Why does BA take £15 to cancel a booking?
Jun 17, 2019, 5:10 am
#31
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I think perhaps the initial band-wagon responses missed the point.
I understand the OP is losing the base fare he paid, and though he may not be happy with that, OP accepts it as a function of the fare rules. But he then finds the airline wants additional money to refund the taxes/duties/fees it has collected but will not now pass on.
Although accountants will have hours of fun calculating the cost of making such refunds, they must be trivial in real terms. A hefty charge is levied simply because the airline can get away with it.
I understand the OP is losing the base fare he paid, and though he may not be happy with that, OP accepts it as a function of the fare rules. But he then finds the airline wants additional money to refund the taxes/duties/fees it has collected but will not now pass on.
Although accountants will have hours of fun calculating the cost of making such refunds, they must be trivial in real terms. A hefty charge is levied simply because the airline can get away with it.
Jun 17, 2019, 5:23 am
#32
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I think perhaps the initial band-wagon responses missed the point.
I understand the OP is losing the base fare he paid, and though he may not be happy with that, OP accepts it as a function of the fare rules. But he then finds the airline wants additional money to refund the taxes/duties/fees it has collected but will not now pass on.
Although accountants will have hours of fun calculating the cost of making such refunds, they must be trivial in real terms. A hefty charge is levied simply because the airline can get away with it.
I understand the OP is losing the base fare he paid, and though he may not be happy with that, OP accepts it as a function of the fare rules. But he then finds the airline wants additional money to refund the taxes/duties/fees it has collected but will not now pass on.
Although accountants will have hours of fun calculating the cost of making such refunds, they must be trivial in real terms. A hefty charge is levied simply because the airline can get away with it.
Jun 17, 2019, 5:39 am
#33
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This is exactly it. Thank you. I am ok with losing the cost of my flight but my gripe is paying for the taxes and fuel surcharges not being returned fully.
Jun 17, 2019, 10:54 am
#35
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Jun 17, 2019, 11:06 am
#36
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Is this a serious post? BA made clear before you bought your ticket what the cancellation terms were. If you chose not to read them that's your choice. Believe it or not it costs a company money to process a refund and there's no reason why that shouldn't be passed onto the consumer. Is there much point to keeping this thread open?
Surely the costs of processing a refund can be taken from the non refundable fare component?
Also, theres no way it costs £15 to process!
Last edited by Sealink; Jun 19, 2019 at 7:36 am
Jun 17, 2019, 11:13 am
#38
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I could be wrong, but I don't think the OP is getting a refund of the fare, or questioning the cancellation conditions attached to the fare itself. The question appears to be around airlines, in this case BA, using "admin fees" to avoid refunding some/all of the govt/airport taxes and fees which they are legally obliged to refund on any cancelled booking, at least in the EU.
Jun 17, 2019, 12:18 pm
#39
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I still don't get why the OP is so upset by this. This is a very minor gripe imo. There are far less justifiable fees out there e.g. the high fees for choosing seats in Club World for non status passengers.
Jun 17, 2019, 1:14 pm
#40
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Yes i did thank you and im a frequent flyer, albeit not always with BA because frankly, euro traveler isnt worth it at all.
My point is that should i cancel, BA will resell the ticket and make more money on it, especially the popular route i have the ticket for. Taking that amount of money and making the cancellation effectively worthless for me means that i will simply not cancel, meaning that they lose money on a ticket that they could have resold at the elevated price i have just seen they are selling the tickets for.
My point is that should i cancel, BA will resell the ticket and make more money on it, especially the popular route i have the ticket for. Taking that amount of money and making the cancellation effectively worthless for me means that i will simply not cancel, meaning that they lose money on a ticket that they could have resold at the elevated price i have just seen they are selling the tickets for.
I sympathise by the way & in the 21st century a true admin fee shouldn’t be £15!
Jun 17, 2019, 2:00 pm
#41
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I’m actually with the OP thinking it will make a difference. If the flight is 5% oversold, BA is guessing the average passenger ticketed at checkin is about 95% likely to show up. If the OP cancels in advance he goes from 95% to 0%. The logical thing for BA is then to sell another 0.95 tickets, pocketing the extra fare and taking them back up to the still-optimum oversell level, before playing their checkin game in just the same fashion.
Jun 17, 2019, 3:42 pm
#42
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Yeah, this is one of many fees companies charge that really are not proportional to the cost involved. That said, there is undoubtedly admin involved in processing these refunds and I don't think £15 is that bad.
I still don't get why the OP is so upset by this. This is a very minor gripe imo. There are far less justifiable fees out there e.g. the high fees for choosing seats in Club World for non status passengers.
I still don't get why the OP is so upset by this. This is a very minor gripe imo. There are far less justifiable fees out there e.g. the high fees for choosing seats in Club World for non status passengers.
All major airlines sell fares with varying penalties for changes or cancellations, but few try to scam an additional fee on top of the published penalty for processing the refund
In the OP's case, it seems that he purchased a non refundable ticket - with the cancellation, the OP was entitled to the taxes back ; BA however, along with keeping the fare paid , it also wanted to charge GBP15 for providing the refund
It is nothing to do with being able to resell etc - the airline still has the fare - it is the refunding of taxes only
Jun 17, 2019, 4:19 pm
#43
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In the OP's case, it seems that he purchased a non refundable ticket - with the cancellation, the OP was entitled to the taxes back ; BA however, along with keeping the fare paid , it also wanted to charge GBP15 for providing the refund
Jun 17, 2019, 5:53 pm
#45
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Are they? Where does that legal obligation comes from? It may well exist but I am unaware of it, hence why I am asking. AIUI, I do not think that they are under any obligation to refund these as long as they are clear as to what their policy is but it may well be that there is another legal obligation somewhere of which I am unaware.
I know someone that is so insensed by these admin fees that he has been known to check a bag in, use the lounge and say something has come up saying he no longer wishes to fly right at T-20m and cause a delay to the flight whilst they offload him and his bag. Whilst I’ve told him this is selfish and inconsiderate and ask him why he does it he said 2 can play at thst game..