What should have been a highlight for plane spotters and other aviation enthusiasts has now turned into a major fiasco. On 25 August, British Airways upgraded three of its domestic U.K. flights from their usual Airbus fleet to the Boeing 747-400s with retro heritage livery such as BOAC, Landor or Negus.
Spotters – not only from the U.K. – rejoiced to fly between London Heathrow and Manchester, Newcastle or Glasgow on the “Queen of the skies” as part of the airline’s centenary celebrations and immediately booked a ticket on one of the special flights.
But the British airline has now abandoned these plans. They do offer a full refund for people who no longer wish to travel on the much smaller (and standard) Airbuses.
The airline said that these flights were always subject to equipment changes. “We understand that, after speculation on aviation websites, some of our customers booked on these flights hoping to be part of our birthday celebration“, the airline wrote in an e-mail to the affected passengers.
@British_Airways What? Why? People have booked time off work and are flying from all over to be able to go on this? pic.twitter.com/2XBc6aSj24
— Harry (@hjpinnock) June 7, 2019
Not cool @British_Airways not cool at all. This was promised to be a brilliant day celebrating their 100 year anniversary. Very disappointing 🙁 pic.twitter.com/GOZqT6NvYD
— Enda Burke (@endaburke81) June 7, 2019
Hearing that the BA #B747 has been taken off the domestics on the 25th August. Pax booked on those flights can be fully refunded. Please check your bookings! #avgeek pic.twitter.com/iaxlUcGZGg
— Henry Heming (@FOHeming) June 7, 2019
Well done @British_Airways canx my 747 flight to Glasgow!!! Very disappointed as I booked flights to get me home to Ireland after it paid with good money!!! Extremely unprofessional substandard if you ask me!!! #BritishAirways #crapservice pic.twitter.com/XBgGRQncNe
— Birrlad (@birrlad) June 7, 2019
