corporate-wage-slave

Well it has changed today, it's now version 10, but as far as I can tell all it has done is split out the longhaul + Comair (for rebooking on Airlink) from purely SA domestic bookings (effectively refund only).

squeeler

Now that I am rebooked onto JNB-LIV with Airlink, does anyone have any experience of their carry-on policy on an E170? I will be hoping to take my regulation backpack and wheelie bag with me. I have attempted 'no check-in' policy with the wheelie bag as it is on very good nick.

konagirl2

This is Airlink policy: airlink cabin baggage
Depends if you are on a business or economy ticket. Because of the curvature of the Embraer there isn't much room in the overhead bins, your wheeled case may have to go sideways. You should expect the flight to be full. So if travelling in economy you should expect to check one of your bags. But you may get lucky.

rivlinm

Fwiw, my late June domestic SA CPT-JNB flight was cxld. I was in galleries first lounge today and the guest services agent called reservations on my behalf and booked me on an airlink flight. 10 minutes all in.

Seems it may be a case of huca.

rivlinm

Developing:

I just received an email from ba saying I need to contact them concerning this reservation. And if I don't my flight may be effected.....

What do I do. Why should I have to take my time to call ba?

HarryHolden68

For your second question, you "shouldn't". In the same spirit, I "shouldn't" have had to sort on my own rebooking on 1st June, forking out £800 to Airlink and all because I could not get through to BA.
But an airline has ceased operating, hundreds of staff find themselves unemployed with little option of any payments and it is an unfortunate event. This is in a country with 40% unemployment, that rises to 70% for under 25's and has been decimated by Covid. For you to ask such a question speaks of a sense of self-entitlement. Just call and ask BA what they want? Or don't.

For your first question, I would call them. Not doing so runs the risk of you arriving at the airport to find you are unable to travel.

scottishpoet

based on the fact you seem to have had something sorted already i would hope this is just a mail thats gone to everyone on thd comair flight.

I would call and make sure some rebooking issue has not bern flagged up after you spoke with the person in lhr. BAs systems are not as real time as we would like them to be and an issue has maybe cropped up.

You do not want to get to the airport and find you cannot fly.

in a perfect world we would not need to call, we could book a time for them to call us. when we book with BA we know that is not going to happen . It is, to some extent, a choice we make when we book. Some TAs may offer a more proactive service and do this on our behalf, but then we are accepting other service limitations

Shingi

I have an Avios flight out LHR/DUR (BA55) and a cash flight back DUR/LHR in Jan,23 on two separate tickets both J. I had an online chat today to sort out new domestic flights as Comair is no more. I was told that I must phone BAEC for the JNB/DUR Avios flight but they would give me the options for the DUR/JNB cash one. On Airlink the timings are awful for both sectors. BA56 leaves JNB for LHR at 2010 on 29/1. I realise it’s a Sunday but Airlink have only two flights that day arriving JNB at 1225 or 2030 (too late) and only three flights on other days. I don’t mind that it’s an economy flight only and the agent told me, when I asked, that J baggage allowance would be honoured. I said that Flysafair had J but more importantly had far better timed flights and more plentiful but the agent said it’s Airlink only. I said I’d think about it.
Is there a realistic chance that BA might realise that Flysafair would far better serve its passengers than Airlink can? I know some will say that BA don’t care. Should I wait until later in case this happens? Two J return flights on Flysafair JNB/DUR/JNB come in at just over £400 and easily match and exceed what was Comair’s schedule but then I lose the safety net of not having through tickets. Also, and lastly if I took the Airlink Y option through BA with the J baggage allowance included would that give us access to the Slow Lounges? Sorry for the lengthy post. Advice gratefully received.

Shingi

I’m caught up in the Comair collapse. I have just had an online chat with an agent re my DUR/JNB/LHR flight Jan,23. I wanted him to give me an Airlink flight but there was an 8 hour wait at JNB. Then he offered me the last Airlink of the day and a change to BA54 which worked perfectly and I accepted. But then he said he had made a mistake and said (quoting from the transcript) “I am sorry but as I can see the flight that is cancelled is on 29th Jan and we are just rebooking on long haul cancelled flights.” “We do not have access to rebook the short haul flights that are cancelled and departing after 14th June.” I didn’t quite understand this and he tried to push me towards a refund for the domestic. I said I’d come back on that. Is what he said correct please?

GinSling76

Well it matches up with my experience but I do feel this is being handled very badly by BA. We had JNB-VFA-CPT flights booked via BA Holidays to connect with long haul BA flights booked on Avios. Proactively contacted BA Holidays when the news first broked and was initially offered rebooking and told all sorted. Five days later, once prices for alternatives had all shot up, BA told us they made a mistake and we were not covered by the rebooking policy as it was not part of a long haul booked. If your international flights are all on same PNR it may be different for you so definitely worth checking before you accept refund. I am still confused why BA didn't have to rebook us onto alternative flights - I guess we are not protected by EU261 (post Brexit domestic version!) as flights were not to or from UK/EU.

Anyway, we were told we had no choice but to accept a refund and book the (now significantly more expensive) replacement flights ourselves. We'd resigned ourselves to this and having to bear the extra £1200 cost ourselves but now BA are saying they can't even refund us the original £2k flight cost because it was priced in ZAR and had evouchers applied so we would need a ZAR bank account to accept the refund! Seems we have no choice but to try MCOL / CEDR but not relishing the long fight ahead on this.

Shingi

It’s a through cash ticket on the same PNR which is why I’m holding off for the moment. If I try and dummy book the same flight again it now offers Airlink and SAA connections. I’m baffled. Is it because Comair went bust that they can wash their hands of us?

Confus

No, it’s because you’re using the chat function and those agents are horrifically badly trained in all but the most basic of tasks. If you bite the bullet and call you’ll be rebooked as you wish following the correct customer guidelines. It’s only PNRs that contain only Comair sectors that are being forced to refund.

Shingi

Thank you so much. I will ring them. Very grateful

konagirl2

@Shingi such a pain that the customer service agents don't understand the notes. As long as the JNB-DUR segments are part of a ticket meeting the wording in Post #10 (i.e. a 125 ticket with a long-haul flight where the connection has been cancelled) they have to rebook you if you request it. I am sure a phone call will work. At worst, go through the note with them and ask them to consider the Conditions of Carriage require BA to offer you a rebooking to get to your destination. GinSling76 is unfortunately in the circumstances of a regional/short-haul Comair only booking (I am appalled that they are trying to wriggle out of paying a refund because it is in ZAR so best wishes with taking them to CEDR / MCOL).

Shingi

I’ll report back. Thanks for the advice.