Adp9416

Although it’s not 99 problems I’ve had a fair few with my most recent flight.
For context I took a long haul flight from Heathrow to Cape Town

1. Flight was delayed by just over 3 hours with no info forthcoming on the day

2. When we landed they announced that “some” bags didn’t make the flight. Actually 90% of the people had no bags, including me

3. I missed my connecting flight because of the delay and BA refused to help me find another flight. I weren’t expecting them to pay but just give some assisstance in a foreign country. The main person told me they (BA) “had no obligation towards me as they safely got me to my destination. You are now on your own”


Firstly what type of compensation could I expect? I had to buy new tickes plus clothes and toiletries for a few days and that roughly came to £500

Also I am furious about the response I got in terms of absolutely no help despite their f*** ups. I’m in my 40’s but imagine I was an 80 year old trying to navigate a foreign country
Is a complaint going to achieve anything? Or is there anything I can do to let BA know that was unacceptable?

krispy84

1) Depending on the length of your delay arriving in Cape Town and the reason for the delay, you may be eligible for UK261 compensation.

2) You can apply for refunds of toiletries purchases and other ‘essentials’, more if Cape Town / SA is not your home-base. M&S prices rather than Saville Row.

3) If this was a connecting flight, then BA would assist. If this was a separate ticket, then that is the risk you run by not through-ticketing.

EDIT: Welcome to FT! I can’t easily see post count on a mobile device.

cosmo74

Check your travel insurance to see if they will cover you for the missed flight, they may also reimburse you for any items you needed to buy - but BA will definitely do this and there is a form on the website where you can claim. I'm afraid if your onward flight was not on the same ticket then BA have no obligation to help you out in this instance, and they would probably prefer that their staff were focused on helping passengers who did have connecting flights booked through BA, who they did have an obligation to help. You might have had better luck speaking with the airline you were booked onto, particularly if you contacted them before you left London when you were aware that there was a delay. If you think you're someone who will need support if things go wrong during your travel, then booking through an experienced travel agent might be a good idea.

Depending on the reason for the delay, if it was something that was in BA's control, ie problems with the plane or staffing, you could be entitled to £260 compensation as your flight was delayed less than 4 hours but was longer than 3,500km.
https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/res...ations/delays/
This compensation is designed to help you cover any costs you might experience as a result of the delay.

Whilst you should claim for the cost of replacing items from your luggage, and for UK 261 compensation if the reason for the delay warrants it, I'm not sure there is any point in making a complaint to BA.

Stormbel

Op says that he had a connecting flight that should mean it was on the same booking, otherwise it wouldn't be connecting!
Hopefully he will give further details so can get appropriate advice.

bisonrav

It all really hinges on the arrival time and whether the "connection" was on the same ticket. If not, you should get payment for reasonable replacement clothing and toilietries, but not replacement flights. If the arrival doors opening was beyond three hours of scheduled arrival you should get some EC261, depending on the reason for delay, if less then you won't.

If you were on a single ticket, then BA are on the hook for EC261 compensation and they should have rebooked you. You should then get a refund of [edit] the ticket you paid for for onward travel on top of the reasonable costs for replacement items due to the luggage delay.

Travel insurance is usually a good first stop. You may find you're not covered for a misconnect on a self connection.

Adp9416

Thanks for all the replies. At the time of booking BA did not offer connecting flights to my destintion. They do however offer them now through the airline I did fly.

I totally understand that they did not book the flights but you’d think they’d offer assistance because it was several issues with the flight not just a delay.

Luckily I do have my annual travel insurance so I will claim with them for whatever BA doesn’t cover.

Also thank you for the heads up about EC261(?) compensation. Will definitely help myself to some 😅

They’ve already emailed me to say my return flight has also been delayed, you just can’t make this stuff up.

corporate-wage-slave

Hopefully the EC261 plus baggage expenses will get you into a better place here. Usually you can combine airlines on one ticket, but not via BA - you may need a travel agent to help with this. If you are on separate tickets, then you need a good long gap between services, otherwise it is at your own risk, and BA, with some justification, will say "these are consequential losses". If EC261 does not apply then there is the Montreal Convention Article 19 to consider, though that won't be an easy process and would require you to go to court to advocate that approach,