Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave

Usually the way it works is that if you see a detailed and exact refund quote online after pressing the Cancellation options link then you'll get the Avios within minutes and the cash within a day or two, depending on your bank. If you don't see a refund quote online the usual advice is not to proceed unless you don't mind waiting. These bookings have to handled by the back office team. If you need the Avios (or cash for that matter) for a new booking then you best do it by calling up and explaining. This is a long-standing issue which is where bookings are either in self-serve or in a manual status. Self serve has plenty of automation around it, if you are not in self serve then it's going to take manual attention. If you alter a booking or make it complex then you're probably no longer self serve, but starting (and not completing) the Cancellation Options process will tell you which status apples.