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Hello, I was wondering if you could help as I am getting nowhere with BA!!
I travelled from KIN-LGW-LHR-NCL on 20/06/23. Booked business with Avios and a companion voucher.
The flight from NCL-LHR was cancelled (air traffic control issues – completely aware that we are not entitled to compensation for this)
We were rebooked onto a flight the follow day and were downgraded from business to economy.
I have submitted a complaint (awful staff) and expenses for the overnight/travel/food as BA sorted none of that, which I am still waiting for 39 days later, and quite frankly now I am annoyed.
I actually didn’t think I would be entitled to anything for the downgrade as it’s an Avios booking, but after being signposted to some forums on EU compensation when I was trying to get some information on how to speed up my expense claims, I’ve noticed I AM entitled to some sort of reimbursement, which I would like to add to my complaint which is never going to be looked at. I have seen lots of figures (30%, 50%, 75%) and it’s for the whole trip not just the leg, but the. Some people say it is the leg that was downgraded but I have no idea what I am entitled to, and I was told that you guys are the ones in the know.
So, what am I entitled to, so I can go to BA and get what I should have for the downgrade? If they have just paid my expenses and answered my complaint I wouldn’t have even known about this, but now I know and they are messing me about, I’d like what I am entitled to… I just don’t know what it is!
Thanks! Sarah
Reimbursement for downgrades under Article 10 is calculated on each individual sector, not for the whole journey (as would be the case for compensation had that been applicable). The percentages you refer to relate to the length of the flight. For the long haul sector (flights over 3,500km) it is 75% but for a short haul (under 1,500km) it is 30%. I’m not clear from your post whether you were downgraded on both or one of the flights but anyway, the calculation is in two parts. You definitely get the reimbursement for an Avios booking and also get that compensation for both passengers, even though you used a companion voucher. BA may try to fob you off either with a reimbursement for one passenger or just the difference between the classes but that is wrong. The % applies both to the Avios and the cash element you paid for the relevant sector less actual disbursements. You need to specify to BA that you are seeking reimbursement in accordance with UK/EC261 Article 10 to be calculated per the decision in Mennens v Emirates.
Reimbursement for downgrades under Article 10 is calculated on each individual sector, not for the whole journey (as would be the case for compensation had that been applicable). The percentages you refer to relate to the length of the flight. For the long haul sector (flights over 3,500km) it is 75% but for a short haul (under 1,500km) it is 30%. I’m not clear from your post whether you were downgraded on both or one of the flights but anyway, the calculation is in two parts. You definitely get the reimbursement for an Avios booking and also get that compensation for both passengers, even though you used a companion voucher. BA may try to fob you off either with a reimbursement for one passenger or just the difference between the classes but that is wrong. The % applies both to the Avios and the cash element you paid for the relevant sector less actual disbursements. You need to specify to BA that you are seeking reimbursement in accordance with UK/EC261 Article 10 to be calculated per the decision in Mennens v Emirates.
Thank you so much. It was the NCL-LHR only that was downgraded. The KIN-LGW was business as planned!
@JDB, I agree but as Sarah mentions the situation is complicated by the fact that the domestic connection to/from a longhaul reward flight is ‘free’ rendering it susceptible to interpretation by whatever CSA handles the claim IMO. @Sarah, I had a very similar (but a little more complex) situation to yours two weeks ago where we were ultimately downgraded from CE to ET on a later flight for our connection to EDI from HKG. Like you I was uncertain how BA would deal with it but CS at LHR were insistent we were entitled to compensation for said downgrade and advised making a complaint and claim. I did that this morning and will report back when I learn tbe outcone.
@BJ – yes, I recognise it’s complicated in that the sector is theoretically free and that also there would be no fare difference between Club and Traveller for the domestic leg of a long haul flight. The same sort of thing happens if for instance you have an Avios journey VLC-MAD-LHR and the first leg were cancelled or downgraded; BA will say no refund or reimbursement is due because the Avios fare is the same from VLC as it is from MAD and the price would be the same if the first leg were in Y. There is nevertheless an imputed price. The reality is however, BA will make a huge fuss and the refund will be very low anyway, so it may not actually be worth the aggro.
@Mrs-OC since it was only the NCL-LHR that was downgraded, the % downgrade reimbursement is only 30% of what that sector (just NCL to LHR) worked out to within your ticket.
It will be very, very low if anything, for the reasons @JDB and @BJ have mentioned. It’ll either be nothing, or close to it. I personally would not pursue it.
What I would do is wait to hear from BA on whatever you’ve submitted so far, and see what they offer themselves, if anything, for the downgrade. It may be just possible that they will offer 5,000 avios or something per seat (and that’s probably worth more than the strictly calculated compensation would be).
However it’s also possible BA will say extra cost of that sector was zero so they owe you no reimbursement as 30% of nothing is nothing, and you’d be stuck with that if so. That’s why, very very unusually as other posters here would say of me, I’m advising a “wait and see if they offer anything spontaneously” approach so far as the downgrade is concerned.
Btw you were also entitled to transport costs to and from the hotel, and comms costs such as internet if you had any, say on the hotel bill, and should submit a claim for those as well with any receipts if you haven’t already.
Totally onboard with the comments from both @JDB and @LL. This is why I just sent off a complaint today but did not actually seek any refund. At the end of the day the OP and I were downgraded. What I am hoping for is that they will see fit to dish out some avios as a goodwill gesture given they spray them around quite liberally for all sorts of minor issues. Let’s see 🙂
I leaarned that being nice approach from you, @BJ
BA complaint update: response to day, approximately 11 weeks after submission. 10,000 avios each. I was expecting around that or nothing and a bunch of excuses so I’m happy enough. Seems reasonable for a 1h delay and ET versus CE on what was technically a ‘free’ domestic connection. Besides, I had a lovely chat with a lady travelling from Oz to Dundee that I’d otherwise have missed out on.
Saga may not yet be over, despite the email from BA stating 10,000 avios each had been addED to our accounts there is no sign of them 24h on.
It can take 2-3 days for avios such as these to get added to your account so I wouldn’t get anxious yet.
Thanks @BA Flyer, I’ll give it a week, I’ve patiently waited 11 to get to here.
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