Irreverent Medusa

I'm after some ideas and suggestions as I am not a regular LHR traveller and I haven't been there for years, LCY is my usual airport of choice!

My NCE-LCY was cancelled earlier today due to the French ATC strike. I am rebooked on BA0349, which owing to some further delays will now probably land at LHR at around 22:00 so I don't expect to be out of the airport before 23:00 at the earliest.
I am on my own, I have a reasonably heavy suitcase plus some hand luggage and I need to get back to East London -the Island Gardens area of the Isle of Dogs.

I am considering Heathrow express and then a cab from Paddington, assuming I am able to get one
Given the late hour, I am also considering just getting a cab from T5 to home and argue it out with BA later for a refund.

Does anyone have any other ideas?
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corporate-wage-slave

The last HEX is at 2357

and the last Elizabeth Line is 0007

Personally I would probably go to Paddington and then get a taxi from there. If by some miracle it wasn't too late, I would consider continuing on the Elizabeth Line to Canary Wharf and taxi / Uber the last bit. That requires you to get to Paddington by 2258. The usual maxima for taxi fares is £50 and there is a view that you should use public transport for anything more. But they have been known to pay more than this, it's just if you took the taxi the whole way you can't be 100% sure they would pay the fare. There won't be a problem getting a black cab or Uber from Paddington.

sunshinebob

I cant see it being a BA problem unfortunately and very much doubt any knock on costs will be considered in lieu of this. Its certainly out of their control and they have done as much as they can most probably in getting you back into London the same day. Its an insurance issue I would think , the cost of the cab either way wont be exorbitant, Ba may pay for some of it, maybe not - I would just pony up the cost, put it down as one of those things and look at in the cold light tomorrow..

I wish you all the best on your journey and hope you will be tucked up in bed before midnight with a cuppa. Godspeed.

LondonAussie

The Night Tube is also running again so with a late arrival you could still take the Piccadilly Line to Green Park and change there for the Jubilee to Canary Wharf.

Not as quick or comfortable, and can be quite annoying with luggage, but is doable if you're looking for a cheaper option.

Irreverent Medusa

Thanks all. Last time I ended up at LHR instead of LCY was due to to weather cancelling flights and it was with LX,. 10pm ish and they did pay for a cab from Heathrow to home (they even called one for me and gave me a voucher to give to the driver!)

The rebooking options BA gave me were tonight to LHR, tomorrow night to LGW or Monday to LCY. So I assume they would have had to pay for a hotel if I'd gone for option b or c, maybe I should have gone for the LCY flight on Monday 😂
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​​​​​​I'm not happy to be on the tube on my own that late at night.So I think the most sensible will be to try for the HEX
A cab from LHR to home will be over £100 and it's not exactly something I can afford right now if BA won't refund all of it

Still in the lounge at NCE, it's going to be a long trek back...

flipstah

Would BA be able to accommodate a hotel near LHR for the night?

corporate-wage-slave

Grey area. There will be arguments on both sides why it should be allowed under EC261 or not. It doesn't strike me as that late for someone who lives in London, but our perceptions are very personal on this one.

corporate-wage-slave

I am reasonably confident BA will pay £50 towards it, given past practice, and they may pay all of it. But I would say the tube and HEX will be reasonably safe, people's risk assessments tend to be pretty rubbish in this area since the risk of a car crash is far higher than anything really bad on the tube. Besides London is flooded with police officers at the moment and I would have a high confidence that the post pub crowd heading home will be more respectful than normal anyway.

Dorowilson

HEX is usually quiet now as many people take the Elizabeth line instead, which stops at several not terribly salubrious places on the way to Paddington. In the evening, I’d definitely take the HEX. It’s the safest, fastest and most comfortable option to Paddington.

HIDDY

If I was an elderly female I'd be taking a taxi all the way and hope for the best refund outcome. If I was young, fit and skint then I'd take the cheaper route.

CarefreeBA

I had a flight from AMS-LGW, scheduled arrival 21:45 and actual arrival 00:15 and I live out in Essex. This meant I missed my last train back home. I paid for a Thameslink train to London Blackfriars, and requested reimbursement for a hotel in London and a taxi fare from Blackfriars to my (Central London) hotel.

Heathrow Express and a cab should be no issue whatsoever, providing you argue with them that it was required due to your luggage and the inconvenience that the rerouting cost you. Furthermore, you could say that this would cost them (BA) less than having to expense hotel and meals in NCE.

Also, what was your original time of arrival at LCY? I made an expense for a £8 M&S meal deal + something else and was approved too.

KeaneJohn

There’s going to be a lot of ‘normal ‘ people on the tubes at the moment and police and army/navy personnel to guide people around due to the Queen’s funeral and associated events. That said I’d avoid changing at Green Park as this is subject to last minute cancellations and one way systems for crowd control reasons.

As others have said Elizabeth Line or HEX to Paddington then Elizabeth Line to Canary Wharf where you can jump in a local cab or take the DLR to Island Gardens.

Citymapper is suggesting Uber all the way would be around £55. Depending on the route not sure if that would increase most of central London was a car park today with longer journey times and lots of tourists…

You could always ask ground crew f they can give you a taxi on account all the way citing safety and if you’d been rebooked to LCY BAs duty of care would have been for a couple of hotel nights and see what they say. Remember though ground staff would have lots of irrops so would be tired and stressed.

Travel safely and let us know what you do.

CKBA

A sort of similar issue - ATC caused me to miss my connecton to BWI, so currently of flight to IAD, then taxi home. While ATC was the cause of the delay, clearly the lack of B-gate connections (it was closed/deserted) meant I couldn't xfer without going via T5A - i.e. BA/LHR problem.
I'll probably put down on expenses, if not then insurance - or just gulp and take hit (vv the alternative).

Irreverent Medusa

Thanks again for the suggestions that have been added while I was in the air. We have just landed and are waiting for stand guidance to be turned on...
Crew suggested speaking to BA staff in arrivals and see if there is some willingness to help. Which I will do.
Do you think it will help if I mention that I used to work for a Premier cardholder... Don't you know who my boss was 🤣
I am 50 so neither elderly nor spring chicken! 20-ish kg suitcase not helping, that's when I'd almost wish the luggage didn't make it onto the flight

Irreverent Medusa

Original departure 14:25 and arrival 15:30
Notified of cancellation at 08:15 this morning so just over 6h notice