August 25, 2019, should have been a happy day for British Airways, for it marks the 100th anniversary of what it likes to describe as “the world’s favourite airline” — instead of being in an “epic mess” with an impending pilots’ strike, thousands of passengers left stranded by cancelled flights and, perhaps worst of all, countless people receiving an email telling them their flights had been cancelled when they had not.
It is not a good time for many Indian passengers (the “Coopers”, in reality the Kapoors) who make a point of never flying Air India to show how English they are.
It should have been all so different with British Airways recalling its glory days by painting a number of aircraft in the livery of the old BOAC (British Airways Overseas Corporation) — indeed, the neon-lit BOAC sign was once part of the Calcutta skyline.
British Airways had issued a photograph of a 747 in BOAC livery and another flying with the Red Arrows and the young Queen coming down a BOAC Stratocruiser during her first Commonwealth tour after her coronation in 1953.
There also exist evocative ads urging the adventurous to fly to romantic India by BOAC — from New York the journey could be done in as little as three days. BOAC, which operated from 1946 to 1960, gave way to British Airways in 1974 and was privatised in 1979.
Alex Cruz, British Airways’ chairman and CEO, had proudly announced: “We have had a fabulous year so far marking our centenary and thanking our customers for making us the airline we are today — we wouldn’t be here without their pioneering spirits and sense of adventure.
“From that first customer who flew from Hounslow Heath to Paris on 25 August 1919 in a single-engine De Havilland DH4A to the millions who choose to fly with us every year on more than 800 flights a day to 200 destinations around the globe — we thank them all. Our customers truly enable us to bring Britain to the world and the world to Britain and we look forward to serving them for the next 100 years.”
If only….Fast forward to August 25, 2019, when BA passengers are in anything but a grateful mood.
BA pilots have announced they will go on strike on September 9, 10 and 27 after rejecting an 11.5 per cent pay rise across three years. Thousands of passengers on flights which will be grounded have tried in vain to contact the airline to make alternative arrangements. The pilots’ union has warned there could be further strikes on other days.
Scott Kishere, a filmmaker, expressed his frustration: “My wife and I have been told that our flight to Toronto has been cancelled. This was a full package we booked through BA for our 10-year wedding anniversary. I have made over 100 attempts to contact them for a refund and they’re not answering. Until we get a refund we do not have the money to rebook our trip of a lifetime.”
Then there is the confusion about the email from BA telling passengers their flights had been cancelled, following by an apologetic email saying their flights had, after all, not been cancelled.
Those who had rebooked at considerable expense now found they were unable to rebook back to their original flights.
One woman, Josie Simpson, told the BBC she called the airline 67 times to try to rebook a family holiday to Florida.
In response to one passenger, a BA representative said: “We’re extremely sorry that you’re having difficulties trying to rearrange your flights. Our teams have been working tirelessly to help as many of our customers as possible, in these unprecedented circumstances.”
Ellie Kormis, from Surrey, spent the whole of Saturday trying to speak to BA after being told one of her flights for her family’s package holiday to Greece was cancelled.
She said they ended up booking new flights – which extended their holiday by three days – and extra accommodation, costing more than £2,000.
“You’re left in a situation where you can’t speak to anyone - and you fear you'll either lose your holiday or be left out of pocket,” she said.
BA then contacted her by email to say her flight wasn’t cancelled after all.
She described the confusion as “an epic mess”.
