wmaciej

The point is, this isn't a "operational reason" if the cancelation is 5 months out and only on one particular day of a week. If it was a schedule change or permanent reduction of number of services, I would accept that, but I consider the current explanation pretty poor.

Dave Noble

How do you know that it isn't an operational reason? regardless, schedules change and a 4 hour change notified 5 months in advance seems a pretty minor thing

Ldnn1

Well it could be an operational reason if they are sending an aircraft for maintenance in that period and picking select flights to drop as a result of that.

Equally it could just be they are adding an extra frequency to another route (e.g. a ski route) on those particular dates and therefore having to drop select flights for that reason. That would really be a 'commercial' rather than 'operational' reason but I don't think it matters much from your perspective.

While I understand it's clearly frustrating for you - along with the poor GGL line service - in the grand scheme of airline schedule change complaints (see in particular the AA board!) this one must be fairly low on the scale.

Sam Bee

I took the KRK flight Dec 23rd last year and was diverted to Warsaw due to fog.

Obviously it means nothing for this year but you never know

More constructively on a similar time - is this possible?

LHR HEL 1100 1605 BA 794
WAW 1840 1925 @BA6073

HarryKUK

I used to do it all the time when I lived abroad. Not paying £200 for a one way when I can add a fake return sector and make it £150. And then cancel the inbound and get some of the taxes back. Not a mug.

HarryKUK

😂😂 I need to find better examples.

YacozA

Surprisingly good.
Even in Y, they give you a glass of water, tea or coffee; and a Prince Polo wafer cookie.

Their in-flight magazine could use some sprucing up, however.

Doccykins

The flight cancellation sucks but I called the Gold line yesterday at 16:30 BST and was through in under a minute after the 'something else/something else' menu mash.

Having a quick wizz through the flights that day LON-WAW the only direct is BA846 (I'm guessing this is your 4hr earlier one) and no other oneworld aside from a Finnair via HEL (which unless I'm wrong you would have been charged double avios for the two legs) My well be that the low yield around Christmas Saturdays (or high yield elsewhere) caused operations to rejig the schedule but personally I'd rather know 5 months out where there are ABBA options rather than 5 days/hours when the FR/LOT/WizzAir options would have skyrocketed.

Often1

1. OP is entitled to a full refund as the flight is cancelled. While there is no EC 261/2004 compensation at 14+ days, OP's options are A. Cancel for a refund; B. reroute as soon as practical; C. Later dates. It's up to him.

2. Fare rules flexibility is irrelevant to OP's situation because he is entitled to the reroute, if that is what he wants. But, on the broader question, it is OP who chose inflexible tickets. Clearly fully flexible tickets cost more, but that is a tradeoff people make (when they want the flexibility themselves).

3. OP would do far better to do some research on his own and to call BA back with reroute proposals. What he has now are other itineraries which preserve his original routing. BA need not observe fare rules, thus a reroute via HEL will not cost more.

4. As to why carriers cancel specific frequencies, the simple fact is that while OP is looking at load, that is irrelevant. Air carriers look at PRASM. That aircraft can presumably be repurposed to a more profitable flight, perhaps additional segments of people paying higher fares.

Again, it is OP who made the choice. There is no "imbalance" other than that chosen by OP.

FlyerTalker39574

Art 8 of EU reg EC261:2004 means you have an absolute right to re-routing on any air carrier, irrespective of the notice given.
The 14 days notice only applies to the right to compensation.
So find the best alternative and ask to be re-routed.
BA re-routed on other air carriers during their May 28 meltdown.

corporate-wage-slave

The "any carrier" words are not in the Regulation.

FlyerTalker39574

Correct.

It also doesn't say 're-routing by operating air carrier only'. No airline would let this issue go in front of a Judge, too much to lose. Vagueness is a winner for the airline and some passengers.

Often1

It is incorrect to remotely suggest that BA has a duty under EC 261/2004 to reroute OA as there is no legal authority on that point.

In fact, a quick search of FT will reveal many, many occasions when carriers, including BA, have refused to reroute OA in even more dire circumstances.

This is not to suggest that they won't and it is certainly the smart move to have in hand the flights you wish in the order you wish. But, any suggestion that there is a legal requirement is incorrect and will be met by BA with the knowledge that they are dealing with someone who does not know.

irishguy28

You can get around this by only booking last-minute tickets!

FlyerTalker39574

Wrong, BA and others interpret the reg in their favour. The reg says re-routing at the earliest convenience and that's what they must do.

Simon Calder has said this many times on live television.