labdoctor

Indeed, BA really should be making an apology and gesture of goodwill, especially since this has all come through their own incompetence. It really wouldn't hurt them to offer a free ET to CE upgrade on next booking.

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scottishpoet

is anyone forgiving BA?

As far as i can see everyone agrees it was not J and that PAX should be provided with comp. I see the debate here around the level if comp some suggesting it was Y and they get full downgrade comp, somd suggesting its not j but not y so maybe £50 or £100 , some now suggesting it was breach of contract and or breach of advertising standards and looking to sue BA through the courts.

JD1905

A few years ago i’d have been happy enough with 5,000 Avios as a good will gesture.

Unfortunately, now, the likelihood of this being offered is low and therefore i’m more inclined to take BA to court claiming under the CRA.

Tobias-UK

Which aspects of the CRA have you pleaded? It is vital you concentrate your mind on the legal issues here. Everyone believes you should be compensated, but you have to demonstrate that you are legally entitled to the relief claimed. Do not ignore Article 29, you must overcome that to succeed in your claim.

KARFA

Would your opinion be that a full refund between CE and ET is due when any element of CE service is not delivered, or is this particular to the middle seat issue? I guess I am asking if for example your meal wasn't loaded, would you think the same applies even if everything else was delivered and you would be due a refund from CE to ET?

scottishpoet

similarly what if the champagne had run out?

Oh .. and for the 3 years BA did not pay for the lounge at KRK did I have a claim for each flight?

JD1905

Yes. As I stated though, reasonable compensation or a gesture of goodwill would be most sensible, however in absence of this a full refund in fare difference through the courts is the right course of action. I’m more inclined to go through the courts in the hope it might give BA the kick up the arse it needs tbh.

JD1905

Oh come on. Champagne running out is completely different.

Was lounge access advertised when you purchased your ticket?

LCY8737

I would do the same thing.

To those who argue that the seat is only part of the service - I'm not quite getting this. The space is the obvious differentiator between cabins. I fail to see how a cheap bubbly and a ready meal are what makes it a business class product?

So if you were booked in First long haul and BA seated you in a Y seat but brought a bottle of LPGS, you'd be fine with this?

KARFA

Sorry if I have missed this bit, did you pursue BA first for a gesture of goodwill due to the lose of the middle seat, and if so I assume they offered nothing?

If they had offered something, what do you think might have been acceptable to you?

lost_in_translation

I am inclined to view the lack of a blocked middle seat in CE as the same situation as boarding a longhaul F/J flight and finding that the seat is broken. Whilst it is not qualitatively the same as a downgrade, the most important part of the marketed product has not been provided and so compensation is clearly due. I would think a similar percentage compensation in Avios to a broken longhaul seat is therefore appropriate, whatever the going BA rate for that is these days.

The blocked middle seat is the most important part of the CE product for me, alongside access to row 1 for the extra space. The talk of booking comfort seats in Y instead slightly misses the point for me, given a) booking a comfort seat is a pain, many of us don't want to sit on hold for 30 minutes every time we book a short haul flight to get through to BA to then find the call center agent probably doesn't know how to do it, b) booking a comfort seat will not necessarily work out cheaper than outright CE anyway if the price of a Y ticket is particularly inflated and c) it is not possible to book a comfort seat in the exit row so you'd have to sacrifice leg room if you have access to row 1.

However, perhaps the cost of a comfort seat is indeed an appropriate compensation benchmark given that is effectively the value BA is taking away from CE passengers here?

scottishpoet

And i will counter with oh come on has BA denied anyone who was affected a goodwill gesture?

I believe BA has always said lounge access was a CE benefit. Today it says

• Access to comfortable departures lounges*
• Dedicated check-in desks* and priority boarding
• More personal space on board to work or relax
• Complimentary food and drinks
• Larger baggage allowance than Euro Traveller
• More Avios and Tier Points

the * says 'where available'. At KRK a lounge was available but BA chose not to pay for it.

Later on the same page it states 'Relax and recharge in one of our exclusive lounges where you can enjoy a range of delicious food and drink delivered directly to your seat.'

The lounge in krakow is self service, nobody is delivering food or drink directly to my seat.

Nor at BAs own lounge at GLA

What about at lhr today? Is this services as advertised?

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/travel-classes/business/club-europe

JD1905

Just to be clear. My claim was not due to middle seat - it was due to no food service. But i’m drawing similarities between the two and what BA’s response may be.

But yes you are correct. In my case I complained and was offered nothing whatsoever.

KARFA

You would clearly be sitting in the Y cabin tho, so not really.

No one is arguing the passenger isn't due something in these cases. Just that there is some discussion on whether the middle seat is so essential that it means loss of it would then represent a full downgrade to Y even if all other element of the CE service were delivered. NOw if your argument is correct, then logically in the future nothing is due if BA miss any of those other elements of the CE service as by your logic they can have absolutely no value.

KARFA

But you kept the middle seat free so your claim is effectively arguing that removal of meal means you are not getting anything better than ET, and the middle free seat has no value - not sure you are helping those in the thread who seem to be arguing the complete opposite