graraps

Oh, I'm sure it's all written in the contract. Whether the terms of the contract are fair and legal, is, however a different matter (for a start, remember we still don't have precedent for 261!).

graraps

Yes and no. If there is a natural disaster, they may get away with such a clause (subject to the EU regs). OTOH, if the flight operating at the stated time actually goes without you (and remember, the airline collects a fee everytime you change the dates, so it definitely doesn't regard it as a general contract for transportation!), then you're entitled to fly somebody else and let them sort it out....

adrianjc32

If you are not able to sit in the cabin you paid for or are bumped from a flight a manager will meet with you to pay you your compensation and arrange the alternatives. If there is another carrier which will get you there and the ticket is in a fare that they will accept it can be signed across, the manager will assist you with that. Normally at checkin you would have been asked if you will travel in a lower cabin if your club seat is not available to secure your arrival time, or if the seat is more important and you would rather wait for a club seat on another service.

vla

This also mirrors my experience, I am afraid I have to report.

I'm afraid dmahon may have to grin and bear it -- and should go get on a plane right about now! But I would let it all come out, wholly unrestrained, with colour commentary, to the strongly-worded letter Customer Relations will be receiving very soon.

Also, as a matter of practice, bumping and downgrading passengers is not a violation of the contract as, unfortunately, these things do happen all the time, on all airlines. Indeed it is expressly noted in the contract of carriage -- I do not have explicit information to this end, nor do I practice this aspect of the law, but it seems to me there are precious few cases chipping away at the jurisprudence of that aspect of the contract.

HIDDY

Sorry adrianjc32 nothing personal you understand.

So does that mean, status passengers holding tickets on miles redemptions take precedence over a non status revenue fare paying passenger? Handy to know in case I get the same treatment sometime in the future.

Boo Boo

Do airlines not canvas for vdb these days? Is it just more economical - time-wise and cost-wise - to idb?

I just can't imagine that no-one on the OP's flight would be willing to vdb (even in Club)...

I really feel for the OP: an idb would be one of my nightmares...

I hope that the Op gets to keep his original seat...

Boo

graraps

That's the catch. BA won't cover the reaccommodation costs; which is something you'd normally expect a full-service airline to do (both AF and AZ have done it for me, on nonendorsable tix).

bazim

I had a recent incident of being downgraded from JNB, and was informed at check in, was offered an MCO voucher, no offers of if we wanted to travel the next day, no putting us on another airline. I had to ask for the manager to come and see me, they did not come on their own initiative, and when the manager arrived all they said was that I should get in touch with CR, and were of no use. I did email Comair CR and we got it sorted out. I had to initiate the whole process, not the manager!

PaulN

I sympathise entirely. About two years ago I and 2 work colleagues got idb from WT+ to WT LHR-HKG. We got £100 cash voucher and I guess the company got the fare back. BA were not even especially polite about it. Plus, since we only got the voucher we had to visit a BA office to claim the cash. Was a very unpleasant shock especially since we had meetings booked for 4 solid days after we arrived and I don't think £100 came close to offsetting the lack of sleep and consequent jetlag.

On the other hand a few years before that my wife and I got £400 cash each for a voluntary offload (in WT) and a reroute via Tokyo to Hong Kong which I thought was entirely generous (we had much food and drink courtesy of BA that holiday for sure).

Hope the op had a last minute reprieve

geoman244

Oh no, BA was more than happy to send me over to Air India on a missed connection to BOM a couple years ago. It was only after Air India laughed at the BA issued ticket and said that the flight was completely overbooked that a seat on BA just happened to open up.

Traveloguy

Sadly this does not mirror my experience as I explained in another thread discussing cancellations not that long ago. Fortunately after several months, and putting in a small claim I manage to obtain compensation using 261 as a basis.

BA don't seem to like to reroute onto other carriers, nor does it pay compensation without a long drawn out fight and it certainly won't assist you with making alternative arrangements. If it is any consolation, SK recently attempted to play an even more dirty game with us as well as 6 other pax by claiming we had checked in late yet had not, so BA is not the only unhelpful carrier during irrop situations.

Fortunately I have had a few good flights more recently with BA, so with the meagre compensation finally obtained, my outlook towards BA is a little more rosy!

studio76

Does fare code matter? Is this technically legal? I have not heard of any other carrier stuping this low... I (perhaps incorrectly) believed that it was all about class of service and not fare class.

OP I'd be very interested in what exactly you were 'offered' in reaccomodation other than a downgrade.

abfab

Are there any benchmark figures for how much 'on the spot' (not eu) compensation you should expect to get from BA for a Club to WT+ downgrade?

I seem to remember someone mentioning £200 plus the EU 75% refund, but is there scope for negotiation or is it fixed like the non-op AVOD compensation?

Swanhunter

I think cabin plays a part, as well as station. A colleague - in F using the periodic J2BA upgrade promo - was very well looked after when her F seat looked unlikely. CSDM visit, regular updates in the CCR etc. Then, a T-45 a no-show. She was most upset having mentally spent much of the compo on offer!

My attempted downgrade a few years in DXB was handled very badly, but a polite DYKWIA and demand for the station manager sorted me out.

dunk

One would hope that re-routing would be easier between OW members, esp with best pals like IB, or AA via JFK/MIA