British Arseways

On Friday, I went to the BA enquiries desk at Newcastle airport to pick up tickets for my flight to Libya Monday coming.

“Sorry, your name is not in our database.”

So I went home, got my mum to telephone BA Enquiries, and they said that because I did not show up for a flight on 21st March, the 2nd April ticket has been cancelled. This was because the ticket was an “iternary” ticket, which if one part is not used, then the rest is cancelled. It was explained to BA that the 2nd April booking was only made after it was decided 21st March was too early – in effect, a re-booking. BA insists the third-party travel agency did not make it clear to cancel the 21st March flight, and that it was their fault, and they should book a new ticket.

So I contacted Tripoli offices (work) who promises to sort it out. On Sunday, I get an email from Tripoli that they contacted the agency and that it is all sorted out now and ask me to confirm my seats on telephone to BA Enquiries.

That Sunday morning, BA confirmed that my name was on the flight to Tripoli.

I went to Newcastle airport, and noticed the BA Enquiries desk is now closed and moved to Swissport desk. There, the lad said that they do not hold any tickets for me, and cannot issue any for me for my flights tomorrow, despite confirming a reservation hours earlier on the phone to BA enquiries.

Got home that afternoon, and mum rang BA again. They said they have now been instructed not to release tickets to me because of my no-show on 21st March.

Back to square one.

I asked them about my unused return ticket from February, and BA Enquiries say that it could be revalidated as it is within 3-months of the first flight in January but only the local (Newcastle) airport can do that and they can’t contact the BA desk.

Contacting them again, they realised the BA desk is shut and its now Swissport. They said just to turn up tomorrow morning and ask the check-in staff to revalidate my tickets, but it is up to them whether to do it or not. I think it’s unlikely that they will be able to do it, as its the first Monday morning flight to London, a very busy flight, and they admitted there’s not much chance of getting it re-validated.

Thanks British Arseways, sorry, Airways, for being flexible.