Problems with British Airways Part Four


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December 27th 2008
Published: January 2nd 2009
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I'm lying in bed thinking how great it is that my arm fits perfectly across my eye socket to block out the light that has interrupted my sleep when I am made to realise that unfortunately my arm does not also cover my ears to block out noise when Lou calls from the bathroom 'Time to get up d'.

Lou boots up the laptop to check our flight confirmation from Miami to New Orleans and sees that everything is fine. She then checks the New Years Eve flight from New Orleans and sees that the flight date has changed from December 31st to January 6th. I call British Airways to find out what is going on and and they tell me that the flight on the 31st was double booked in our name at which point the computer system cancelled the booking. Some how, I am as yet to ascertain exactly how we got assigned seats on a flight on January 6th without any contact from or consultation with BA. We booked the flight in June as we wanted to spend New Years Eve in Times Square moving our flight date to one week later with no correspondence is clearly not acceptable. I am flabbergasted. It is beyond belief that BA could possibly feel that that this is acceptable procedure.

The BA operative that I speak to looks for alternative flights and the first available one is on January 1st which we accept under duress and I make sure that he is aware that this is not acceptable. He offers to call back and confirm the new booking. Whilst we are waiting for him to call back I check American Airlines online and see that there are flights available on New Years Eve as we require. When he calls back with confirmation I ask him about the available flights that I have found he checks his system and says that they are not available to him. He suggests we call BA in the UK for further help.

We wait until the UK offices open and call them I explain the situation and I am told about the double booking that caused us to be removed from the site. I tell them that this is not acceptable and that we expect some compensation. I am told to call customer services. I arrange for customer services to call me. The call goes direct to answer phone for some reason probably due to the gods of mischief deeming that our flying experience so far has been going to smoothly. I check the message which informs me that BA customer services have looked at the details and I am given a number to call them on. I call them on the number provided but get through to BA customer services in the US and have to explain the situation again. At this point I am a little sick of explaining the same issue over and over again and feel that it should be quite clear what the problem is. I am told to talk to Customer services in the UK. I tell them I will send an email.


We are currently taking advice from Which on what kind of compensation we are entitled to and how best to go about getting it. The extra expense incurred as a direct result of our flight cancellations is easy to add up given that we have kept all of the receipts but I am not sure how BA can compensate us for missing New Years Eve in Times Square New York or spending a day in Mexico City airport t and missing a the light show at the Mayan temple at Chichanitsa. We shall see what they offer but suffice to say that British Airways are not my favourite airline at the moment.



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2nd January 2009

What?
That is aweful!! I'm not quite clear where you spent New Years Eve?
2nd January 2009

More!?
I so feel for you both and seriously cannot believe the problems your having with flights. I suspect a rather stern letter could be heading to BA upon your return. Good job I didnt get that flight out by the sounds of it then :)

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