British Airways
Reviews and Complaints

I booked on flight MN6239 for Thursday 11 June 2009 at 17h50 to PE. My booking was done a week or so before the flight. When we arrived at the airport we were delighted to hear that we were on a BA flight now. But then this happened. They made us book in (I had to be in PE later that evening), and shortly thereafter I overheard another passenger say that the flight is delayed for 5 hours. We were not told that when we booked in! I immediately ran off to customer services advising them I had committments that evening in PE, and can't miss it. I was told that there is nothing they could do (not even bump me to another flight!). I eventually arrived in PE after midnight, missing my committments. They did give us each a complimentary one way voucher for any local flight (obviously excluding taxes). Try using them however, is a different story. 'Sorry sir, no complimentary seats on this flight' is a sentence that I must have heard at least ten times. So when can I fly? Only when I pay! The delay was not weather induced at all. In any event, I guess that those vouchers were meant to distract us from complaining about damages we suffered (financially). No use now!

I am a victim of racial discrimination. In all my years of traveling, I have never experienced
such blatant racism. I am appalled that British Airways employs such individuals as
representatives of the company.

I had booked a roundtrip flight ( 3A7KMG) through an online travel agency. However, on the night of July 13th, when I was scheduled
to leave, I had arrived at LAX in time for my 9:20pm flight departure and was turned away
immediately. The representative was a middle-aged white woman with shoulder length
dirty blonde hair and bangs. As soon as I walked to the ticket counter, the representative
was unwilling to check my luggage and refused to check me in, saying that I was going to
delay the flight. There was a white gentleman who was waiting in line in front of
me for the same flight, and he not only had carry-on luggage, but she let him go to the gate,
knowing that he still needed to go through passenger and baggage screening. I was in the
same position, where I was able to take my luggage as carry-on, but was still turned down.
This was clearly an act of racial discrimination. Moreover, I had no way to reach my travel
agency as they were closed for the day. I asked the representative at
the counter to help me find an alternative and see if she would help me find a seat on the next
flight, but she neither attempted to listen to what I had to say, nor did she try to check other
options. She simply stated that I needed to contact my travel agent the next day. She was
completely aware that I would be marked as a "NO SHOW" and made me miss my flight.
As this was a very important business trip, this event was not only an economic loss for my
company, but also a complete disappointment in British Airways. I was thoroughly disgusted
by the representative and the experience. DO NOT FLY WITH BRITISH AIRWAYS.

KAREN BROWN,
CUSTOMER RELATIONS.
British Airways Plc.,
PO Box 5619, (S506)
Sudbury Suffolk CO10 2PG UK.
Tel.: [protected]
Fax. : [protected]

British Airways Plc Ref: 7481917

Tuesday, 13 April 2010

Dear Madam.

Thank you for your letter dated 30th March 2010 answering on behalf of Mr. Willie Walsh.

To say that your replies disappointed me was the very least of my issues with British Airways Plc.

I supplied oxygen request forms exactly as requested; they were co signed by my Medical Doctor as requested.

I arrived at Calgary airport 27th May 2009 and British Airways Plc. let me go in to the airport lounge duty free area.

Staff then refused to fly me, asked me to get a form signed for oxygen level less than 4 litres per minute.

I was then told by British Airways Plc staff that may fly me the next day?

As a result of the pain fear and frustration British Airways Plc caused me I felt so let down that I had no choice.

I went on another airline with Bacteria masks flew over 9 hours using face masks which caused me great stress.

Add insult to injury I flew again with British Airways Plc. on 13th September 2009 again form filled for 2 liter flow oxygen.

On 13th September 2009 there was only only one bottle of oxygen was supplied for 91/2 flight.

On 29th September 2009 flying with British Airways Plc. again only one bottle of oxygen supplied for 91/2 flight.

Previously letters asked for assurances from Mr Willie Walsh that my needs would be fulfilled was not to be.

So lack of response in letters was the very least of my issues with British Airways Plc.

I have reported to the airline authorities at both Heathrow and at Calgary that British Airways Plc. failed me badly.

As a disabled person with peak flow less than 220 with Asthma COPD Bronchitis and low immune system.

British Airways Plc. has failed to meet my needs as a paying passenger and as a disabled person.

British Airways Plc. staff knew on the very first flight I was flying to my mother’s side that had a stroke.

So lack of caring letters, is it about the 1100.00 CAD I paid for the flight British Airways Plc. refused to fly me on?

I wrote letters in hope that British Airways Plc. would make sure they never put another person through that hell.

Can you imagine how much stress lack of oxygen can cause an oxygen deficient customer who is in need of it?

British Airways Plc. is not accepting reasonability is weak hiding in fear and prestige.

Not accepting responsibility is a sign of a coward’s actions and poor reflection of CEO spiritual values of not caring.

I did not expect too much from British Airways Plc. just the oxygen I requested on the British Airways Plc. forms supplied.

I at least hoped British Airways Plc. would at least get it right the second or third time of flying with them.

Sadly one bottle of oxygen will not give constant 2 litre oxygen flow rate for 91/2 hours.

How many times do you need to be told after all you are supposed to be the airline experts and professionals?

You’re sincerely

Mr W D Lindseth

Subject: Horrific experience for bereaved customer returning to work in Doha.
I had been off work for several weeks due to my mothers terminal cancer and witnessed her death at the end of February. Because my father was very unwell and also grieving I stayed with him for a couple more weeks.

I went to Heathrow airport T5 on 12th March to get the BA 125 leaving at 1020 for Doha. I was with my 2 older children who checked me in and drove me to the airport. I dropped off my bag and was given the boarding card with a 1000 closing time, plus verbal reminder for the gate cut-off time only. We were all still grieving, so we spent time with each other on the check in side. I spent some time hugging my children before the departure gate.
When I went to the gate to enter security I was turned back, with no explanation and went to the BA desk. They told me I was put on standby and go to the ticket desk. At the ticket desk they told me that they would not put me on the flight. They then told me that there is a rule about 35 minutes. I asked to speak to the manager who told me that BA had told me about this via its contracts and various notices. I pointed out that I am a bereaved person and that none of this would mean anything to me, and even then I would not know this would be done in such a harsh way, especially when according to them, I had gone over time for a matter of seconds. Actually the duration I was hugging my children. They offered to rebook the flight but, I would have to pay additional charges. I asked the manager, if due to my circumstances she would waive these charges, she said she could waive the charges, but she would not do so. She even implied that this harsh regime is designed to train the passengers. I was left feeling a distinct lack of compassion and also a failure to acknowledge that I genuinely didn't understand about this rule.
I contacted the Customer Services representative to whom I spoke for over an hour, my main point being to get BA to understand what a horrible experience they were giving me, for someone in my circumstances. Rather than get this basic point, she re-iterated that I had been "told" about the 35 minute rule - which was not true. She referred me to the Boarding pass, and I read out to her exactly, what it said especially the "important notes" on the back of the document. Then she just referred to the part which says, "Subject to conditions of carriage, copies available on request". She gave me the complaint reference number 8059201 to follow up with yourselves.

I think at this difficult time in my life if BA had shown some compassion and consideration due to my circumstances, they would have gained my respect and loyalty. Instead they compounded the tragedy of someone already in difficult circumstances, being bereaved, missing your flight, wasting your money, being told indirectly that you are stupid etc. I felt literally heartbroken at the end of this encounter. I decided to go and rebook, on another airline, even though this cost me more money.

In any case, the BA staff should have taken into account my personal circumstances, realised that this contributed to what happened and waived the rebooking fee. Showing that little bit of compassion and consideration would have won my favour, instead of leaving me doubly heartbroken at this difficult time in my life. Had they shown more compassion, they would have created a positive experience for me and not made me determined never to fly with British Airways ever again. Furthermore, I will give this message to all my family, friends, community and staff at work. At work, I will not endorse any future travel with BA in my job capacity at Qtel. I will also, let the EXPEDIA travel agent know, that this is the way that BA treated me, and according to BA they are also to blame for not making the 35 minute rule explicit to me.

REFUND REQUESTED
Kindly note that I belong to a family of 7 making about 6 to 7 trips to UK a year, in addition to business travel for myself and staff. Prior to this incident I had made a commitment to travel to BA in future as, advance bookings. I want to now cancel these flights, please process this ahead of the 12 week period.

My mother-in-law was scheduled to fly from LasVegas, NV to Istanbul, Turkey on February 28th, 2010 - Flight # BA0274. Her first flight apparently arrived in London at 15:15 in the afternoon, and her connecting flight to Turkey left at 16:29 in the afternoon.

She does not speak English at all, and needed assistance. Before we sent her through the security in Las Vegas airport, we told the person taking her to the plane that she needed assistance once she arrived in London. We also wrote a note for her to show the flight crew, explaining the reasons that she needed assistance. She apparently asked hostesses for help once they landed in London, but they told her to wait. They made her wait until everyone else in the plane left. Thus, she was the last person to leave the plane despite the fact that her flight was delayed and she had only a very limited time to make her connection. The staff did not even look at what time her next flight was departing, however. Therefore, even though there was more than one hour remaining to make her final connection, and the fact that both her arrival and departure flight were in Terminal 5, she still was not assisted to reach her connecting flight in time.

After this incident, they called me from London on March 1 at 10:30am Pacific/6:30pm London time, and said that they would put her onto another flight the following day at 9:50am, Flight# 676. They told me that they would give her a bus ticket to get to the hotel where they reserved a room for her, with the idea that she was going to somehow take the bus back to the airport next morning. However, this ignored the fact that my mother-in-law does not know her way around in London and cannot speak English at all. I asked them if someone could take her to the hotel, so that she would not get lost, but the representative told me that they could not do that. The result was that she was stranded in the airport for nearly 24 hours waiting for the next flight after taking an all-night flight from Las Vegas to London.

This was most disappointing to us, for she is a 64 year-old woman that suffers from high blood pressure, which is triggered by stress. When I was able to talk to her on the phone, she was worried and scared, and said that she would rather wait at the airport until her flight left the following morning. It is shocking to us that a person of her age, who was not fully capable of looking out for herself, had to be left sitting in an airport for this length of time without proper care, especially given that it seems highly likely that a lack of attention on the part of the airline led to her missing her connection in the first place.

However, what was most galling about this situation was that the authorities at the airport insisted upon charging her extra $54 for one of her carry-ons when they did finally get her on a flight the next day, which would never have happened had people done their jobs in the first place. They claimed it was too heavy while it was not heavy in the USA. One would think that if mistakes by the staff had caused grave inconvenience to a customer, the last thing they would want to do would be to add insult to injury. They even took all the travel size body lotions and left only 4 of them while each was only 50 or 88 ml. People are allowed to take up to 1lt in their carry-ons. That's what it says on British Airways website! What is that? I understand they are doing their job, but is their job robbing people. This is very offensive.

After all, one of her suitcases arrived one day later after it was emptied! Even they stole her ID which we are very worried about. They stole $500 worth of gifts from the suitcase on the top of breaking both of the suitcases. I can not believe how this can happen.

We are all upset with British Airways handling of this situation, and think that some recompense should be made for the gross inconvenience that she underwent and the insulting way in which she was treated. We also request that this series of errors be further investigated to prevent such unnecessary situations from arising in the future. If we are not satisfied with your response to this matter, we fully intend to file a formal complaint with the relevant regulatory authorities.

I recently tried to use frequent flyer miles from British Airways to purchase tickets from Phoenix, Az to Europe. After searching for my dates I attempted to book only to find their would bee $312.00 per ticket in fees to use my "free" frequent flier miles. Needless to say I was shocked and will no longer do business with British Airways andwould encourage anyone else to think twice before doing business with a company that woud resort to such unscrupulous tactics .

I had booked my flight to India and back with British Airways. My family which includes my wife and my 2.3 year old son left from Lubbock via Dallas and London to Bangalore. At the London Airport the BA staff observed that my son had an endorsement on his passport equivalent to a Permanent Resident card (as he was yet to receive his PR card) and allowed us to travel to Bangalore.
On our return trip, which was scheduled for the 7th September 2009, I was to fly with my son from Cochin via Mumbai and London to Dallas and subsequently to Lubbock. I reached Mumbai with my 2.3 year old son and had to move through airports and finally came by to the International airport at Mumbai and was made to check in at the BA counter.
They verified my passport and PR card and then verified my son’s passport and saw the endorsement and stated that we could not board the flight as the endorsement could not be accepted. When I stated that it was with the same endorsement that I travelled to India with, they had no answers.
This is when my ordeal began. The staff at the BA by the name of Kiran(Name changed) just refused to say anything else. He refused to understand that I was with a 2.3 year old son and absolutely no empathy for the place and situation I was in. Further he did not give me an option on what to do next. It seemed that I was taking a transport bus to a remote village to India because Mr.Kiran was not bothered whether I take the flight or not in the future. He did not mention what happens to my ticket. Did not give me an option.
I was in a city where I did not know whom to contact. On the same day that is September 9th 2009, I took another flight back to Cochin as I knew there was no point in staying back in Mumbai.
On returning back to Cochin, I took a flight with another airline and came to the US on September 11th. 2009. The ignorance exhibited by the British Airways

• Would have costed me my job as I was to join back work on June 11th 2009.
• Both my son and myself was put through mental torture with no one to help at the Mumbai airport and it seemed that everyone was asking me for money for helping us at the airport.
• It costed me dear as I had to take another flight back to Cochin and later to the US.

4 weeks after transiting through Heathrow, we still have not recovered one of the 3 items BA lost. One piece of luggage did arrive intact, our stroller arrived BROKEN and the third piece of luggage never arrived. Now as a frequent flyer there is nothing unusual about lost luggage - it happens! but our experience dealing with BA is what has frustrated us. After receiving a tracking number and telephone contacts we have called and left at least 10 messages, been redirected to various numbers many of them disconnected, received automated responses to web enquires or been dismissed by anyone in BA customer service who keep telling us it is not their concern and redirecting us to the same disconnected or unanswered numbers. BA couldn't care! good luck if you choose to fly BA - hope your luggage arrives safely.

We recently booked a trip to New York using Britsh airways to fly from glasgow to Heathrow then from Heathrow to JFK.

Our first flight from Glasgow was delayed as there was "Bad weather" in London.. We were suppose to fly at 10.35hrs but ended up leaving Glasgow at 14.50hrs. In view of this, we were re-routed onto a different connecting flight to JFK.

When we reached Heathrow, there was a light snow fall..Living in Glasgow..I'd experienced far worse withour any disruption to travel! We were dismayed to learn that as all flights had been grounded, we had nowhere to off load and were left sitting by the runway on the plane for over an hour. When we finally off loaded, our new connecting flight had left without us - 10 mins earlier! We were re-routed for a third time but this meant that instead of reaching New York at our first scheduled time of 1600hrs (New York time), we wouldn't be reaching our destination until around midnight. We had spend approximately 10hrs sitting around in airport lounges. I actually had to go to the customer service desk to ask for food discount vouchers as they weren't even offered!
The flight was ok..but we had to be down graded due to the number of customers who were now on our flight - and 1st class takes presidence over everyone don't they!

On the return leg..we voiced our upset at being down graded but were informed there were no available seats...being frequent air miles collectors, we'd upgraded to business.
Again we were delayed leaving. Once we reached Heathrow terminal 5 - we waited forever just to have our flight announced at the gate - it finally flashed up 20mins after the scheduled time. A throng of people who were all in the same boat all rushed to the gate where you could hardly find a seat!

Once on the plane - shock horror - another delay. Another hour sitting on the plane due to a mechanical failure!

At the back of the plane behind us, were BA staff heading to Glasgow for whatever reason. Serving breakfast, when they reached us, we were informed they had run out and only had vegitarian options left.

It was a disgusting mess of beans, mushrooms and a cream filled egg roll...Yeuk!
But to my further horror...Out come the full breakfast variety for their non - rev colleagues sitting behind us!

When we complained we were informed that they'd managed to "find" some more!

I have never been so glad to get off a BA flight and be home. All in all.. my experience has led me to believe that BA is a very tired and depleated service that needs a major overhaul to compete with the likes of Emirates (Who I couldn't fault) and Virgin (who are far superior)
I think the staff are totally over paid and you are charged for a service that simply does not exist.
BA is reliant on it's name for superior service - but sadly that is a thing of the past. BA is no better than a no frills airline. At least with them you know what to expect and are not charged an arm and a leg to get to where you want to be! When you fly with BA you expect a certain standard...I'm sorry...but it just is not provided any more!

My name is Sukhdeep Narang.I have a complaint against your airlines.I boarded on british airways flight BA 10 from Bangkok to London on 26 november 2009. But when I reached Heathrow airport at London I was told that my visa has not started yet and it was starting on 11 december 2009 and I have to go back and come back again after my visa starts.I was so shocked on hearing this.My passport and my visa were properly checked at the airport by the british airways staff.And my ticket was also issued after my visa being properly checked by the airlines.I never knew that there is a starting date for the visa because I thought that the visa starts from the date we get it stamped on our passporT.I told them that I never knew that there is starting date for visa and they told me how airlines issued you the ticket for a date when your visa has not started yet.I was so disappointed on such a negligence of your airlines.I had to bare so much of insult because of all this.If this had been checked by the british airways staff even at the Bangkok airport I would have been saved from such insult.Whole day I had to stay in a locked room without any permission to go out and then at night I was send back to Bangkok on flight BA 009.I never felt so humiliated before.I had to suffer so much.I am really very disappointed at such a mistake made by such a reputed airlines.Me and my parents had to bare so much of mental suffering because of all this.Also I had to buy a new ticket all over again to come back to London.I really want you to compensate me because of all this.Kindly reply me as soon as possible or otherwise I will give my complaint to the press

I am extremely disappointed with the service I received from British Airways Cargo at the Manchester Airport.
On 28th of October 2009, I phoned British Airways Cargo at the Manchester Airport in order to seek information and costs for shipping a bag from Amman, Jordan to Manchester, UK. A woman answered the phone and replied that she could not give any information or costs and that I should contact BACargo in Jordan. She told me that only they would be able to answer my request. Therefore, I gently expressed my gratitude to her and immediately contacted British Airways Cargo in Jordan.
They were really helpful and provided me the information and costs for shipping my bag.
After consulting few other air companies I found British Airways had the better price and on the next day, 29th of October 2009, I shipped my bag through British Airways Cargo in Jordan. I paid the full price they asked from me and I asked if that was all. The answer I got was that I did not have to pay anything else. I have the invoice I received from British Airways Cargo in Jordan and I it does not mention any other fees our services I should pay later. Trusting everything was clear I waited for my bag to come.
After few days, I received a call from Mr. Dean S Wootton from British Airways Cargo in Manchester saying that my bag had arrived and that I could collect it after paying him £70. That was an awful surprise. I argued that I had already paid to British Airways Cargo in Jordan. However, he told me that now I had more fees to pay to British Airways Cargo in Manchester. With no regards to my reasons, he only told me that I should pay if I wanted to see my bag again. The only option he gave me was that I could get £30 reduction if I cleared my bag from Customs myself. With great difficult, I was able to clear the bag myself. Nevertheless, I was still charged £40 to get my bag from British Airways Cargo Manchester. The invoice I was given by British Airways Cargo in Manchester states that they charged me a handling fee of £30 and a Clearance fee of £10. Why a clearance fee if I did all the work myself?
I would have paid all those fees with no regret if I were informed about them before. I feel British Airways Cargo, both in Jordan and Manchester, deceived me. They should have informed me for all the charges for sending the bag when I first requested it. I think British Airways Cargo in Manchester should not have answered me that only British Airways Cargo in Jordan would be able to give all the charges I had to pay if they knew I would have to pay fees for them also.
Sometimes, it seems, as it was two different companies with no communication between them. Which I believe it is not the case. British Airways Cargo is a great company and I believe has a good internal communication and a uniform system, or not?
Therefore, I am seeking for a compensation for these extra fees that was not informed and charged in a wile way. I feel British Airways has not acted with clarity. I would have used another company if all the charges were showed to me before I shipped my bag.
I also would like to see British Airways Cargo in Manchester working properly. Answering its customers with clear and exact answers. Not only seeking profit but also concerned with the whole Company image.
Here is all the information you may need:
Air Waybill – 125- [protected]
Sender`s name: Washington Guimaraes
Consignee`s name: Sandro Luiz Gomes de Oliveira
Dispached on the 29 of October 2009.
Freighet Prepaid – total: £130, 00

I trust I will find fairness and honesty from your hand.

Yours truly,

Sandro Luiz Gomes de Oliveira
Email: [protected]@ig.com.br
Phone : [protected]
Mobile : [protected]
Manchester, UK

My brother and I travelled back from Canada to Dubai through Air Canada connection Bristish Airways dated 29th of September, 2009. We had three luggages but none were handed to us. We have reported the irregularity but since then we have not received any updates from them tracking down our LOST Luggages.

At Dubai Airport, they failed to indicate that those luggages belong to two parties, Walid Chafic Mrad and Ghassan Mrad. If you will check the flight where it originated (Ottawa, Canada) you will find the luggages that were lost belong to two parties.

We are hoping to get this matter settled the soonest possible time.

Contact details:

Walid Chafic Mrad
Phone: +[protected]
Fax: +[protected]
Email: [protected]@hotmail.com

British Airways charged me a fee for rebooking flights. The flights were connecting in Heathrow, but due to BA's lack of providing the right connection time, I missed my plane and so they charged me 90£ for booking a new flight.

After talking to a costumer relations-representative, at first I thought well, I'm getting a refund. Then suddenly he started refusing "liability" and kept apologizing. Dead end.

Do not fly with this company, they're rude, incompetent and the level of service provided at any given time is flat out pathetic. Be warned.

Bought two full-fare First Class Tickets on British Airways on 8/13/09, charged to my AMEX Card.

Cancelled the trip about four weeks later (9/9/09), returned the tickets to British Airways.

British Airways claimed they refunded the tickets on 9/28/09, sent a copy of the "electronic ticket record" indicating the tickets had been refunded (no amount though), and repeatedly told my travel agent and I the tickets were fully-refunded. Nothing has appeared on my AMEX account since (it's now 10/9/09).

British Airways refuses to respond to FAX'es, telephone calls (you cannot call their "refund department"), and refuses to supply a copy of what they submitted to AMEX to process the refund/credit.

It's obvious they never submitted anything to AMEX. This is nothing more than intentional misrepresentation and fraud.

Their "customer service" is non-existent and their arrogance is intolerable. Being cordial gets you nowhere with these schmucks and being nasty gets you equally nowhere.

We filed complaints against BA with our State's Attorney General, the Department of Transportation, and the Airline Reporting Corporation (who processes their tickets/payments in the US). Next stop is Small Claims Court - for the contract damages of $1, 844, plus tort damages of $25, 000 for their fraud, misrepresentation, conversion, and deceit.

British Airways sucks big time on the refund or change policy. We had books tickets from Dallas to Delhi. Recently we discovered my husband had brain tumor. He is in the hospital for nearly 9 days by the time our travel he will not be recovered. I emailed and called british airways on my options. They responded really rude. Would not issue any refund, the change fee is $270 per ticket and the ticket is only valid for year from the purchase to which we had planned this tip almost 7 months ago now we have to pay $270 per ticket to change or no refund. We may not be able to travel within 5 months because of my husband. I asked for manager, and the rep responded really rude either you cancel or pay change fee no other options. I would not recommend British Airways to anyone. Crazy! BTW they didn't even offer any insurance policy when I purchased the tickets.

sir as im jameelsaman i m from india frist they r send the job offer from britishairways for flight exicutive ref no.008/013L/UKPF/T4-TL after that send the uk visa application forn they ask the passport copy, address agrement of british airwys after send the the account no, and holder name (ACCOUNT NAME : HONREI SHANGLAI

ACCOUNT NUMBER: [protected]

PAN NUMBER: AJEP6003E

BANK NAME: STATE BANK OF INDIA

AMOUNT : RS 69, 300
pls invisticate the cheeting for indians plz give the response for my hurtim mentally abset this cheeting plz do somehing to me becasu im left my job (take risk to arrange for all things money certificate this is one country problem plz takecare just i m attach they send the passport copy head officer mr james and his offer letter

Dear Sr.
RE:
Name of the passengers: Carmelo Perez Rull
Marian Fabrega
Name of the Company: British Air ways
Fliht: BA 677
From Istanbul to London
Date: 31.05.2009
Seats: 35-E and 35D.

I just want to express my sincere disappointment with British Airways regarding the following points:

1. Health and safety: When we just sat down, we found dirty knickers of an adult lady below our seat (35D)
2. Enterntainment: The tv headphones of a couple of rows where we were seating did not work. Therefore we didn't see the film making our journey a little boring
3. Environment condidtion: the air conditioning didn't work properly. As a result my wife felt dizzy because of the lack of ventilation
4. Deterioration of the plane: the armrest of the seating in front of mine kept falling on my feet because it was loose

Since I have been very loyal to your services for a long time. I think I deserve an explanation.

Yours Sincerely,
Carmelo Perez Rull
E-mail: [protected]@hotmail.com

After being charged a change fee to move a British Airways flight, I have not been told by BA that my ticket has been canceled because it fell outside of the validity period of the ticket. Remember that this is after they charged me to change my flight to outside of the validity period of my ticket. In my book this is fraud as British Airways charged me for something that they did not honour.

In terms of customer service. I was told on two occasions by customer service agents that my ticket was confirmed only to be told on the third confirmation that my ticket was now canceled, one week before flying. After being transfered to a senior agent he promplty hung up on me after apologising for the mistake they had made and telling me that there was nothing they were going to do to help me out.

Does anyone know how I can escalate my complaint to a senior level in BA? it seems phoning them does not seem to work.

I have had nothing but bad experiences in the 4 international flights i have taken with BA, I would not fly with them if they didn't offer the most direct route for my flight home.

My one and only experience with them sucked. I went on a trip to Dusseldorf in February with 4 friends, one of whom was a BA employee, and a friend of a friend. It was he that booked this 3 day trip. On the third day my four friends left for the airport before me having not given me any flight details. I followed on the next train and discovered I had missed my flight by 15 minutes. I was then told I had to pay a further 250 euros to get home! Ok fine, I understand the policy about last minute bookings but had the BA employee I was travelling with bothered to give me my return flight details I would not have missed my flight. I was already stressed and amazed that 4 "friends" would abandon me in a foreign country. What if didn't have a card on me, how would I have got home? Would they have cared?
On my return I contacted customer relations, who were quite understanding and forwarded my claim to BA Refunds. BA refunds however, just completely ignored me. Eventually I got a reply which said the flight was not refundable because I hadn't missed it! My point was that I shouldn't have had to pay for it the first place, to which they said it was not their problem. I then relayed this back to Customer Relations, who I have been told, do have the authority to pay a "goodwil gesture" but after two weeks now, I have still had no reply.
The long and the short of it is this:
1. The BA emplyee I was with should not have left me in a foreign country to find my way home.
2. BA are taking the mickey charging me 250 euros for a single flight back to Heathrow, a completely unecessary charge in my eyes.
3. Customer relations and the refunds department are not worth the time of day. They absolutely have no time for us, the customers. You are left with the feeling they hope after time you will just go away.
Well I won't! Hence I will post this tale on every forum I can find.
My case reference iwith customer relations is 7270723
Chris Smedley

British Airways have stopped anyone booking a seat at time of reservation unless you have a full fare ticket, whatever class of cabin you are in. Their attitude is one of superiority and whilst some of the cabin crew can be exceptionally pleasant others are rude and unhelpful. The aircraft generally need a complete overhaul and the food leaves much to be desired. The charges are expensive for the type of service they offer - sometimes like budget airlines. The chief executive is probably the worst since the early 1970's before King and Marshall made it an airline worth using. I don't think it can get much worse. Its time for a new chief executive who knows what he is doing and treats customers with some degree of courtesy. Don't ever write and expect a reply, they are unable to write letters and believe a phone call made by staff reading from a script is better!