On Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21^st of November, British Airways announced it was struggling with technical issues. A large number of flights were delayed and cancelled, many frustrated passengers were left to accept several hours of travel disruption.

Why were British Airways flights delayed or cancelled?

On Twitter, British Airways announced that it was tackling technical issues to their system. A representative from the airline claimed that there was a problem with the carrier’s system for flight schedules. The IT-related mishap affected many passengers and even left some stranded in far-away destinations, forcing them to stay abroad overnight.

Which British Airways flights were delayed?

British Airways technical issues

Flights originating in the US, Japan and India were delayed. Of which, several had a delay of about 3 hours when comparing the arrival time to what was stipulated in the original itinerary. This means that hundreds of affected passengers may be entitled to compensation under EU regulations.

According to British Airways, the flight that was affected the most was a scheduled service from Pittsburgh to London Heathrow. Flight BA170 was delayed for more than 12 hours.

Passenger reaction to the technical issues that beleaguered British Airways

Many passengers were left dissatisfied. Some took it to Twitter to voice their frustrations:

Stuck at #OrlandoAirport. Seems to have been a catastrophic failure of @British_Airways IT system. Already 2.5 hours late. Wonder when crew hours are up? Wonder when I’ll get home?
— Monica Grady (@MonicaGrady) November 21, 2019

@British_Airways sitting on a plane in SJC after boarding everyone and we can’t takeoff because the entire flight planning system is down!! Should tell us that before boarding everyone!
— Ash Ahuja (@ashwiniahuja) November 21, 2019

My flight was affected by the technical issues: am I entitled to compensation?

If your flight was disrupted by the technical issue that affected British Airways’ flights, then you might be entitled to compensation. These are the conditions that must be met for a passenger to be entitled to receive compensation from British Airways:

Route of the flight: You are entitled to claim compensation if your flight originates in the EU or if it originates outside the EU but you’re flying with an EU carrier, such as British Airways.
The circumstances surrounding your flight disruption: In order to be eligible for compensation, your disruption must not be a result of an extraordinary circumstance.
Deadline for claiming compensation: In the UK and Ireland you are able to claim compensation for up to 6 years after your flight disruption.
The total delay you have experienced: Generally speaking, your flight must have had a delay of more than 3 hours in order to be able to qualify for compensation. If it was cancelled, then you must have arrived at your final destination 2 hours later than scheduled.

How much compensation can I claim for a British Airways delayed or cancelled flight due to a technical issue?

The amount you may receive in compensation is set by Regulation EC 261/2004 and is defined by the flight’s distance between the departure and arrival airports. In case you have booked connecting flights, these will also count as a factor when determining the amount you may receive in compensation. In effect, the distance between your departure airport and your final destination will determine the sum you may receive.

Connecting flights are only covered by the regulations if they were booked under the same booking reference, that means the same ticket or itinerary.

For all flights covering a distance of up to 1,500 kilometres, you will receive up to £220
For all flights covering a distance between 1,500 kilometres and 3,500 kilometres, you will receive up to £350
For flights covering a distance greater than 3,500 kilometres, you are entitled to up to £530.00

Please remember that if your flight travelled a distance greater than 3,500 kilometres and it was delayed more than 3 hours but fewer than 4, then the total amount of compensation is reduced by 50%. The regulation defines the total amounts in euros and they are €250, €400 and €600 so the total amount in British Pounds may vary according to exchange rates.

What you will need to claim compensation for your disrupted British Airways flight

These are our most relevant recommendations and things to keep in mind when your British Airways flight has been disrupted:

Keep a copy of your travel documents

Flight documents (boarding pass, booking confirmation, e-ticket, delay statement, etc.)
Receipts for additional costs (e.g. taxi, food and accommodation)

Remember and record the information of your disrupted British Airways flight

Flight number
The flight schedule (arrival & departure hours)
Length of the delay (final departure and arrival time)

Find out the reason for the flight’s delay or cancellation

Ask British Airways' staff and crew
Check the weather
Check if other flights are delayed or cancelled (arriving at or departing from the same airport)

Finally, check your flight and ensure that the airline is not rejecting your claim unjustifiably. Furthermore, you can also choose for a professional service to take care of the whole ordeal. Airlines, more often than not, reject perfectly valid claims. Here at Flight-Delayed, we ensure that passengers receive the compensation they are entitled to, even if we have to go to court for it. All under our no win, no fee basis, which means that you pay only 25% of the total amount of compensation claimed, legal fees included. Take action and exercise your rights!

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British Airways: Flight delays and cancellations due to technical issue