[Travel] Flight help/question.

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Hi NSC,

I'd like some help from any of the flight guru's on here.

I woke up this morning to find a cursory message from B.A telling me my flight to England tomorrow had been canceled. I've re-booked onto the same flight but on Wednesday. It says I'm confirmed on the flight but when I go to reserve my seat the whole cabin is greyed out. What does this mean?

I had reserved my seat in advance for the original flight. I'm pretty sure I paid to reserve it too. Why can I now no longer reserve a seat? Does it mean that the cabin is fully booked? Am I going to be bumped out of the cabin? Have to re-book another flight again?

I'm not a big fan of flying, I find it physically arduous and often am ill/sick after a long haul flight. I have paid more than I can really afford to try and reduce the effects of the long haul flight so do not want to end up in a bad seat or bumped down to economy. It won't let me upgrade either.

Does anyone have any experience of this situation? Anyone work for an airline who can clarify what it means?

Thanks!

 

[trueblue]

My guess is that there’s simply no longer a choice of seats at this late stage. If it says you’re confirmed you should be fine but you’ll have to accept what you’re given when you check-in 24 hours before the flight. Maybe try their live chat for clarification? If you paid for a specific seat position that you no longer get, obviously ask for that to be refunded.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Talk to your airline, put your questions directly to them, explain about how you are often ill after a long flight hence why you booked that particular cabin. Check if there is any possibility of booking you on an alternative carrier. On the day of your flight, get to the airport early so you're near the front of the queue when the check-in desks open. Good luck!

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Definitely try the live chat on the website. If it isn’t showing, Google the url as they seem to hide it at busy times.

I’ve always found their live chat responses to be very helpful and usually quicker than hanging on to get through on the phone.

 

[Springal]

It’s possible if they are moving passengers around, or a plane type has changed they’ve blocked all seat reservations while they sort it out. If you’ve got a confirmed booking & ticket I’d not worry for now

Also worth looking at alternative routes / flights on the same day. If you get bumped again you’ll legally be able to be asked for them to book you on any ‘reasonable alternative’

 

[Springal]

Ongoing issues with BA7 and BA8 Tokyo Haneda service - FlyerTalk Forums

British Airways | Executive Club - Ongoing issues with BA7 and BA8 Tokyo Haneda service - Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave It's a guideline, BA doesn't enforce it, nor can they since EC261 says "meals and refreshments in a reasonable relation to the waiting time", and it's the...

www.flyertalk.com

This is interesting re on going issues BA seem to be having

 

[dazzer6666]

It’s possible if they are moving passengers around, or a plane type has changed they’ve blocked all seat reservations while they sort it out. If you’ve got a confirmed booking & ticket I’d not worry for now

Also worth looking at alternative routes / flights on the same day. If you get bumped again you’ll legally be able to be asked for them to book you on any ‘reasonable alternative’

Almost certainly this……..would also add that you’re almost certainly going to end up in the same class of cabin you booked originally - if they were downgrading your class of travel you would normally be offered the option of waiting longer rather than simply being told you’re on the next flight. Once you get to within 24 hours of takeoff you should be able to check in, at that point you’ll know what seat you’ve been allocated.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Live chat sorted the issue. I now have a seat allocated in my original cabin. Thanks NSC, you've done it again!

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Live chat sorted the issue. I now have a seat allocated in my original cabin. Thanks NSC, you've done it again!

Just one final note . . . both Japan Airlines and All Nippon offer much better inflight service than BA, especially in the premium cabins.

You are sorted now though and have got what you want, that's the most important thing.

 

[Icy Gull]

BA have been cancelling quite a few long haul flights at very short notice recently. A shabby and arrogant airline in comparison to what they used to be. I believe that they also have one of the oldest fleets of major airlines too.

 

[Springal]

BA have been cancelling quite a few long haul flights at very short notice recently. A shabby and arrogant airline in comparison to what they used to be

Would you rather they flew planes with maintenance issues ?

I don’t disagree generally by the way, but they have a shortage of aircraft due to problems with their 787s

 

[Icy Gull]

Would you rather they flew planes with maintenance issues ?

They clearly do have maintenance issues or are consolidating half empty flights from the recent late cancellations I know of. Take your pick. I have recently retired from the travel industry so I do have first hand experience of their deterioration as a major airline.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Just one final note . . . both Japan Airlines and All Nippon offer much better inflight service than BA, especially in the premium cabins.

You are sorted now though and have got what you want, that's the most important thing.

Oh, for sure! I love JAL but unfortunately it comes at quite a price increase. B.A's always previously done the job satisfactorily, it's only this time that they've been shambolic.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

They clearly do have maintenance issues or are consolidating half empty flights from the recent late cancellations I know of. Take your pick. I have recently retired from the travel industry so I do have first hand experience of their deterioration as a major airline.

You are absolutely correct on all counts, l spent many years working for BA, retiring in 2016, they are a mere shadow of their former selves.

Once an airline l was proud to represent, not the case any longer.

 

[dazzer6666]

You are absolutely correct on all counts, l spent many years working for BA, retiring in 2016, they are a mere shadow of their former selves.

Once an airline l was proud to represent, not the case any longer.

I'd agree after 25+ years of very regular business travelling (and now plenty of holidays) - the decline started several years ago, they're trading on past reputation to a large extent. No better than many of the low-cost airlines in economy and lagging far behind many other carriers in premium cabins in my experience. We went to Malta a couple of weeks ago and had booked business class - ended up on a leased plane with non-BA crew (tbf the crew were arguably better than I've experienced on many BA flights recently), cramped Ryanair-like seats and very average food. Have flown long haul with other airlines in the last few years and all were significantly better (including Qatar, AeroMexico, Air Canada, Thai and Cathay) in almost all respects. If it wasn't for their Executive Club programme (primarily benefitting people flying and collecting rewards at their company's expense) and associated Avios (interesting HMRC are now looking at Avios) they'd be closer to going bust rather than making record profits

 

[Weststander]

BA have been cancelling quite a few long haul flights at very short notice recently. A shabby and arrogant airline in comparison to what they used to be. I believe that they also have one of the oldest fleets of major airlines too.

Was it due to lack of Heathrow/ATC capacity this summer? Now up to pre pandemic levels, the skies are very busy.

When a TV presenter tried to get Simon Calder to say Easyjet are the worst, he was clear that they would've cancelled most flights because they operate most flights.

When they tried to insinuate that UK airports are the worst for this and delays, he simply said Schiphol.

 

[Icy Gull]

Was it due to lack of Heathrow/ATC capacity this summer? Now up to pre pandemic levels, the skies are very busy.

When a TV presenter tried to get Simon Calder to say Easyjet are the worst, he was clear that they would've cancelled most flights because they operate most flights.

When they tried to insinuate that UK airports are the worst for this and delays, he simply said Schiphol.

Whatever the reason. cancelling long haul flights 24 hours before departure or in the case of my neighbours whilst they were on the way to the airport cannot be blamed on capacity at airports can it?

Delays are the shit that happens at this time of year, cancelling flights just before departure as often as BA appear to be doing at the moment is something new.

I believe Lufthansa are as bad in fairness

Easyjet are rather good in comparison these days aren’t they?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

You are absolutely correct on all counts, l spent many years working for BA, retiring in 2016, they are a mere shadow of their former selves.

Once an airline l was proud to represent, not the case any longer.

Time was you'd get a proper meal-on-a-tray, even on domestic flights. Until one time on a Gatwick to Aberdeen flight they announced they were phasing this out. Instead we'd be offered a choice of sandwiches. On this flight the choice was chicken, bacon or some sort of veggie offering. Fair enough I thought, it's only an hour flight. Opted for chicken when the trolley came by. Imagine my dismay when they thrust into my hands a paper bag with 'Bacon' clearly written on the side. Naturally I dinged the bell. Pointed out that I'd asked for chicken and they'd given me bacon. 'No sir', replied the cabin crew member, 'that says ba.com'

 

[LamieRobertson]

Live chat sorted the issue. I now have a seat allocated in my original cabin. Thanks NSC, you've done it again!

Have a good journey and hope your health doesn’t suffer too much

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Have a good journey and hope your health doesn’t suffer too much

& with BA cut backs, a lack of food doesn't become an issue.