British Airways strike: Passengers refused alternative flights on other carriers during pilot walkout

A Surrey couple wanting to fly from London to Malta were told BA could not book them on any of the eight other flights on the day they were supposed to travel

British Airways crew are due to strike for three days in September (British Airways)

As rival airlines push up the price of Mediterranean flights above £800 for a two-hour trip, British Airways is continuing to flout its obligations to find alternative suitable departures for passengers whose flights are cancelled by the pilots’ strike.

BA flight crew members of the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa) are set to walk out on 9, 10 and 27 September.

Hundreds of flights between 8 and 12 September have been grounded as a result of the strike.

If BA cannot provide an alternative departure on the same day, disrupted passengers are entitled to be booked on the closest available alternative flight.

Adrian Nott and his partner Julie Mann, from Redhill, were told their 7.15am flight from Gatwick to Malta on 10 September was cancelled.

At that point, BA should have offered an alternative. There are eight other flights available from the London area on that date, on four different airlines.

The choices start with Jet2 from Stansted at 8am, then a morning trio on Air Malta from Southend, Heathrow and Gatwick.

In mid-afternoon, easyJet repeats the choice of Southend and Gatwick. And to round off the options, Ryanair goes from Stansted shortly before 5pm and from Luton at 7.35pm.

But BA refused to book the couple on any of those flights, instead rebooking them on a BA flight the following day, when the strike was over.

Mr Nott said: “Having finally got through to them after nearly three hours of trying in the early hours of Saturday, we were told that the earliest flight they could book us on was the following day, losing us one day of the holiday plus the cost of the hotel already booked and paid for.

“I pointed out to the BA rep that under EU law they should get us on an alternative flight with a different airline. I was told that this was not BA policy.”

An airline spokesperson said: “Unfortunately as it stands, we don’t have rebooking agreements to suit an alternative direct flight.”

All airlines have agreements in place with other carriers to transfer passengers at times of disruption. Since the strike was announced, BA has been rebooking travellers on partner airlines – including its sister companies Aer Lingus and Vueling, and its part-owner, Qatar Airways.

But European air passengers’ rights rules do not allow an airline to restrict rebooking options to a carrier with which it has a deal.

A BA spokesperson said: “We appreciate the frustration and inconvenience that this strike action has caused our customers and our teams are working tirelessly to help them.

“As soon as we were issued with dates, we contacted airlines across the world to support with rebooking agreements, and since Friday we have been providing customers with the option to travel on other carriers.

“Our contact centres are operating 24/7, and we have brought in additional resource, with over 500 colleagues working to support customers during this time.

“Our teams are providing customers whose flights have been cancelled with options to seek a full refund or rebook, including to a different date of travel, or flying with an alternative airline.”

On Tuesday, Richard Stephenson, director at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), reminded BA that passengers should be offered “alternate travel arrangements under comparable conditions at the earliest opportunity which includes flights on other airlines”.

The CAA has asked BA for “an explanation to confirm how it complied with its re-routing obligations to consumers”.

Fares on BA strike dates on other carriers are continuing to soar. The evening easyJet flight from Nice to Gatwick on 10 August is currently priced at £835 one way, not including baggage.