corporate-wage-slave

Customer Relations are seemingly on about a 9 to 10 weeks backlog.

Tobias-UK

An interesting update in the Independent:

"A spokesperson for British Airways told The Independent: “Having looked into this we’ve discovered we made an error in the way we initially categorised a number of our cancelled flights. “We’re extremely sorry and we’re contacting customers affected to issue the compensation.”

It's not clear if this applies to all affected passengers or just those who have had their cases looked at again after intervention from the Independent. Hopefully we'll see more reports here of a change of heart.

Progress as least.

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel...-b2077526.html

ThatT1Feeling

Interesting indeed. Thanks to those on this forum who pushed back - while I wait for BA's response to my claim. Hopefully by the time they get to me then the new approach will be in place.

BONDY

I am affected by this and, interestingly, also relating to a Dublin flight. Having received an "our answer will not change" message from BA yesterday I have today asked them whether my case is covered by the error. My flight was cancelled 9 days ahead of the travel date!

One extra part they included in their email to me because I had already advised I would go to CEDR was the statement "If CEDR make a judgement on the issue, their decision will be final."

This is clearly incorrect as the CEDR guide for customers says “If you decide thatyou do not agree with the adjudicator’s decision, you are free to reject it and pursue your claim through other means if you wish. In this case, the adjudicator’s decision will not be binding.”

I have pointed this out to BA in my reply as I am sure (cough, cough) they would not want to be seen to be giving customers factually incorrect information.

Will be interesting to see what they say. I will update

BONDY

stefan_nl

I got my 1st and 2nd reply (both refusals) within a week of sending in the claim.

lall

BA's actions speak volumes: unethical, unprofessional and trying to exploit customers to the maximum.
My friend's early morning flight LHR-LUX, a month ago, was cancelled by BA three hrs before departure and rebooked by BA on a different flight departing 12 hrs later. A compensation claim was promptly lodged but, to date, nothing from BA's side. The regulator needs to step in; such behavior cannot be allowed to continue.

stifle

Whilst I might be convinced that COVID-related cancellations when staff fall ill unexpectedly could possibly come into the bracket of "extraordinary circumstances", that is not the end of it. To escape having to pay compensation, the cancellation must also meet the criterion that it "could not have been avoided even if the airline took all reasonable precautions", and given where we are with COVID, it is plainly obvious that having spare crew at your home airport is a reasonable precaution against the need to cancel flights.

Nephoi

interestingly i claimed 4 flights in the past 4 weeks.

- one got declined in about 7 days
- one got declined within 3 days - i responded and got a second decline with another reason 3 weeks after
- from two i have heared nothing in the meantime..

what is a good timeframe for my personal "deadline - when do i go to CEDR with "BA didnt respond at all" - do i have to ask BA a 2nd time?

Tobias-UK

You are required to wait 8 weeks before filing a claim with CEDR, you are not required to chase BA. If they have not responded after 8 weeks, get your claim in.

Tim_T

flight cancelled 16th April
case raised 17th April
first reply 26th April
Second reply 27th april
third reply and CEDR final 29th April

MARTYM8

I had to wait over 10 weeks for a response confirming my compensation and expenses. This was for an on the day cancellation back in February post the storms - not that it stopped Ryanair or easyjet flying their full schedule to/from there.

I haven't been paid yet though - the email I got over a week ago said payment would be made to my account 'soon'.

Hopefully you won't need to wait as long..

scottishpoet

because of their multiple bases across europe, ryanair does really well on recovering from disruption as they have options open to them that are not available to ba

Tafflyer

Yes, I am frequently amazed by what a low-cost carrier can do compared with this full-service airline.

Seriously though, Ryanair has no advantage that BA couldn't also have had. It's just a question of setting priorities and aligning your whole business to them. BA instead focussed on huge profits pre-pandemic, dropping the shutters during the pandemic and then hoping for the best post-pandemic. Right now we're back in the spiral of over-promising and under-delivering. In contract to Ryanair who promise nothing and usually end up over-delivering. I still do not like their on-board service and do not fly them, but I cannot argue with their model.

ThatT1Feeling

Thanks. Actually I’m happy to wait longer if it means that I get a confirmation that BA will honour my claim, rather than getting an early response which I then need to challenge.

ThatT1Feeling

Well I am sure it's purely down to posting on this board (!) but BA has got back to me today, accepting liability for one of my two cancelled flights but not the other one.

As the second cancellation was actually beneficial to me, I am happy not to fight it (although there seemed to be no reason for the cancellation to be out of BA's control with more than a week to go). So it's not a perfect outcome but certainly one I can live with.