From the very start I had not had good interactions with BA regarding moving my cat from EWR (Newark) to NCL (Newcastle). Unfortunately, my dealings with them went from bad to horrendous.
My first problem occurred in May. I made arrangements with BA Cargo. I gave the measurements of my cat's kennel to the booking agent and he sent a form with kennel options and confirmed that my kennel was indeed the appropriate one for cats per the form he sent. When I arrived to drop my cat off I was informed the kennel, though the largest cat one, was not large enough as my cat could not stand up and walk in circle to turn around (and do a back flip perhaps?) and he would not be allowed to fly. I was in turmoil. My flight was leaving in 4 hours. Luckily my parents agreed to have a sudden house guest for 3 months.
Fast forward to my move in October. I was again flying BA and wanted my cat with me. I double-triple checked anything and everything that could possibly go wrong. Or so I thought. Because pets are required a 6 hours layover in London in order to get through customs/the veterinary check we were not on the same connecting flight. (You can only book your cat 2 weeks out and of course I had my ticket by that time -- why doesn't anyone tell you these things?) I still thought things would be fine. Once on the place I made sure he was on the plane. In Heathrow, I made sure he was there and off the plane and in their care center. All was well. I arrived in NCL, then made the turn around trip from Durham to go pick up my cat. His flight was at 3:45 and set to arrive at 5:00. At 4:30 I received a call -- not from BA mind you -- from the nice man at the care center telling me my cat had been taken off the flight, but that he was being cared for. I was shocked. I drove out to the freight office at the airport anyway to find out more information. They had been expecting the cat and no one had notified them either and they had to call Heathrow to find out he wasn't on the flight. He had been removed from the flight for luggage. They would try to put him on the first morning flight.
I paid $1,500 to transport my cat. He was bumped for luggage and BA didn't even have the decency to call me and tell me. No acknowledgment or compensation has been made and after attempting to contact BA; I have been bounced around through the same 4 departments. According to the nice men in the freight office, this is typical of BA pet/cargo transport.
Shocking and shameful.
On the plus side, once my cat finally arrived the next day, he has bounced back remarkably well and is his same old self.
