Jun 10, 2022, 3:03 am
31 May 2022 : British Airways operated by Comair (South Africa) flights suspended
Jun 6, 2022, 11:05 am
#46
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I’m due to fly from JNB to Victoria falls at the end of July and then back to CPT first week of August. Booked as a BA holiday with car hire in Cape Town. Flights from LHR are on separate reward booking. As a holiday booking do BA have to rebook me on suitable alternatives if they are available rather than just refund me? Have had a quick look on Google flights and only option seems to be Airlink but the prices are really high, especially as a family of 5!
I haven’t had any contact from BA yet and flights not showing as cancelled in MMB. Any thoughts on whether I should wait for them to get in touch or proactively contact them to try to book replacement flights and if so is it best to do this through BA Holidays or Silver Exec Club line?
I haven’t had any contact from BA yet and flights not showing as cancelled in MMB. Any thoughts on whether I should wait for them to get in touch or proactively contact them to try to book replacement flights and if so is it best to do this through BA Holidays or Silver Exec Club line?
Jun 6, 2022, 4:51 pm
#47
Suspended
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I was caught up in the Comair/BA issues back in March, with a flight booked CPT-JNB-LHR in Club all as one ticket, I heard about the issue on the Saturday that all flights were suspended, and BA in the UK weren't interested, at the time of the call there was 2-CW seats on both flights on the Sunday evening, BA42/58, and they refused to put me on either of those flights. I tried again on the Sunday morning, same thing, they told me to go to the airport. Only after the flight was due to depart, did they put me on the direct flight on the Monday., 24-hours later. I tried to claim the EU261 compensation, and after been ignored until last week, despite chasing, they said its a Comair issue, and got to them for compensation
Comair could be back operating as normal within the space of 3.5 months so BA won't be rebooking people that far out until the situation becomes clear. Atm they are rebooking to end of July. Clearly they are likely to give you several weeks notice so it won't be last minute and will be well beyond 2 weeks which would start to put EC261 compensation in scope (the scope of which is debatable anyway for a flight outside the UK/EU even if you are connecting to/from a BA flight).
Well it is very different since you can easily un-zero the selling classed for a flight taken off sale. No one will have been moved to do this. Cancellation means rebooking, and even if the original flight gets reinstated there is more work needed should people want to be moved back.
Tbh as you note your booking is 3.5 months away and this is a developing situation. I would just wait and see what happens first. It should become a lot clearer soon whether Comair will come back or are gone for good.
Well it is very different since you can easily un-zero the selling classed for a flight taken off sale. No one will have been moved to do this. Cancellation means rebooking, and even if the original flight gets reinstated there is more work needed should people want to be moved back.
Tbh as you note your booking is 3.5 months away and this is a developing situation. I would just wait and see what happens first. It should become a lot clearer soon whether Comair will come back or are gone for good.
Jun 6, 2022, 4:53 pm
#48
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Because escape2sun's problems concerned immediate travel.
Your potential problem is many months away, and may never happen.
That is the difference.
BTW, KARFA is not a "British Airways Ambassador". He is a FlyerTalk Ambassador.
Your potential problem is many months away, and may never happen.
That is the difference.
BTW, KARFA is not a "British Airways Ambassador". He is a FlyerTalk Ambassador.
Jun 6, 2022, 4:57 pm
#49
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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@KARFA - You list yourself as a British Airways Ambassador. Please explain then the post above yours I’ve quoted that is the EXACT issue I’m trying to avoid. Why does BA take zero interest in solving an issue they’re responsible for. I booked my ticket through BA on 125 stock, which I trust is the same for the other post I’ve quoted. So why do they treat this like it’s not their fault?
BA are already helping people but only up until end of July atm. So far Comair is not completely gone and could still get funding to restart, so we don't know what the situation will be in 3.5 months when you travel. I am sure everything will be a lot clearer well before your travel date.
There is no "fault" here, but a pragmatic approach to a still developing situation. I have no idea what the exact facts were in the post you quoted, but I can confirm the current policy up until the end of July does allow moving between the BA JNB and CPT flights if you had a comair connection between.
NOTE: If customer was booked LHR-JNB-CPT or LHR-CPT-JNB (or vis-versa) you can rebook them onto a BA direct service.
Jun 7, 2022, 12:51 am
#50
Join Date: Nov 2004
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Posts: 3,578
Have we heard anything about that potential investor? Thinking back at how Jet Airways went under, this is how it started there. Then again, Comair came back from the security driven shut down a few months back, so maybe South African airlines are more resilient...
Would be a shame to see Comair go.
Would be a shame to see Comair go.
Jun 7, 2022, 4:13 am
#51
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Silver
Posts: 21
I’m due to fly from JNB to Victoria falls at the end of July and then back to CPT first week of August. Booked as a BA holiday with car hire in Cape Town. Flights from LHR are on separate reward booking. As a holiday booking do BA have to rebook me on suitable alternatives if they are available rather than just refund me? Have had a quick look on Google flights and only option seems to be Airlink but the prices are really high, especially as a family of 5!
I haven’t had any contact from BA yet and flights not showing as cancelled in MMB. Any thoughts on whether I should wait for them to get in touch or proactively contact them to try to book replacement flights and if so is it best to do this through BA Holidays or Silver Exec Club line?
I haven’t had any contact from BA yet and flights not showing as cancelled in MMB. Any thoughts on whether I should wait for them to get in touch or proactively contact them to try to book replacement flights and if so is it best to do this through BA Holidays or Silver Exec Club line?
Can't decide whether to cut our losses, accept refund and book the alternatives now, bearing the extra cost ourselves but at least knowing we have flights in place or hold fire and hope either a) Comair funding is secured and flights resumed or b) rebooking options get extended to nearby airports. Anyone know what the likelihood of the latter is??
Jun 7, 2022, 4:24 am
#52
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So you have JNB-VFA-CPT for your separate comair booking?
Yes for standalone comair bookinsg atm the rebooking policy is only for travel dates to 12 June (if it was connecting from/to a BA long haul then the policy covers up to end of July).
Yes for standalone comair bookinsg atm the rebooking policy is only for travel dates to 12 June (if it was connecting from/to a BA long haul then the policy covers up to end of July).
Customers on a standalone BA Domestic Comair service or to/from HRE, WDH and LVI that has been cancelled up to 12 June 2022 only
Rebook onto 4Z operated services within South Africa, HRE, WDH or LVI (and VFA for customers connecting to/from a BA long-haul service) between the same point of origin and destination
Rebook into Business & Economy usingthe following classes:
Business – D only or lowest economy available
Economy (lowest available) – Y/K/H/B/M/T/S/Q/V/L/G/W
Rebook into Business & Economy usingthe following classes:
Business – D only or lowest economy available
Economy (lowest available) – Y/K/H/B/M/T/S/Q/V/L/G/W
- Must add OS 4Z INVOL REROUTE AS PER 4Z/BA AGREEMENT
- Add OS 4Z customer contact number
- Use the lowest class available for Economy
- If the same cabin is not available downgrade into lower cabin
Jun 7, 2022, 4:46 am
#53
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Jun 7, 2022, 4:56 am
#54
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Jun 7, 2022, 5:19 am
#55
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: UK
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A connecting flight is a flight which consists of more than one flight leg, meaning the flight has at least one stop in between. According to EC Regulation 261/2004, a connecting flight is only considered to be such if the flight is booked on one ticket or under one booking reference.
In our case it was 1-booking reference
In our case it was 1-booking reference
Jun 7, 2022, 5:22 am
#56
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
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A connecting flight is a flight which consists of more than one flight leg, meaning the flight has at least one stop in between. According to EC Regulation 261/2004, a connecting flight is only considered to be such if the flight is booked on one ticket or under one booking reference.
In our case it was 1-booking reference
In our case it was 1-booking reference
Jun 7, 2022, 5:58 am
#57
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
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A connecting flight is a flight which consists of more than one flight leg, meaning the flight has at least one stop in between. According to EC Regulation 261/2004, a connecting flight is only considered to be such if the flight is booked on one ticket or under one booking reference.
In our case it was 1-booking reference
In our case it was 1-booking reference
also the flight that caused the issue is not operated by a UK/EU carrier and was not to/from the UK/EU.
Jun 7, 2022, 6:19 am
#58
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- escape2sun had an issue on 13 March and was delayed because BA seemed to have been taken by surprise and (depressingly typically) couldn't help with a problem with imminent travel: BA Comair flights suspended
- GinSling76 has a JNB-VFA-CPT trip booked for late July / early August, but because it's a standalone booking for Comair flights it doesn't yet fall into a rebooking policy: 31 May 2022 : British Airways operated by Comair (South Africa) flights suspended
- LikeaGVI has a booking for USA-LHR-JNB-CPT for early October that doesn't yet fall into a rebooking policy: 31 May 2022 : British Airways operated by Comair (South Africa) flights suspended
Jun 7, 2022, 11:08 am
#59
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 100
Booked 2 flights for my family (5 of us total). Flights were booked on May 24th. JNB - VIC on 6/13/2022. CPT - JNB on 6/23/2022.
I got an email this morning (I'm in the US) that JNB - VIC is cancelled.
I am planning to rebook JNB-VIC to an airlink JNB-LVI on the same date. Our hotel is not refundable in VIC, so I guess the 5 of us will make the trip across the boarder. It saves $450ish flying into LVI vs VIC. Our flight out is VIC - CPT on airlink. It is what it is at this point, I'll worry about compensation later on. Any other thoughts?
My other question is, is the CPT to JNB still flying or should I just cancel that and rebook? Only the flight to VIC is showing cancelling on my booking.
edit: I made a couple of calls to BA's service center and I was told they were too busy and to call back later, <click>. I eventually got through and felt lucky to be put on hold. After 25 minutes, I spoke to someone who put my family and me on the airlink flight to VIC. It appears airlink doesn't fly direct JNB-VIC, so we fly via CPT. We depart @ like 6am vs the 11am departure - I don't know who will be worse, my pre-pubescent 10 year old or my 6 year old.
BA refused to do anything about the CPT - JNB flight on the 23rd, as it is still "scheduled." I guess I understand the concept of hoping things are up and running by then, as that is my hope as well. I read above that BA is making accommodations for all June flights, my experience says otherwise. Not sure if anyone has anything "official?"
I got an email this morning (I'm in the US) that JNB - VIC is cancelled.
I am planning to rebook JNB-VIC to an airlink JNB-LVI on the same date. Our hotel is not refundable in VIC, so I guess the 5 of us will make the trip across the boarder. It saves $450ish flying into LVI vs VIC. Our flight out is VIC - CPT on airlink. It is what it is at this point, I'll worry about compensation later on. Any other thoughts?
My other question is, is the CPT to JNB still flying or should I just cancel that and rebook? Only the flight to VIC is showing cancelling on my booking.
edit: I made a couple of calls to BA's service center and I was told they were too busy and to call back later, <click>. I eventually got through and felt lucky to be put on hold. After 25 minutes, I spoke to someone who put my family and me on the airlink flight to VIC. It appears airlink doesn't fly direct JNB-VIC, so we fly via CPT. We depart @ like 6am vs the 11am departure - I don't know who will be worse, my pre-pubescent 10 year old or my 6 year old.
BA refused to do anything about the CPT - JNB flight on the 23rd, as it is still "scheduled." I guess I understand the concept of hoping things are up and running by then, as that is my hope as well. I read above that BA is making accommodations for all June flights, my experience says otherwise. Not sure if anyone has anything "official?"
Last edited by ronocnikral; Jun 7, 2022 at 12:58 pm Reason: follow up
Jun 8, 2022, 9:46 am
#60
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Silver
Posts: 21
According to news reports today, even if Comair gets funding to secure its future, flights are unlikely to be resumed until 1 September due to the time needed to conclude all legal processes and prepare operationally. If that is the case, how soon will BA extend its rebooking policy and is there any hope that this will cover alternative nearby airports rather than direct point to point replacement flights?
The only suitable alternative for my 30 July JNB-VFA booking is Airlink flights to LVI or BBK which BA are currently refusing to rebook. If I have to accept a refund and book these alternatives myself I am looking at significant extra cost that I guess I will then have to try to recover through travel insurance claim? Not even sure if it would be covered?
The only suitable alternative for my 30 July JNB-VFA booking is Airlink flights to LVI or BBK which BA are currently refusing to rebook. If I have to accept a refund and book these alternatives myself I am looking at significant extra cost that I guess I will then have to try to recover through travel insurance claim? Not even sure if it would be covered?