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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/aug/07/british-airways-it-glitch-causes-disruption-for-passengers-delays

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Passenger anger as tens of thousands hit by BA systems failure Passenger anger as tens of thousands hit by BA systems failure
(2 months later)
British Airways was facing passenger anger on Wednesday as more than 500 flights were cancelled or delayed as a result of a systems failure.British Airways was facing passenger anger on Wednesday as more than 500 flights were cancelled or delayed as a result of a systems failure.
In the latest in a series of operational problems to hit the airline, and the travel plans of tens of thousands with holiday and business plans, London’s Heathrow, Gatwick and City were the airports most affected by the computer failure. BA refused to reveal the number of flights affected but according to Flightstats.com, which tracks arrivals and departures, by 5.30pm the airline had cancelled 140 flights and a further 370 had been delayed.In the latest in a series of operational problems to hit the airline, and the travel plans of tens of thousands with holiday and business plans, London’s Heathrow, Gatwick and City were the airports most affected by the computer failure. BA refused to reveal the number of flights affected but according to Flightstats.com, which tracks arrivals and departures, by 5.30pm the airline had cancelled 140 flights and a further 370 had been delayed.
BA said its latest systems failures affected only the London airports, but the disruption had knock-on effects elsewhere, including at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast and in many European destinations when incoming flights failed to arrive.BA said its latest systems failures affected only the London airports, but the disruption had knock-on effects elsewhere, including at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast and in many European destinations when incoming flights failed to arrive.
Customers experienced difficulties checking in online, and queues formed in airport departure areas as the airline moved to manual systems to keep flights operating.Customers experienced difficulties checking in online, and queues formed in airport departure areas as the airline moved to manual systems to keep flights operating.
Some social media users reported that, on flights that did take off, the food and drink service was affected.Some social media users reported that, on flights that did take off, the food and drink service was affected.
Air travel experts said BA may be liable to pay compensation to affected passengers, on top of refunding them the ticket price. Under EU law, some passengers whose flights are cancelled or delayed by two hours or more can be given compensation.Air travel experts said BA may be liable to pay compensation to affected passengers, on top of refunding them the ticket price. Under EU law, some passengers whose flights are cancelled or delayed by two hours or more can be given compensation.
The airline said it was offering customers the chance to move bookings to another travel day between 8 and 13 August.The airline said it was offering customers the chance to move bookings to another travel day between 8 and 13 August.
When an airline starts cancelling or delaying flights for more than three hours, passengers are entitled to compensation of €250-€600 (£230-£550) under European Union (EU) rules. My flight to Europe is cancelled. All I’m being offered is an alternative flight or vouchers. Is this legal?
These rules apply if your flight left from the UK, the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland, or  was with a European airline and landed in the UK, the EU, Norway or Switzerland, no matter where you were flying from. No. But that hasn’t stopped a number of airlines doing exactly that. All flights on EU carriers within, or into the EU, and all flights leaving from an EU airport, are protected by the EU’s “denied boarding” rules, which require a full refund in seven days when flights are cancelled.
The cause of the problem has to be under the airline’s control and not an ‘extraordinary circumstance’. Lack of planes/staff, flight overbooking, a strike by airline staff or an IT failure are all considered to be within the airline’s control – so compensation is payable. The problem for consumers is that enforcing these rights is proving very difficult. After initially promising to refund passengers within 20 working days, Ryanair has now said passengers should accept vouchers valid for 12 months, or wait until the Covid-19 pandemic is over for a refund.
Passengers on cancelled short-haul flights – up to 1,500km – are entitled to €250 or £230. For flights of 1,500km-3,500km, passengers are entitled to €400, and €600 for the longest flights (more than 3,500km). Refunds at British Airways are only being processed by customer services which, of course, is impossible to contact. easyJet, initially only offered refunds through customer services but now has a web portal to request refunds.
Compensation is also payable if the plane is delayed. The payments are the same but only kick in when the plane has been delayed three hours for short flights or four hours for the longer trips. The delay is calculated against the time the plane was due to arrive. Note: the EU cancellation rules do not apply to non-EU carriers where the flight started outside the EU – for example, a Korean Air flight from Seoul to London.
Passengers are also entitled to ‘assistance’ under the EU rules. Short-haul passengers should receive food and water after two hours. Mid-distance passengers get help after three hours, while long-haul passengers receive it after they have been held in the terminal for four hours. If the delay is overnight, passengers should be provided with hotel accommodation but this often does not happen. This assistance should be provided irrespective of whether the delay is the airline’s fault. In the face of a no-refund policy, what should I do?
The airlines have fought these compensation rules since they were introduced and passengers have had to go to court to get their money. The airlines frequently blame delays on events outside their control. Freak weather events or a last-minute strike by air traffic controllers are deemed to be outside their control. A lack of planes or staff is not. Taking the offer of replacement vouchers in the current climate is highly risky given the airline may not be around in six months. While some will be happy to accept vouchers, many will not. 
What will happen to the scheme for UK travellers after Brexit is not yet clear. Miles Brignall Coby Benson of the specialist flight compensation lawyers, Bott and Co, advises passengers to submit their refund request in writing, using the following text:
I understand that my flight [fight number] on [flight date] has been cancelled and I therefore request a full refund pursuant to articles 5(1)(a) and 8(1)(a) of EC Regulation No.261/2004. You are reminded that the refund must be made within seven days. For the avoidance of doubt, I do not accept a travel voucher.
If the airline does not respond or does not agree then the passenger can either issue court proceedings or use Alternative Dispute Resolution.
If your flight cost more than £100 and was booked using a credit card, you can hold the card provider jointly liable. When things calm down we suspect many passengers will be forced down this route. 
My flight operated as scheduled but I was unable to go on it. What then?
The fact that the government advised against all but essential travel means travel insurance policies should pay foreign trip cancellation claims provided you bought your policy before the pandemic was declared on 11 March. 
Miles Brignall
About half of the BA flights scheduled to depart from Heathrow’s Terminal 5 between 9.30am and midday were cancelled or delayed, according to the airport’s website.About half of the BA flights scheduled to depart from Heathrow’s Terminal 5 between 9.30am and midday were cancelled or delayed, according to the airport’s website.
It was not until 4pm that BA said it had resolved its computer problems. In a statement, the airline said: “We apologise to all our customers caught up in the disruption, and appreciate how frustrating their experience has been. Our teams have been working tirelessly to get the vast majority of customers on their way, with most of our flights departing.”It was not until 4pm that BA said it had resolved its computer problems. In a statement, the airline said: “We apologise to all our customers caught up in the disruption, and appreciate how frustrating their experience has been. Our teams have been working tirelessly to get the vast majority of customers on their way, with most of our flights departing.”
It added: “Our flights are returning to normal. However, there may be some knock-on operational disruption.” The airline was still advising passengers to check for flight information on its website before travelling to the airport.It added: “Our flights are returning to normal. However, there may be some knock-on operational disruption.” The airline was still advising passengers to check for flight information on its website before travelling to the airport.
⁦@British_Airways⁩ ⁦@BBCNews⁩ - here we go again! Chaos! This is only half of one queue! My flight cancelled as are 100’s of others. I had checked-in so need my bag back - others told as checked-in can’t leave T5 without checking out! Happy 100th anniversary #BA pic.twitter.com/xr0DRUieQh⁦@British_Airways⁩ ⁦@BBCNews⁩ - here we go again! Chaos! This is only half of one queue! My flight cancelled as are 100’s of others. I had checked-in so need my bag back - others told as checked-in can’t leave T5 without checking out! Happy 100th anniversary #BA pic.twitter.com/xr0DRUieQh
The computer failure is the latest in a series of operational problems to hit the airline in the busy holiday season.The computer failure is the latest in a series of operational problems to hit the airline in the busy holiday season.
Earlier this week, BA flights were among a total of 177 flights cancelled and then reinstated because of threatened industrial action by Heathrow staff.Earlier this week, BA flights were among a total of 177 flights cancelled and then reinstated because of threatened industrial action by Heathrow staff.
The strikes, originally due to be begin at midnight on Monday, were suspended to allow for further talks between union and airport officials.The strikes, originally due to be begin at midnight on Monday, were suspended to allow for further talks between union and airport officials.
BA also faces separate strike action from its pilots later this month. In a ballot of the pilots’ union Balpa, 93% of the airline’s 4,000 pilots voted in favour of taking industrial action after rejecting a three-year pay deal. BA lost a legal challenge to the strikes, which are expected to cost the airline £40m a day.BA also faces separate strike action from its pilots later this month. In a ballot of the pilots’ union Balpa, 93% of the airline’s 4,000 pilots voted in favour of taking industrial action after rejecting a three-year pay deal. BA lost a legal challenge to the strikes, which are expected to cost the airline £40m a day.
If BA pilots go ahead with strikes, the likely disruption could coincide with five days of walkouts announced late on Wednesday by Ryanair pilots who are members of the Balpa union.If BA pilots go ahead with strikes, the likely disruption could coincide with five days of walkouts announced late on Wednesday by Ryanair pilots who are members of the Balpa union.
Balpa said that “decades of Ryanair refusing to deal with unions” had led to members voting for a 48-hour strike beginning on 22 August and a 72-hour strike from 2 September.Balpa said that “decades of Ryanair refusing to deal with unions” had led to members voting for a 48-hour strike beginning on 22 August and a 72-hour strike from 2 September.
“No pilot wants to spoil the public’s travel plans but at the moment it seems we have no choice,” said Balpa’s general secretary, Brian Strutton.“No pilot wants to spoil the public’s travel plans but at the moment it seems we have no choice,” said Balpa’s general secretary, Brian Strutton.
A third strike action, by Heathrow ground staff, could still go ahead on 22 and 23 August unless talks result in a compromise.A third strike action, by Heathrow ground staff, could still go ahead on 22 and 23 August unless talks result in a compromise.
BA had other problems this week after 200 people had to be evacuated from a British Airways flight after smoke poured into the cabin minutes before it was due to land in Valencia. The crew used oxygen masks as they helped passengers on to the evacuation chutes.BA had other problems this week after 200 people had to be evacuated from a British Airways flight after smoke poured into the cabin minutes before it was due to land in Valencia. The crew used oxygen masks as they helped passengers on to the evacuation chutes.
Flights cancelled by @British_Airways - chaos here at @HeathrowAirportFlights cancelled by @British_Airways - chaos here at @HeathrowAirport
BA has previously been hit by severe computer system failures that have left passengers stranded around the world.BA has previously been hit by severe computer system failures that have left passengers stranded around the world.
In 2017, over a May bank holiday weekend, 75,000 passengers were stranded when the airline was forced to cancel more than 700 flights over three days.In 2017, over a May bank holiday weekend, 75,000 passengers were stranded when the airline was forced to cancel more than 700 flights over three days.
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