Missing a connection?
 

What would happen if a pax were booked on a BA flight and was connecting to a Continental flight (a very discounted fare) and the BA was delayed, causing the pax to lose her connection? Is it BA's responsibility to book the pax onto a flight later in the day? The predicament that I have is that a couple of family members are on an early-morning BA flight from AMS to LGW and will have a little over 2 hours to pick up their bags, check-in and get to a gate in the South terminal. I fear that any delay will cause them to miss their flight and it is imperative that they get out to Houston on the same day.

Cheers.

Hi,

Is it a same ticket ( ie BA-CO on one ticket) or two separate tickets ( one BA and one CO)

Regards

TBS

If the BA tickets were booked separately from the CO tickets, BA has no responsibility to get you on a later CO flight if your BA flight is late. If the CO destination is sold out, you may be stuck.

It will be booked as one ticket via Expedia. Got the intinerary from ITA.

I wouldn't worry about it too much if they are scheduled to fly on BA #8110, the 7:00 a.m. AMS-LGW flight, connecting to CO #35, the 9:35 a.m. departure from LGW. Why? Because there are two later CO-operated flights to IAH, the 12:00 p.m. nonstop on CO#5, and the 12:30 p.m. one stop via EWR on CO #29/CO #51.

If a significant delay is posted for the BA flight prior to departure from AMS, CO may be willing to accommodate your family members on the 3:40 p.m. nonstop from AMS-IAH on CO #47.

On what flights are they scheduled to fly?

The BA8110 and the CO35. Would CO really be willing to accommodate them considering that BA isn't a partner etc. and particularly because they would be on a very cheap ticket?

CO allows you to standby for any same-day flight. The later LGW-IAH flights should be no problem unless they are already full.

The AMS-IAH nonstop would require a friendly gate agent. However, depending on the circumstances CO may be willing to help. But I wouldn't worry too much given that even a 2.5 hour delay should still give your family members time to catch either of the two later CO flights out of LGW. Plus, in the event of a problem with BA #8110, BA #8112 would still get them to LGW in time to comfortably catch CO #5.

Great. Thank you. ^

It would be worthwhile to call Continental in advance and ask if they have a a baggage interline agreement with BA (I expect they do, but don't know for sure). If so, your relatives would be able to check their bags from Amsterdam straight thru to Houston.