Hotel Manager Says Airline Offered Little Immediate Support After Cancelled Return Flight
LONDON — A Scottish hotel manager and his fiancée were left stranded in India for nearly two weeks after British Airways cancelled their return flight without warning, forcing the couple to borrow money from family and friends to cover accommodation and living costs while waiting for another flight home.
Ritesh Singh, 27, manager of Mackays Hotel in Wick, said he only discovered the cancellation when attempting to check in for his return journey from New Delhi to London Heathrow following a five-week holiday in India with his fiancée, Arpita Das, 29.
The couple had originally travelled from Inverness to London Heathrow before flying onward to New Delhi for a trip that also included important family meetings ahead of their planned marriage.
According to Singh, British Airways did not notify him about the cancellation through phone, text message, or email before departure.
Couple Learned of Cancellation at Check-In
Singh said he contacted the airline immediately after discovering the issue and was told the next available flight home would not depart for another 12 days.
He said the airline cited a technical issue behind the cancellation rather than the wider travel disruption affecting parts of the region at the time.
Singh also told the airline he had already travelled back to New Delhi from his hometown in India, located hundreds of miles away, and explained that he had onward travel booked to Wick, where he has lived and worked for several years.
According to Singh, British Airways acknowledged his situation but informed him that the 12-day wait was the earliest available option.
He said he requested a shorter delay of two or three days, which he believed would have been manageable financially and professionally, but was told no earlier alternatives were available.
Airline Told Passengers to Arrange Their Own Accommodation
The cancellation created immediate financial pressure for the couple, who had already exhausted most of their holiday budget by the end of the trip.
Singh said he asked the airline for assistance with accommodation and meals while waiting for the replacement flight, but was instructed to arrange and pay for everything himself before later seeking reimbursement.
For the first few days, the couple stayed with friends before borrowing money from relatives to secure hotel accommodation for the remainder of the delay.
Singh described the situation as highly stressful, saying much of the additional time in India was spent trying to secure accommodation and access enough funds to cover daily expenses.
He said the uncertainty over whether expenses would ultimately be reimbursed added further pressure during the extended stay.
The experience, he said, was the worst travel disruption he had encountered.
Lost Income Added to Financial Burden
Beyond accommodation costs, the extended delay also caused both Singh and Das to miss work in Scotland.
Das, who works behind the bar at the Norseman Hotel in Wick, reportedly informed her employer about the situation by sharing screenshots of the revised travel itinerary. Singh said her employer was understanding after seeing evidence of the disruption.
However, the couple estimated that together they lost around £2,000 in wages after missing approximately 10 days of work.
Singh said British Airways later refunded the original flight costs and covered hotel-related expenses submitted by the couple. However, the airline did not compensate them for lost earnings during the disruption.
The delay also disrupted Singh’s professional commitments as manager of Mackays Hotel. He said he had carefully scheduled the holiday to ensure he would return in time for important work-related functions, several of which he ultimately missed because of the extended stay in India.
Trip Held Personal Importance for Families
The holiday carried particular significance for the couple because it was centered around preparations for their future marriage.
Singh said both families met for the first time during the visit to India, making the trip especially meaningful beyond a standard vacation.
The unexpected delay, however, overshadowed what had otherwise been an important personal milestone for the couple.
Singh later questioned how passengers without access to family support or financial assistance would have managed during such a lengthy delay abroad.
He said the experience ultimately cost British Airways two loyal customers, adding that the situation highlighted concerns about how airlines handle passengers’ basic needs during major disruptions.
British Airways Says It Reimbursed Expenses
In a statement, a spokesperson for British Airways said disruption linked to conflict in the Middle East had placed significant pressure on global air travel and increased demand across its network.
The spokesperson said the airline’s teams worked to support affected passengers and contacted customers directly with available options following disruptions.
British Airways also said it had apologised to the couple, reimbursed eligible expenses, and offered an additional gesture of goodwill in an effort to resolve the matter.
The airline did not comment specifically on the couple’s claim regarding lost wages.
