British Airways leaves stranded passengers all over world, jacks up prices on tickets home

By Cory Doctorow at 6:09 am Friday, Apr 23

After last week's volcanic eruption, British Airways passengers are stranded all over the world (I'm one of them). BA is rebooking people who hold paid for, cancelled ticket for return flights as late as May 10, but are selling tickets on flights leaving tomorrow for thousands of pounds to the wealthy who want to get home as quickly as possible. BA has had a year of terrible behavior and service, screwing its union by trying to unilaterally impose a contract on its workers without negotiation, but this takes the cake.

"We are trapped in Delhi with our children Iona (14 - missing GCSE exams), Sophia (13 - missing her part in the school play) and Dylan (seven - missing home).

BA have offered us a flight home on 10 May (we have been stranded since 16 April), but are still selling tickets on Delhi-London flights for thousands of pounds (which we cannot afford). The rich are allowed straight on to flights while the poor remain stranded. This is the real scandal of the volcano crisis.

We are among the lucky ones who BA have put up in a hotel but, with spirits low and tempers high, trouble is brewing - some people even had a "sit-down protest" in the hotel lobby on Wednesday. The Ramada in New Delhi is a very nice hotel, but our money has run out and we can't even afford the bottled water."

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