Fully flexible question
Jan 29, 2012, 1:44 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BA Gold GUF Thai Airways Royal Orchid
Posts: 486
Fully flexible question
I have to fly the family soon on a longhaul but may have to cancel the trip so I'm looking to buy us fully flexible tickets.
My question is exactly how flexible are the BA tickets when it comes to refunds?
SJ
My question is exactly how flexible are the BA tickets when it comes to refunds?
SJ
Jan 29, 2012, 2:48 am
#2
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,618
Can usually be done on-line, but there are occasions where you need to phone.
Jan 29, 2012, 3:03 am
#5
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
If the OP decides to get a travel insurance to cover the trip, I recommend reading the policy thoroughly. It's quite surprising what many travel insurance policoes do not cover.
Jan 29, 2012, 3:16 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Cham CH
Posts: 1,645
In addition to LTNphobia's points, I would dd that insurance purchased after you know of a situation that may lead to a claim will generally not cover that situation. E.g. Purchasing cancellation insurance when you know relative X is already in hospital with serious illness will not pay out if you have to cancel due to deterioration or death of relative X.
I know that is not what. OP is planning / asking, but thought it worthwhile to add for any others looking at similar situations.
I know that is not what. OP is planning / asking, but thought it worthwhile to add for any others looking at similar situations.
Jan 29, 2012, 3:22 am
#8
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
Jan 29, 2012, 3:36 am
#11
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,821
You may want to consider booking through BA's website - that way the cancel option is relatively quick, available 24 hours a day and in my experience the money is refunded quite quickly and automatically.
Also, probably stating the obvious, but some of the restricted tickets do have relatively light penalties and / or permit date conditions. Interestingly these penalties seem to vary from place to place in terms of the jurisdiction from which you are deemed to be buying.
Finally, if you are sitting on a stash of Avios, this sort of scenario is, to my mind, a good use of Avios, though possibly less so with UuA.
Also, probably stating the obvious, but some of the restricted tickets do have relatively light penalties and / or permit date conditions. Interestingly these penalties seem to vary from place to place in terms of the jurisdiction from which you are deemed to be buying.
Finally, if you are sitting on a stash of Avios, this sort of scenario is, to my mind, a good use of Avios, though possibly less so with UuA.
Jan 29, 2012, 3:41 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PEK and BOS
Programs: BA - Blue
Posts: 4,531
I appreciate that the OP is GCH, so not entirely relevant to him, but even fully flexible tickets (unless e.g. GCH) have an admin charge associated with their cancellation -- i.e. you don't get all (100%) of your money back.
The 'cancel for any reason' insurance aside, fully flexible tickets are so expensive that unless the return date (inbound) is the one in question, it just makes more sense to purchase a ticket once plans have been finalised. Worst case scenario is that one will end up paying the same as a fully flexible ticket, but even ~24hrs prior to departure, some fare buckets with sl. less flexibility, and much cheaper can be bought.
tb
The 'cancel for any reason' insurance aside, fully flexible tickets are so expensive that unless the return date (inbound) is the one in question, it just makes more sense to purchase a ticket once plans have been finalised. Worst case scenario is that one will end up paying the same as a fully flexible ticket, but even ~24hrs prior to departure, some fare buckets with sl. less flexibility, and much cheaper can be bought.
tb
Jan 29, 2012, 5:14 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BA Gold GUF Thai Airways Royal Orchid
Posts: 486
I didn't know that. Found the thread here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...e-refunds.html
I guess that's the lounge access fee
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...e-refunds.html
I guess that's the lounge access fee
It's not a lot but still a side of the industry that's growing