How To Check Exact Departure Times?
 

I flew BA last week (Saturday 21st July) and suffered a tech-related delay of well over 6 hours. I intend to contact them formally about it and would like to be precise in my reporting of the delay (even though they must know it themselves). Is there anywhere I can find out the actual departure time of BA0177 from LHR (and arrival time at JFK)?

BA themselves aren't interested, as they tell me over the phone that I'm not entitled to any compensation, but that's another story . . . .

Have a look here. FlightAware > British Airways (BA) #177 Flight Tracker

Don't know how accurate it is.

Have you tried FlightAware?

I know this won't help you in this case, but the distribution systems (GDS) have live flight information going 3 days back. That information is easily accessible and in the public domain. Further back, you may have some difficulty in getting reliable information.

lhr jul 2012

Might be able to help once they catch up to July 21st.

Delayed Flight Departure Time
 

Thanks to everyone for their constructive inputs. As it happens, the advice from Dogwatch 55 hit the spot exactly - the departure time on FlightAware is shown as 1920 BST, or 6+ hours late, which matches my recollection pretty closely. (As an aside, I'm still not clear as to how 'departure' time is officially defined - is it doors closed, engine start, push back, take off, or something else?).

Now all I need is a way of persuading BA to comply with the EU regulations about compensation - their response so far has been to say that I'm not entitled to any because the flight was not actually cancelled. Seems like a grey area.

Hi Yellow Sun,
For the purpose of claiming compensation, it's the arrival time that matters AFAIK, not the departure time. Looks like you arrived roughly 7 hours late.
From my rudimentary understanding of the relevant regulation it seems you're eligible. If BA still refuses to play ball, there are plenty of BA crew / staff on this site (I'm neither).
I may get flamed mercilessly for saying this :} but many BA employees, especially pilots, are often happy to help pax where they seem to have been short-changed - it doesn't take them much time, BA keeps a customer, management are happy, etc.
If you get nowhere, feel free to send me a PM. Good luck!

Thanks for the inputs
 

I want to go on record as saying how much I appreciate the contributions I have received. This is surely the way PPrune is supposed to work!

A sad contrast with my experience on the Pax & SLF forum, where I posted a request for advice about pursuing a claim. No advice - instead I have been 'trolled' furiously by people who:

a. Based on false assumptions about what actually happened, don't think there should be an entitlement to compensation
b. Even if there is, think that the legislation should not exist
c. Even if it does, think I am wrong to want to use it
c. Hope that I don't get any money if I do claim
d. Hope that I choke on any money I get!

It's actually quite an entertaining read, if only to show how some people can lose it, big time. Although I didn't enjoy the implications that I am a liar, the most hurtful part of the whole thing was to be told I am probably a banker. Now that's the kind of insult that goes deep. But on the positive side, the trolls have had a lot of fun without doing any real harm except to their own blood pressure.

Well Bon Chance with it all :ok: