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After British Airways sold more tickets than there were seats available on a plane to France, the airline chose to offload a couple in their eighties to solve the problem.
The decision to turn away the pair, both aged 82, was not made at some distant airport with little BA representation; it was taken at the airline’s main base, London Heathrow.
The couple have asked to remain anonymous. Their dismal journey began at lunchtime on Friday 27 September. They were booked on British Airways flight BA368 from Heathrow to Marseille, due to depart from Terminal 3 at 3.10pm.
One of them has a pacemaker “and stress has to be avoided at all costs”. The other said: “I am a little unsteady on my feet and I also have medical problems exacerbated by stress.”
Read more: Why do airlines overbook flights and what happens if you are offloaded?
She described their experience to The Independent: “Not being computer-savvy, we arrived at 1pm – over two hours before departure – to check in.
“We were then told there were no seats available. It was suggested we wait to see if anyone didn’t turn up. So we sat for 90 minutes waiting to see whether or not seats were available.
“At 2.30pm we were told, sorry, nothing they could do.”
British Airways offered them a choice of changing planes in Paris or Madrid, which would require them to change terminals at Heathrow as well as at a big hub airport on the continent.
The couple said both options were unacceptable because of the added stress and the late arrival time in Marseille – close to midnight, rather than touching down at 6pm as they would have done with the original booking.
“We were then offered a flight from Heathrow the next day and hotel accommodation for the night, which we accepted,” the couple said.
“Our holiday was therefore shortened to three days instead of four.”
Most airlines overbook flights, and it is a long-established and legal way for them to earn more revenue and operate flights with fewer empty seats. It can also benefit passengers who are able to book seats on apparently full flights.
But strict rules apply to the practice. Before choosing passengers to offload against their will, airlines must ask for volunteers – offering incentives for them to give up their seats and travel later.
The Independent understands it is BA’s usual policy to seek volunteers.
If no one comes forward, the carrier can select travellers to turn away, but must inform them of their right to cash compensation.
But the couple said: “No mention whatsoever was made of compensation, and we certainly haven’t received any money – only the overnight accommodation and a voucher for coffees after our afternoon wait and before travelling to the hotel.”
UK and European regulations state: “Operating air carriers shall give priority to carrying persons with reduced mobility.”
The Independent asked British Airways:
- What was the process whereby BA decided to offload the couple rather than younger, healthier passengers?
- What efforts were made to seek volunteers to travel on a later flight?
- Why were they not immediately offered compensation?
The airline was also asked about the best way to avoid being involuntarily denied boarding.
A spokesperson for British Airways said: “We’re really sorry to hear about our customers’ experience and are disappointed that we’ve not met their expectations. We’re looking into this matter and will be in touch with them to put things right.”
The couple said: “We feel we were penalised for not being aware of BA’s unpublicised policy of overselling seats, and the fact that even when seats are bought and paid for, they may be given to others.
“We chose British Airways over a low-cost airline, considering them to be a premium airline – how wrong we were.”
