Contacting BA Customers Services

[anxiao]

Does anyone have a workable email for BA customer service? The one at <[email protected]> that they write to me on sends back a no reply message.

Most obliged if you could share

[Dan Dare]

Please, if you do find out let us all know. I can’t book with them any more until they resolve a long-standing issue and I have yet to find a way to communicate with them. So far tried their website (which they recommend anyway); the various unmanned phone lines (one actually did have a person, who said that they couldn’t deal and that the people I needed were uncontactable working from home, but maybe I could e-mai - see next); E-mail ([email protected]) was unanswered; Twitter unresponded; CAA don’t seem the way to go as BA already agreed liability; court seem a sledge hammer to crack a nut.

[Asturias56]

They don't want to talk to you - they'd rather depend on the stupid surveys they try every 3 months about "brand - feel" rubbish

If you have an issue small claims court is cheap and get's their attention pretty damn fast

[anxiao]

It seems that big corporations like this are making themselves very difficult to find. The registered office of BA is a PO box in Harmondsworth to which couriers will not deliver. International registered mail is not operating. So if I want to tell them I am doing a Section 75 of the consumer credit act on them, it seems impossible to tell them.

If I have to use a Statutory Demand they are going to get a surprise when they wake up one morning in liquidation and the paperwork is sitting in a mail box somewhere !!!

[RJ100]

I did a search for head of customer relations at BA and came up with this. Scroll down to Executive Contacts.

https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/british-airways/

[DaveReidUK]

It seems that big corporations like this are making themselves very difficult to find. The registered office of BA is a PO box in Harmondsworth to which couriers will not deliver. International registered mail is not operating. So if I want to tell them I am doing a Section 75 of the consumer credit act on them, it seems impossible to tell them.

No large company could survive without the ability for DHL/UPS/Fedex/etc to find them.

While it's perfectly true that BA's registered office postcode UB7 0GB points to their PO Box in the Uxbridge sorting office (as Google Maps will confirm), "British Airways, Waterside, Harmondsworth, UB7 0GA" will find BA's physical address in the Royal Mail PAF and should be acceptable to a courier.

[SpringHeeledJack]

The airlines, like a good few other very large sectors of the corporate world are on the ropes to varying degrees. It would seem that in direct opposition to those customers whose money they have in their possession they are making it nigh on impossible for said customers to seek recourse, legal or otherwise. It is shameful in the extreme and I wonder if people's memories will be long enough to alter their choice of whom they do business with when the time comes to travel again.

Perhaps also when things settle it will be made law that companies will need a ring fenced system to be used in such breaks in service, so as to be able to function in a fashion and to return unused/unusable tickets at face value to their 'valued' customers.

[anxiao]

RJ100 and David, many thanks for these. Indeed DHL were happy with a post code but not a PO box, and I suspect Waterside is so big that it has its own couriers office.

I note that the Advocates web page has mostly contacts for the USA, indeed that is what you find with a plain web search. Perhaps America requires either legally or culturally to be able to get to a company, to serve papers or simply to speak to a customer service agent.

[Asturias56]

You should always be able to serve papers at the Company's Registered Address - as Dave said just send it to the office

[anxiao]

The trick I had to learn was that couriers like DHL do not deliver to a PO box number which is, believe it or not, allowed to be the registered address according to the Companies Register. When I deleted the PO box and just left the post code (zip code) DHL were happy with that. As David pointed out, the post code of BA in their registered address is actually the sorting office in Uxbridge, which I find to be an unusual place to have an airline HQ.

[PAXboy]

A lot of the ancilliary staff are at Uxbridge as the property is cheaper and they do not need ready access to airfield. I worked for a very large high street group who had an official office in central London but 99% of the folks were in Hertfordshire. Mainly because the Chairman lived in the West End ... :rolleyes:

[Asturias56]

"f BA in their registered address is actually the sorting office in Uxbridge, which I find to be an unusual place to have an airline HQ."

but it does explain a lot about some of the decisions they've taken over the past 10 years...............

[zed3]

We are booked at the end of July to fly from Manchester via Heathrow to Athens, with return twelve days later. I have just received a mail from BA saying that our Manchester to Heathrow flight is cancelled and that I can have a refund. This is in Club Europe. Does anyone know if I can cancel the whole trip and have a refund, or only the first leg? I am insured but it would be easier to cancel and start again avoiding any insurance conversation and paperwork. The mail hints that I can cancel the whole lot but is not really clear. Just wondered if anyone here has dealt with this problem beforehand. Otherwise I shall delve into the depths of the BA refund situation and report back.

[BKS Air Transport]

I'm in a similar position for flights in September. The email says that they will be in touch with me, and for the time being I'm prepared to wait to see if/when they do, rather than potentially sit around waiting on the phone. Assuming that your journey is on a single booking with one PNR, then I'm pretty certain that only one part needs to be cancelled for the whole reservation to become refundable...and that is what I will be doing.

[zed3]

BKS, that is my way of thinking. I am waiting for a week or so to see if they cancel the Heathrow to Athens leg also.

[BKS Air Transport]

Just to follow up my post #14 above...

I had not been proactive in trying to contact BA, but today I received an email from them apologising for large call volumes, and saying that I could expect a full refund to my payment card within 10 days, without any need for me to contact them. The original email said they would be in touch to discuss options, as I might have wished to use the international flights from London which are still operating, but this outcome suits me fine.

[Dave Gittins]

I wanted to book for the USA at Christmas and the first attempt failed a couple of days ago .

Computer said; "Something went wrong, we haven't charged your card, please call us on 0344 494 0787 to complete your booking".

Tried the number This number s not in service, please call 0800 727800. That of course is the "consolidated" number I tried for weeks to get my last refund that was never answered "we are experiencing an exception ..... "

Fortunately computer was successful at booking the tickets second time. The lengths I had to go to to pay them £4 K ish

You wouldn't run a whelk stall they way they run an airline.

[Asturias56]

they'll start repaying as new bookings build up - you've been financing their "float"

[Dave Gittins]

Not too heavily, they only wanted £350 and pay the rest in November. It's the same £350 I got back from my cancelled Alicante flights in April.

[zed3]

Re my #15 post. After several phone calls and being cut off after the usual 'sorry and we value your business and patience', I, in frustration went on the website and accepted vouchers. We shall be travelling to Athens anyway when this fiasco is over. I shall wait and see how the staff situation develops, as I don't agree with the way they are being treated. As BA card holders, we are also KLM cardholders, so things could change. A letter will also go to Alex Thingy and WW, not that this will help.
Frustrating, how can WE the paying and appreciative customers hit back at these aggressive and self serving, so called 'managers'?
Modern life, I suppose, but certainly a massive step backwards and not service in the old meaning. Someone surely has to see this and bring British Airways home to the UK. The fact that the HQ is in Madrid, with AGMs in Spanish, as I understand it, is disgusting. Harrumph.

[old,not bold]

.............
Frustrating, how can WE the paying and appreciative customers hit back at these aggressive and self serving, so called 'managers'? Simple; do not fly BA again unless and until;

1. It ceases to be foreign-owned and controlled.

2. It has demonstrated over a 12 month period that its customer service responds consistently within seconds to a call or email, and does so with an immediate, comprehensive, effective and customer-friendly resolution of the problem.

I'm well aware that there is no airline in the world that presently operates to those standards, and many a great deal worse. But as people start travelling again they will do so in many cases with bitter memories of their treatment, and this goes in spades for BA. If BA cannot get up to those standards it's time to remove the word British from their name, as being a marketing con. They should be forced to give up the majority of their slots at London's airports to be auctioned among carefully selected competitors, who must be UK-owned and managed. BA could continue operating as Spanish Airways, or indeed merged into Iberia, serving a largely Spanish customer base from Spain. Back in the UK, passengers will have a choice of airlines competing hard for their business using their newly acquired London slots.

I know; dream on. But I shudder every time I see the word "British" on an aircraft that's leased or owned and operated by IAG, especially now when it has sunk to the levels it has over the last 3 months with its appalling behaviour to the customers whose money it was - and still is - illegally refusing to hand back. And of course its service and standards have been going steadily downhill for years since its ownership moved away from the UK.

It gives me no pleasure to write in these terms; I started in this industry with BOAC's induction process at Heathrow, with a sense of excitement at being welcomed into an organisation that we could all be proud of. Dear God, how long ago that seems now when we observe the shattered remnants of our two national carriers, BOAC and BEA, racing to the bottom under the control of some financiers in Spain with a contempt for British law, and for that matter for EU law, because they regard themselves as above it.

[zed3]

With regard to my post above, applied for vouchers yesterday and they were in my email box last night. However there are two voucher codes attached to the old PNR but there is no indication as to their value so I cannot check whether I have been fully 'repaid'!
Not a clear situation at all, I suppose I should trust BA but I don't seeing how I cannot get a proper refund (L2,000) and also how the management is treating the staff.

[Hartington]

I had two bookings with BA. First was London/Madrid London over the first weekend in May. They cancelled the flights. The second was to Chicago and back September/October. We were coming back on the daylight flight operated by American but that got cancelled and they rebooked us on anovernight and, to be honest, I took advantage of that to cancel.

In both cases I needed a little perseverence to get through the phone system and, on the 2nd time, the operator explained to me they were/are all working at home but in both cases the money was back on my card in under two weeks.

[Kiltrash]

Again mixed result with BA. Our return flight to / from Orlando was officially cancelled on 10July and the flight costs were refunded in 6 days, £5200 however the separate seat booking costs claimed for on their web form and it will take 28 days for them to respond.. £328

Still they have bigger problems than me.

Thread Drift Ryanair to / from Milan in May 2020 they are doing EVERYTHING to get us to accept a voucher....

[RJ100]

I had a few bookings with BA. First was a flight and second a hotel only booking. Hotel closed due COVID so BA automatically refunded the money. I didn’t know until an email arrived from BA stating the refund. I then cancelled the flight and received a voucher. Third was another flight booking which BA cancelled the flight about two weeks after booking. Email told me to rebook or ask for voucher online, call CS for refund. Wanted a refund so tried to call. Could never get through and always cut off. So I email CS with booking details requesting refund. Refund received a week later.

[3wheels]

I can’t think why anyone would need to contact BA. They are at the top of my NoFly list and are staying there.

[SpringHeeledJack]

I took a long haul BA flight at the end of March to return to the UK with a return from whence I came last month. Not surprisingly the flight was cancelled by BA. The offered the usual voucher or, hidden in very small print after cycling through two further pages a phone number to get a cash refund. As I won't be able to travel for some time due to Covid, I chose the latter.

The flight cost £3,000 approx and I received back a 5th of the hypothetical half. No covering email to confirm the repayment, no explanation as to how this was achieved, nothing....I'm not best please at this result. What say the panel ?

[OC37]

Does anyone have a workable email for BA customer service? The one at <[email protected]> that they write to me on sends back a no reply message.

Most obliged if you could share

BA don't have Customer Services, they have Victim Support

[zed3]

OC37... how very true. We were booked BA Manchester to Athens via Heathrow at the end of July returning a couple of weeks later. First the Manchester Heathrow flight was cancelled and then the Heathrow Manchester also. We were informed that BA were not responsible for our costs of getting to and from Heathrow. We were also informed we could cancel. Several times after being cut off on the phone line when trying to cancel and hearing how 'BA values our custom and patience in these difficult times', I opted for vouchers. Within a couple of hours, two voucher numbers appeared via email attached to our PNR. However there is no way I can see or find out the value of these vouchers, I have clicked everywhere and am now very clicked off. This so-called airline is getting more and more like a scam in my opinion.

[OC37]

OC37... how very true. We were booked BA Manchester to Athens via Heathrow at the end of July returning a couple of weeks later. First the Manchester Heathrow flight was cancelled and then the Heathrow Manchester also. We were informed that BA were not responsible for our costs of getting to and from Heathrow. We were also informed we could cancel. Several times after being cut off on the phone line when trying to cancel and hearing how 'BA values our custom and patience in these difficult times', I opted for vouchers. Within a couple of hours, two voucher numbers appeared via email attached to our PNR. However there is no way I can see or find out the value of these vouchers, I have clicked everywhere and am now very clicked off. This so-called airline is getting more and more like a scam in my opinion.

Just one of my victim experiences ... Due lack of pax LUX/LGW they invol rerouted me with Luxair LUX/LHR, my suitcase arrived LHR absolutely trashed, held together by tape, Luxair had no representation in UK besides one guy who was a ghost, I had remained ticketed with BA and I tried and tried and tried to get some sense out of their Victim Support but all they would fob me off with was that I contact Luxair.

Since then I learned of Money Claim Online, just google for MCOL, if both claimant and defendant have an address within England & Wales then sue the b@stards thru the MCOL County Court.

[chrissw]

Slight thread drift, apologies:

We did LHR-LUX-LHR a couple of years ago and our suitcase was quite badly damaged. Fortunately we were able to effect some kind of repair ourselves though.

Is there some kind of problem with baggage handling at LUX? Anyone else had a bad experience?

[Quietplease]

Having wasted half a lifetime trying to talk to someone in BA to cancel a car rental in J,brg in October I came across this thread.
RJ100’s link gave me the diretor of customer service email and a pissed-off message to her produced a response from the system and a day later a promised refund on a non- refundable booking. Many thanks RJ100.

[OC37]

British Airways passengers 'stunned' over cash refunds stand-off (http://www.bbc.com/news/business-54059004)

[Alanwsg]

British Airways passengers 'stunned' over cash refunds stand-off (http://www.bbc.com/news/business-54059004)

That's what happened to me, I was looking around their website for a way to get a refund and suddenly it sent me a voucher.
No "Confirm / Cancel" option or anything.

AND my voucher says it's valid for 12 months from the original booking, I see the BBC story says BA are claiming they're valid until April 2022.

[OC37]

That's what happened to me, I was looking around their website for a way to get a refund and suddenly it sent me a voucher.
No "Confirm / Cancel" option or anything.

AND my voucher says it's valid for 12 months from the original booking, I see the BBC story says BA are claiming they're valid until April 2022.

Welcome to the World's Favourite Airline, remind the missus to include them on your christmas card list :)

[Kiltrash]

Well in our case when BA officially cancelled the return flight, They, wrote to us saying a Refund was in progress and lo and behold the refund came through within 6 days. Well done BA, no offer. of vouchers.

In the case of the seat reservations, filled in the online form, that was a mission, however the refund came through within 10 days when they originally said it could take up to 30 days.

Double well done BA.

[OC37]

British Airways accused of snubbing refund request (http://www.bbc.com/news/business-54160376)

[Alanwsg]

British Airways and easyJet are refusing to adhere to EU guidance and refund passengers who were issued vouchers when their flights were cancelled due to the pandemic.

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/11/british-airways-and-easyjet-ignore-eu-guidance-on-voucher-refunds

[wub]

I had an Avios/ companion voucher booking for January. It was cancelled this morning so I phoned and waited 45 minutes for an answer. The girl was working from home but was very efficient and before the end of the call, the Avios and voucher were back in my account. She told me it is taking 7-14 days for the cash to hit card accounts.

[TimGriff6]

wub, thanks for that snippet. I have an Avios companion booking for the end of January and have been waiting with bated breath to see what will happen. At present, without the lockdown, my destination is still open and BA are starting flights there again in December but I had a problem with the outbound flight being cancelled a while back and it took forever to sort out an alternative. They sent me a change of flight which indicated a 10 minute schedule change on the return flight but didn't mention that the outbound was cancelled. The penny dropped when I went into the booking a few days later. When I called, they refused to put the Avios and the voucher back on my account and I ended up having to shift the outbound by 4 days to get it rebooked. Two questions. Which number did you call and what validity is there on the voucher?

[wub]

wub, thanks for that snippet. I have an Avios companion booking for the end of January and have been waiting with bated breath to see what will happen. At present, without the lockdown, my destination is still open and BA are starting flights there again in December but I had a problem with the outbound flight being cancelled a while back and it took forever to sort out an alternative. They sent me a change of flight which indicated a 10 minute schedule change on the return flight but didn't mention that the outbound was cancelled. The penny dropped when I went into the booking a few days later. When I called, they refused to put the Avios and the voucher back on my account and I ended up having to shift the outbound by 4 days to get it rebooked. Two questions. Which number did you call and what validity is there on the voucher?

I called 0800 727 800. When they cancelled my trip they rebooked me for the following day and returning a day later too but I had flight connections and hotels booked, so I told them it was unacceptable. I don't really know why they rebooked me, as the flight was to Malaysia, which is closed to visitors anyway. My companion voucher has been extended from the end of January 2021 to July 2021, so six months.

[TimGriff6]

I called 0800 727 800. When they cancelled my trip they rebooked me for the following day and returning a day later too but I had flight connections and hotels booked, so I told them it was unacceptable. I don't really know why they rebooked me, as the flight was to Malaysia, which is closed to visitors anyway. My companion voucher has been extended from the end of January 2021 to July 2021, so six months.
Thanks again, that is really helpful. It gives me a bit more reassurance about my trip. I'm now keeping fingers crossed that we don't get caught by the Government saying no travel and BA saying that the flight is going anyway!!

[wub]

Just to round off my tale, My trip was cancelled on Saturday and the cash is back in my card account on Monday morning.