Reply to: Stranded

[Ticktock]

Flybe, maybe

As a permie years ago had to fly up to Glasgow a couple of times a month and took Flybe from Southampton. Coming back one night the flight was delayed - apparently the flight from Edinburgh to Southampton was near empty, so they decided to cancel our flight and get the Edinburgh flight to pop over and pick us up on the way down.

It was only when we were over Birmingham that they told us Southampton Airport had closed for the night so they were trying to find another airport to take us. Eventually we landed at Bristol. Staff there sorted coaches to Southampton and said that Flybe would arrange taxis for those that needed them (as the trains had now stopped for the night too).
When we got to Southampton the staff there knew nothing about the taxi promise, and did not have the authority to help, but said if you paid yourself you could claim the cost back.
Fine for me, a permie who would claim expenses. I did feel very bad for the young (maybe 14 year old) girl who had suddenly found herself stranded at about 03:30 with no money for a taxi, no mobile, and no idea what she was going to do to get home. Luckily one of the airport staff (not Flybe staff, of course - they all went home) let her use a phone until she could get hold of someone to pick her up.

[scooterscot]

Our airlines as I've come to known them over the years

BA, Ba$tard airways
Easyjet, sleazyjet
Ryanair, don't care
Flybe, maybe

[AtW]

I'd been flying up and down to Edinburgh every week for the past 6 months, and booking flights about a month in advance each time.

Should have used NetJets...

HTH

MF

[Ticktock]

When Flights are expensive £250+ I use 2500 avios miles + £42.50 for a cheap flight, use your miles man

Using those for my holiday! Although I did use some for one flight at the start of September when I'd left things until the last minute - made a £150ish flight cost just the £30-odd taxes.

[tarbera]

or use your miles

No, not a bank. My contracted location is Edinburgh and I've had multiple arguments over expenses with them, like the fact that when I work in the London office they're happy to pay for my train in, but refused to buy flights because "you live down there anyway, so would already be buying a flight". I got tired of arguing and I'm just waiting the contract out now.

If I can't get BA to give me a refund then I think I will be kicking off to get the client to pay.

When Flights are expensive £250+ I use 2500 avios miles + £42.50 for a cheap flight, use your miles man

[SimonMac]

That happened to me once, and even though I was stood at the airline help desk saying "I'm getting a different flight out, but can I still get the same return please?" they flat out refused to do so. I suspect it was because they thought they could then sell my return seat and make more money out of it. Pants.

Airlines over book seats anyway, so that would happen if you make the outward journey or not

[Ticktock]

Get Client to pay for new flight (lloydes or RBS I presume) they wont have an issue, it they have made you change where you work at short notice

No, not a bank. My contracted location is Edinburgh and I've had multiple arguments over expenses with them, like the fact that when I work in the London office they're happy to pay for my train in, but refused to buy flights because "you live down there anyway, so would already be buying a flight". I got tired of arguing and I'm just waiting the contract out now.

If I can't get BA to give me a refund then I think I will be kicking off to get the client to pay.

[tarbera]

eeerrmmmm

I'd been flying up and down to Edinburgh every week for the past 6 months, and booking flights about a month in advance each time.
For the past 2 weeks Clientco suddenly asked me to work in their offices down south, and then I'll be moving to their London office for the rest of the contract. I had a return flight booked to go up last Sunday and return this Saturday, but instead I fly up tomorrow, do 2 days in Edinburgh and then clean out my flat and come back.

I called Customer Services to say I wanted to cancel the original Sunday outbound flight only, but wanted to keep the return. They said I'd get a refund of about £49, but there would be an admin fee of £51, so we agreed not to bother cancelling, I'd just book my new outbound flight.
I just went online and have found that my return flight has disappeared from my Exec Club page, and if I search using the booking reference get the message "Sorry, we are unable to display your booking as all the flights have been flown".

All I can think is that because I didn't get on the plane on Saturday they have cancelled my return flight, and of course customer services is now closed so I can't check. I really don't want to be stranded up there - I have a birthday party to go to Saturday night!

Get Client to pay for new flight (lloydes or RBS I presume) they wont have an issue, it they have made you change where you work at short notice

[DirtyDog]

Really ? That surprises me. Years ago when the volcano exploded in Iceland and they cancelled the flights I got a refund immediately. What was the story behind your cancellation ?

First excuse was that there wasn't a plane.

Then there were "technical issues" with the plane.

Then there was a weather delay.

Eventually, the full excuse became that there was a technical problem, then they hit a weather delay, then the captain was ill and they didn't have a spare crew because they had let them go home.

They paid about £450 in total.

[Ticktock]

So what happens if you have a return ticket, and (genuinely) miss your outbound flight, and instead make your way to the destination anyway (say by hitchhiking). Are you saying that they would refuse to honour the return ticket when you check in to return?

In my case, yes. The booking no longer shows in the Exec Club list of bookings. If I search using the booking reference it says all flights have already flown. Having called them they say it's been cancelled and I need to buy another ticket.

[KentPhilip]

So what happens if you have a return ticket, and (genuinely) miss your outbound flight, and instead make your way to the destination anyway (say by hitchhiking). Are you saying that they would refuse to honour the return ticket when you check in to return?

[Clare@InTouch]

Yep pretty standard, if you miss the outbound flight they assume you are not there so don't need to come back

That happened to me once, and even though I was stood at the airline help desk saying "I'm getting a different flight out, but can I still get the same return please?" they flat out refused to do so. I suspect it was because they thought they could then sell my return seat and make more money out of it. Pants.

[fullyautomatix]

I took them to small claims court a couple of years back because they cancelled my flight and refused compensation. A week before the case, they offered to settle in vouchers. Two days before the case, they paid up in cash.

Originally all I wanted was the compensation due, but in the end they ended up paying almost double because of added costs.

Really ? That surprises me. Years ago when the volcano exploded in Iceland and they cancelled the flights I got a refund immediately. What was the story behind your cancellation ?

[DirtyDog]

That it was BA surprises me. I would expect them to be more helpful.

No, really I would. I'm not joking.

I've used them quite a bit this year and have found the customer service to be excellent.

I took them to small claims court a couple of years back because they cancelled my flight and refused compensation. A week before the case, they offered to settle in vouchers. Two days before the case, they paid up in cash.

Originally all I wanted was the compensation due, but in the end they ended up paying almost double because of added costs.

[Ticktock]

I wonder whether these policies really save money or generate profit, considering the loss of goodwill from customers and the cost of employing people to argue with disgruntled customers.

I agree. Over the past few years I've used BA and partners for multiple business trips to Australia, US, Singapore, China, around Europe, of course my weekly commute, and I'm using them for my holiday in a couple of weeks - the main reason was because a previous client used them to fly me out somewhere and I started collecting the Exec Club points.
I don't actually like BA all that much - I find their staff less friendly than other airlines, I face regular delays on my weekly flights (as I might with any other airline) - the only benefits I have is that I reached Silver a couple of years ago and managed to retain it. If I don't fly enough to retain it next year then I'm perfectly happy to switch to airlines with other schemes - them going "the extra mile" might have made me reconsider that.