mhbaker

Last month my wife and I were returning from London to Chicago. Upon arrival at LHR, we were advised that BA had cancelled our flight because of a "personnel problem." I learned later they had cancelled a number of flights because the flight personnel didn't have the appropriate visas. BA put us on an AA flight. After returning, I wrote to BA requesting that we be given our Executive Club points and miles. I received no response, but in checking our BA Executive Club accounts the AA flights are shown as "ineligible" with not points or miles credited. Am I wrong in believing BA should credit the points and miles since it was not my choice to fly AA and the fault lies with BA for the flight cancellation?

The Saint

You're not wrong. If you are involuntarily rerouted onto another carrier, you get the points and miles to which you are entitled on the cancelled flight. Ring up the EC and get them to sort it out.

Globaliser

The "ineligibility" is almost certainly because you can't collect BA miles for AA trans-Atlantic flights, not because of the invol reroute. You should be able also to get AA miles (or miles in a OW carrier other than BA, or other AA partner) for that flight, although if it's now necessary to reverse the accidental "credit" to BA, this may be more hassle than it's worth - and you may just want to stick with the BA miles and tier points that you're entitled to.

Prospero

Remain patient. You will receive a response from BA - they are dealing with a lot of complaints at the moment but you should get a favourable response in the next few weeks.

mhbaker

Globaliser: There was no credit to my BA account. The AA flight is listed as "ineligible." I understand that AA international flights normally don't qualify for Executive Club miles, but it was my feeling that BA should give my those miles under the circumstances.

GregM: My letter to BA was several weeks ago. Since the AA flight was just posted on my Executive Club Account as "ineligible" I assumed that was BA's response to my letter.

The Saint: I will follow your suggestion and call EC.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Globaliser

That's why I put "credit" in inverted commas. What's happened is that the AA booking had your BAEC number in it, so when you flew, the AA system sent the electronic message to BA to credit your account - which of course was a zero credit because the flight was ineligible in BA. It would have been better for you if the AA system had been instructed to send the message to AAdvantage or some other partner FF scheme, which would probably have given you proper credit for the flight. But now that the message has gone from AA to BA, reversing that process so that you can get proper credit for the AA flight in some other scheme may be tortuous - hence my observation.

The miles and tier points you'll get from BA will be separate from this accidental "credit".

710 77345

No, the AA flights are the flights you actually flew. The miles you claimed (for your cancelled flight) will indeed be credited, once they read your letter. It's the same as if they put you on VS - you could collect the miles from your new flight on your VS card (and obviously nothing would show in your BA statement) but the BA miles will be added manually later.
Just hold your horses a while!

doktordisko

I wouldn't hold your breath ! I had a similar experience with BA, returning from SIN a few years ago. The BA flight from SYD or MEL to LHR via SIN had a fire in the hold after take off and needed to turn back. Subsequently the flight from SIN to LHR was cancelled. I was rerouted to LHR via FRA on QF. On checking my BA miles balance, I had only received mileage from FRA to LHR! I phoned the EC and was told to write to them with boarding card and tix. Two and a half years later, and I'm still waitng for EC to at least acknowledge my existence. Though I can't do anything about it, they've got my boarding card and tix.

dnw

https://www.britishairways.com/trave...dy0_faq0_item7

Q What happens if my British Airways flight was cancelled (or disrupted) and I was transferred to an airline that is not a partner of British Airways?

A You will still be credited with BA Miles and Tier Points as per your original British Airways ticket. Please make your claim online using the flight details of your original booking with British Airways.

Bollox

There shouldn't be any problems with this. I've had it happen to me on a few occasions (mainly domestic) but as soon as the "Ineligible" flight appears on the statement just phone the EC and they should credit you without any hassle.

I find a telephone call works better than letter/email.