Flight cancelled just under two weeks before due to fly
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2018
Programs: BA Executive Blue
Posts: 140
Flight cancelled just under two weeks before due to fly
Last night my flight BA955 (dep. 20:20) from Munich back to London on 2nd May was cancelled, offering me the option to refund or re-book. I chose the latter now flying back on BA953 at 16:55, so just under 3 1/2 hours earlier.
Wreaked havoc a little on my plans as the day in Munich has now become a bit "unusable".
Under EU261, should I be entitled to compensation or have I shot myself in the foot by accepting the re-booking option?
If I am honest, I would not be too fussed as work paid for the flight and I paid for the upgrade, so it would be a small nightmare to sort out.
Wreaked havoc a little on my plans as the day in Munich has now become a bit "unusable".
Under EU261, should I be entitled to compensation or have I shot myself in the foot by accepting the re-booking option?
If I am honest, I would not be too fussed as work paid for the flight and I paid for the upgrade, so it would be a small nightmare to sort out.
#3
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Have a look at the main EC261 thread for other people's experiences of this. You would potentially be able to claim EC261 for changes under 2 weeks where the departure time is more than 2 hours early.
#4
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Yes, I have just claimed for 2 flights cancelled with 8 days to go where I had to travel the night before on the outbound and 9 hours early on the return in the end.
They must be running nearly on empty in some departments in order for so many cancellations to be happening so close to departure dates.
They must be running nearly on empty in some departments in order for so many cancellations to be happening so close to departure dates.
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
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At -13 days, it is 2 hrs before, not 1hr. And it is not a recent ECJ ruling. It is, and has always been, explicitly stated in the text of the Regulation (the recent ruling is about whether a rescheduling to an earlier departure time should be treated as a cancellation, to which the answer is 'yes')..
#7
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,575
At -13 days, it is 2 hrs before, not 1hr. And it is not a recent ECJ ruling. It is, and has always been, explicitly stated in the text of the Regulation (the recent ruling is about whether a rescheduling to an earlier departure time should be treated as a cancellation, to which the answer is 'yes')..
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Programs: Sir CT-UK - Streaker pour les autres.
Posts: 5,900
Well I never... I was unaware you could get compo for an earlier flight. Is this even if you accept the changes? My flight Tomorrow was brought forward from 15:30 to 07:15 and I was given 5 days notice. In the end a meeting by the customer on that day was cancelled so no hardship but still.
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
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Almost by definition, if you fly on a different flight than originally scheduled, it is because you have accepted the changes. It is not as if the airline will send the police to frogmarch you onto the plane. Where the issue might arise is when you are offered a flight within parameters which exclude compensation and you choose a flight outside those parameters. Short of that, however, compensation should be due.
#12
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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And that aspect is not new, hence why normally BA cancels services more than 2 weeks out. This is discussed in the main EC261 thread, where I would say half or more of recent data points are about changes that result in early departures.
#13
Join Date: Nov 2013
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Yes, I have just claimed for 2 flights cancelled with 8 days to go where I had to travel the night before on the outbound and 9 hours early on the return in the end.
They must be running nearly on empty in some departments in order for so many cancellations to be happening so close to departure dates.
They must be running nearly on empty in some departments in order for so many cancellations to be happening so close to departure dates.
#14
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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The key test was whether BA offered you a service within the allowed margins or not, which in most cases is whether MMB gave you an option which did not result in compensation. If you then choose to go on another service, that's OK, but the test remains.