Dear Sir,

I am writing to advise you about an incident with British Airways that exemplifies the dreadful service this airline gives to Bermuda and request that you seriously consider trying to find another airline that would give direct service to London/Europe.

On April 27, 2016, my flight home to Bermuda was cancelled. Long story short, BA declined my request for compensation and I received the following response:

“Your claim’s been refused because BA2233 on 27 April was cancelled because of aircraft damage which wasn’t caused by us and prevented the aircraft operating as scheduled. Under EU legislation, I’m afraid we’re not liable for a compensation payment in this situation”.

In the article of the European Union regulations that BA was referring to, EC 261 states that air passengers must be financially compensated if their flight is cancelled or overbooked — unless the cancellation is because of extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline’s control. I requested that BA prove to me that this flight was cancelled because of extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline’s control or, as BA stated, to damage not caused by British Airways.

I have continued to ask for proof. I have received a couple of e-mails with condescending platitudes, but denying my request for compensation and ignoring my request for proof that this flight was cancelled because of extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline’s control or, as BA stated, to damage not caused by British Airways. I continued to ask for proof of this and received no response.

I therefore decided to pursue my claim for £600 compensation (about $665), which I felt was rightfully due to me, through EUclaim, an online legal service. I have just received notification that they were successful and I will be receiving £413.

The way I see it is that BA has deceived me by agreeing to compensation through EUclaim, but not doing so directly. It has cost me £187 to go this route, which I did as a last resort, after sending numerous correspondence to British Airways through its website asking for compensation and being denied.

BA has now admitted fault and my claim has been paid, yet I am losing £187 because BA would not accept fault when I requested compensation, but did so when a legal firm acted on my behalf. This is neither fair nor just and is an appalling way to treat customers.

I have notified all the people who I knew were on this flight to request compensation from BA. I knew seven or eight people on this flight. I advised them that I was compensated, so BA must have accepted responsibility and therefore BA should compensate them also.

I am appalled at the service and response from BA. The whole island of Bermuda needs to know what service British Airways gives to its customers.

ANNIE D. SOUSA