How will the British Airways strike affect my holiday?

Q This is a two-part question about the British Airways pilots’ strike. First, a query for my sister who is flying from Manchester to Mexico on 14 September. The strike is on 9 and 10 September but flights are being cancelled up to 12 September. I am also concerned about the return, which is scheduled for 29 September – with the third day of the strike on 27 September.

Next, a just-in-case question for myself. I am flying to Amman in Jordan in October from Manchester via Heathrow. Should the BA flight get delayed or cancelled, what would my rights be? Could I go direct to Heathrow and pick up our flight from there to Jordan? It is a tour so cannot miss the start of it!

Joyce I

A The first two-day British Airways pilots’ strike on 9 and 10 September is likely to lead to the cancellation of the vast majority of BA flights on those two days – with many others affected on 8 and 11 September, and possible repercussions until 12 September. I am assured by British Airways there will be no strike-related cancellations outside these dates, so there should be no disruption outbound.

There is a small chance of cancellation on 29 September. Were this to happen, fortunately there are plenty of options on American Airlines. While British Airways has refused in many cases to comply with the European air passengers’ rights rules by rebooking passengers on alternative flights, it has been prepared to rebook passengers on the US carriers.

Regarding your Jordanian trip: if the Manchester flight is delayed or cancelled, then between them British Airways and your holiday company should find an alternative routing, which could be on Air France, KLM or Lufthansa via one of their hubs. Unilaterally taking a train to London may cause more problems than it solves.

Without wishing to sound harsh, I’m intrigued that you would introduce a degree of complexity to your trip; there is an added risk of disruption, a transfer between terminals at Heathrow is not the ideal way to begin an adventure. However, I hope and believe the trip will go well.

open image in gallery

Q We are returning from Ljubljana to the UK tonight on the final British Airways flight of the season. It is due to arrive at Heathrow Terminal 5 at 11.20pm. Should it be delayed by an hour or more, causing us to miss the coach to Oxford, is BA required to offer us a hotel room? Do they have to organise it? What would happen if we went to the airport Sofitel to get a room for the night?

Name withheld

A Were your flight from the Slovenian capital unfortunately cancelled or delayed overnight while you were in that lovely city, there would be no question: British Airways would be responsible for booking a hotel for you, and providing transport between your accommodation and the airport. But problems after arrival are not protected in the same way by the European air passengers’ rights rules. Airlines generally aim to disclaim any responsibility for “consequential losses” as a result of disruption.

My reading of the Montreal Convention, which governs international aviation, is that in some circumstances you can claim verifiable costs if the airline messes up and you are delayed. In the past I have successfully claimed for lost work and other expenses by writing politely to the airlines concerned. But the price of a room at the excellent Sofitel adjoining Terminal 5 tonight is £208. Even though you would be able to demonstrate you have spent that amount as a result of missing the bus, British Airways could – reasonably, I believe – say that an hour’s delay should not require the carrier to pay out more than you paid for the airfare.

If I may say so, BA could alternatively reject a claim on the grounds that you were cutting it too fine. At this time of year, on one of the busiest days of the summer for European aviation, an hour’s delay is neither here nor there. I think your travel insurer would probably take the same view, were you to try to claim on your policy.

The only obvious consumer protection is that if the delay in arrival is three hours or more, and BA is responsible, then the airline would owe you €250 (£230) – which you could spend on the Sofitel. But there are many cheaper hotels in the Heathrow area, and you certainly don’t need to catch the Hotel Hoppa with its £5.50 fare; ordinary red buses in the airport area are free.

open image in gallery

Q My husband and I would love to travel to Abu Dhabi for the Formula One grand prix. We are both avid motor sport fans. But I don’t know where to start. Is it better to book a holiday through a travel agent? Or book the flights, tickets, accommodation, etc separately as I’ve been told it is often cheaper? We are complete novices at this. As it will be an expensive major event in our lives, your advice would be fantastic.

Carol S

A The Abu Dhabi grand prix, the final race on the 2019 Formula One calendar, takes place on 1 December. The circuit on Yas Island is a spectacular course; I happen to know this because once or twice a week you can cycle around it, free of charge. Furthermore, there is plenty of accommodation and lots of flights, particularly if you are prepared to tolerate the 90-minute bus journey to and from Dubai, which has a vast range of arrivals and departures. You should certainly use a specialist travel agent. It might cost slightly more than assembling the elements on your own, but equally it might be cheaper.

DIY travel comes with many risks. For example, if flight disruption were to cause you to miss this highly time-sensitive trip, you might find you get no refund on the hotel and race tickets. Alternatively, the accommodation provider might abruptly decide to cancel your reservation at short notice; you would be entitled to a refund but be stuck without somewhere to stay.

In contrast, booking a package holiday from a tour operator confers responsibility on to the firm. It will also bring you benefits, ranging from professional care to legal recourse, if something goes awry. I suggest you compare deals and offers from a few of these specialists, including Gullivers Sports Travel, Motor Sports Travel and Thomas Cook Sport. If you know other people in the motor sport world who travel to Formula One locations, they may be able to give different recommendations.

Email your question to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder