Change/Cancel remainder of Avios booking after initial departure
Feb 12, 2016, 7:40 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHF,ORF
Programs: AA Gold, MR Plat
Posts: 467
Change/Cancel remainder of Avios booking after initial departure
I booked a ticket with Avios (flying on AA) for a relative to assist with a family emergency. She has already flown the outbound, but would now like to change the return.
I would like to just cancel it online at this point, lose the $5 in taxes, and rebook her at a later date, but am concerned I'll lose the avios also since the itinerary has already started. If I cannot cancel the return and salvage the Avios, can I change the return by paying the $55 change fee instead? Or, am I completely out of luck and she's stuck with her existing return? (and me forking out more avios to book an alternate return).
Hoping someone else has been through a similar scenario.
I would like to just cancel it online at this point, lose the $5 in taxes, and rebook her at a later date, but am concerned I'll lose the avios also since the itinerary has already started. If I cannot cancel the return and salvage the Avios, can I change the return by paying the $55 change fee instead? Or, am I completely out of luck and she's stuck with her existing return? (and me forking out more avios to book an alternate return).
Hoping someone else has been through a similar scenario.
Feb 12, 2016, 8:24 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: BA GGL, A3*G, Mucci de l'expertise des Apps
Posts: 3,366
I booked a ticket with Avios (flying on AA) for a relative to assist with a family emergency. She has already flown the outbound, but would now like to change the return.
I would like to just cancel it online at this point, lose the $5 in taxes, and rebook her at a later date, but am concerned I'll lose the avios also since the itinerary has already started. If I cannot cancel the return and salvage the Avios, can I change the return by paying the $55 change fee instead? Or, am I completely out of luck and she's stuck with her existing return? (and me forking out more avios to book an alternate return).
Hoping someone else has been through a similar scenario.
I would like to just cancel it online at this point, lose the $5 in taxes, and rebook her at a later date, but am concerned I'll lose the avios also since the itinerary has already started. If I cannot cancel the return and salvage the Avios, can I change the return by paying the $55 change fee instead? Or, am I completely out of luck and she's stuck with her existing return? (and me forking out more avios to book an alternate return).
Hoping someone else has been through a similar scenario.
This is one of the reasons people are advised to always make avios bookings as one-ways unless there are significant cost differences or using a voucher etc. If you book it as a normal return then once the outbound is flown, as in this situation, then there is nothing you can do with the return.
If the need to make the change is somehow related to the family emergency you could call BA and plead with them for some leeway, but I'm not sure this will be very successful as it is technically against the T&Cs.
Feb 12, 2016, 9:11 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHF,ORF
Programs: AA Gold, MR Plat
Posts: 467
Once you reach 24 hours before the start of the first flight in an Avios booking the entire booking becomes completely inflexible. No changes, no refunds, that includes the avios.
This is one of the reasons people are advised to always make avios bookings as one-ways unless there are significant cost differences or using a voucher etc. If you book it as a normal return then once the outbound is flown, as in this situation, then there is nothing you can do with the return.
If the need to make the change is somehow related to the family emergency you could call BA and plead with them for some leeway, but I'm not sure this will be very successful as it is technically against the T&Cs.
This is one of the reasons people are advised to always make avios bookings as one-ways unless there are significant cost differences or using a voucher etc. If you book it as a normal return then once the outbound is flown, as in this situation, then there is nothing you can do with the return.
If the need to make the change is somehow related to the family emergency you could call BA and plead with them for some leeway, but I'm not sure this will be very successful as it is technically against the T&Cs.
Feb 12, 2016, 10:06 am
#4
Join Date: May 2003
Location: London
Posts: 1,666
Not true, and has not been the case for some years. Changes can be made to remaining sectors after the first departure.
Changes to each leg can be made up to 24 hours before each departure. Not sure about cancellation, but definitely changes are possible.
Changes to each leg can be made up to 24 hours before each departure. Not sure about cancellation, but definitely changes are possible.
Feb 12, 2016, 10:19 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: VA Platinum
Posts: 286
"16.5. All permitted changes are subject to capacity limitations and must be made a minimum of 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure of the first flight in the Reward travel itinerary."
Feb 12, 2016, 1:26 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA, AF
Posts: 10,129
Once you reach 24 hours before the start of the first flight in an Avios booking the entire booking becomes completely inflexible. No changes, no refunds, that includes the avios.
This is one of the reasons people are advised to always make avios bookings as one-ways unless there are significant cost differences or using a voucher etc. If you book it as a normal return then once the outbound is flown, as in this situation, then there is nothing you can do with the return.
If the need to make the change is somehow related to the family emergency you could call BA and plead with them for some leeway, but I'm not sure this will be very successful as it is technically against the T&Cs.
This is one of the reasons people are advised to always make avios bookings as one-ways unless there are significant cost differences or using a voucher etc. If you book it as a normal return then once the outbound is flown, as in this situation, then there is nothing you can do with the return.
If the need to make the change is somehow related to the family emergency you could call BA and plead with them for some leeway, but I'm not sure this will be very successful as it is technically against the T&Cs.
Feb 12, 2016, 1:40 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,815
You have until 24 hours before the inbound flight of a return booking (having flown the outbound) to change it.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-out-legs.html
If you cancel the inbound of a return avios booking (having flown the outbound) no avios will be returned.
As noted, one way bookings are oftentimes preferable.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-out-legs.html
If you cancel the inbound of a return avios booking (having flown the outbound) no avios will be returned.
As noted, one way bookings are oftentimes preferable.
Feb 12, 2016, 2:05 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,815
Feb 12, 2016, 3:37 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2003
Location: London
Posts: 1,666
Jan 2, 2021, 12:34 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: Etihad, Krisflyer, BA Executive Club
Posts: 47
Just to update.
BA on Twitter. Previously very good, now shockingly bad. Disappearing mid conversation, then returning days later, sometimes with false information. very hit and miss.
BA on the phone. South African call centre are total idiots. They know nothing, they are kids having a party, laughing on the phone. Twice cut off, once deliberate, once just left on a dead line she forgot to come back to. Indian call centre just as bad, if not worse. They don't know the rules and state incorrect lies as facts.
Resolution. Finally got through to someone in the UK and then had to transfer to someone else in Avios ! No direct number and no option to select Avios from the menu. However, excellent lady who too all of 5 minutes to resolve as I had already supplied the desired flight details. This was on QR metal, due to a long ago cancellation from BA. Route was LKR-BKK-LHR in business class. Flights changed, no cost.
Summation
Whether you can routinely change the return leg of Avios reward flights after having already flown the outbound leg I do not know but only the UK call centre knew enough to get the job done. Overseas idiots just wasted time.
However, this was possible, on QR metal, without any cost. Outbound flight was also on QR. Clearly cannot be done online, hence potentially why no cost but I had checked the QR website and the flights for the dates I wanted were no more expensive than the flights on the dates we were already booked so I was not expecting a charge really. Happy there was not one in the end of course. No advice on whether this was a one time thing or whether we could do repeated changes but QR policy now is unlimited changes so perhaps that was why also, despite it being a BA Avios redemption.
BA on Twitter. Previously very good, now shockingly bad. Disappearing mid conversation, then returning days later, sometimes with false information. very hit and miss.
BA on the phone. South African call centre are total idiots. They know nothing, they are kids having a party, laughing on the phone. Twice cut off, once deliberate, once just left on a dead line she forgot to come back to. Indian call centre just as bad, if not worse. They don't know the rules and state incorrect lies as facts.
Resolution. Finally got through to someone in the UK and then had to transfer to someone else in Avios ! No direct number and no option to select Avios from the menu. However, excellent lady who too all of 5 minutes to resolve as I had already supplied the desired flight details. This was on QR metal, due to a long ago cancellation from BA. Route was LKR-BKK-LHR in business class. Flights changed, no cost.
Summation
Whether you can routinely change the return leg of Avios reward flights after having already flown the outbound leg I do not know but only the UK call centre knew enough to get the job done. Overseas idiots just wasted time.
However, this was possible, on QR metal, without any cost. Outbound flight was also on QR. Clearly cannot be done online, hence potentially why no cost but I had checked the QR website and the flights for the dates I wanted were no more expensive than the flights on the dates we were already booked so I was not expecting a charge really. Happy there was not one in the end of course. No advice on whether this was a one time thing or whether we could do repeated changes but QR policy now is unlimited changes so perhaps that was why also, despite it being a BA Avios redemption.