Around 75,000 people were affected when BA suffered a massive IT failure last weekend. BA is refusing to automatically compensate those whose holidays were ruined. We don’t think this is acceptable. Do you?
Updated: 7 June 2017 – We launch the Upgrade Airline Compensation campaign
Today we’re launching our Upgrade Airline Compensation campaign.
In the wake of BA’s bank holiday blunder that left 75,000 stranded at Heathrow and Gatwick, we wanted to challenge airlines to introduce automatic compensation so no passenger is left out of pocket.
Please sign and share and together we’ll persuade all airlines to make compensation automatic.
Original Story: 3 June 2017
One week on and the catastrophic meltdown of British Airways’ IT system is still being felt. Affected passengers are now subjected to the frustration of trying to claim for the compensation they are owed.
As holidaymakers start to head home from their half-term breaks, it has become clear BA isn’t doing all it could do to make it easier for people to claim compensation.
We don’t believe BA is doing all it could, and should, to aid those passengers who have been inconvenienced; suffering the stress and financial hardship of rearranging their holidays or cancelling their trip entirely.
Unsatisfactory approach
Only yesterday, BA was forced by the insurance industry to row back from advising consumers to claim via their travel insurance.
We’ve written to BA’s chief executive, and taken the rare step of doing so publicly. We believe it is time for airlines to automatically compensate passengers when they are affected like those who attempted to fly BA were.
You can read our open letter to BA in full in our news story.
Is airline compensation due an upgrade?
BA is opting to do the bare minimum when compensating passengers for its failure. The airline could reduce the burden for passengers and give them what they are legally entitled to without waiting for them to claim – after all, BA has their details already.
Should BA offer automatic compensation for delayed and cancelled flights?
Yes (97%, 6,015 Votes)
No (3%, 156 Votes)
Don't know (1%, 56 Votes)
Total Voters: 6,227

It’s not just BA that need to do this though, all airlines should follow suit. It’s time for airline compensation to be upgraded.
Were you one of the 75,000 people affected by the BA fiasco? Share your story with us.
Do you think BA should be automatically paying out what customers are legally entitled to in compensation?