Computer says 'no'
July 2 2014
Picture: Telegraph
On the basis that this-is-my-blog-and-I'll-rant-if-I-want-to, pray allow me to give you some random consumer advice: never, ever, ever, ever, ever fly British Airways.
Here's why. Last Friday I got to the security gate at Heathrow's Terminal 5 for a flight to Edinburgh (where I now live) one minute the wrong side of their 35 minute cut-off time. Despite the fact that every member of BA staff I pleaded with admitted that I would easily make the flight (the domestic gates are just the other side of security, and in any case, they never leave on time) a 'computer says no' attitude meant that I was automatically removed from the boarding list, and was prohibited from going through security. Instead, I had to endure smug lectures about how it was my responsibility to get to the airport in time, all delievered beneath an information display which signalled that the flight wasn't even boarding yet.
Then I was told that I could change my ticket or get a refund at the ticket desk. But there again it was 'computer says no'; because I had booked my ticket online (on the BA app) it wasn't possible for the human ticket person to help me. And because I had 'missed the flight' (because, remember, BA wouldn't physically let me on it) I was not allowed to make any changes, and could only 'apply' for a refund. This morning I got the happy news that I had been refunded £26.30 from a £188.80 ticket. The news was delivered after listening to an automated voice saying that it was BA's intention with all customer services to 'ensure you look forward to flying with us again'. Oddly enough, it said nothing about them being thieving b**stards.
My final piece of consumer advice is that Easyjet is the best way to fly from London to Edinburgh (a journey I do at least twice a week).
Update - a reader writes:
It happened to me (with my wife and then two-year old) when BA sent us to the wrong terminal at Gatwick and then wouldn't do anything to help when we realised we were in the wrong place. When we did get to the departure gate they said we were too late, in spite of the fact that it was clearly going to take longer for them to locate and unload our luggage (which they had to do) than it was for us to board the plane. I assumed the flight was overbooked, so they were presumably delighted to have an excuse to get passengers off it. But they did give us vouchers against future flights, which we forgot to use...
Another BA wary reader writes:
Much prefer Easyjet and at least flying Ryanair there is no pretence that they are doing anything other than trying to extract as much cash as possible.
