good news. And good to see BA (finally!) deciding to follow the law in this situation.