BA Covid-19 news, views, speculations, general questions, rants & more
Mar 16, 2020, 5:40 am
#226
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London
Programs: Many. Too many. I came here to cut them down. I failed.
Posts: 2,999
Mar 16, 2020, 5:42 am
#227
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 995
I got the same email about my flight to EZE in early April. That flight falls within the period in that Argentina's government has banned flights from the UK, but remains (as yet) uncanceled in BA's systems.
BA have seemingly adopted a policy of deliberately not cancelling flights even after their government approvals to fly on those dates have been withdrawn. This may well be to give BA a cashflow advantage by not having to refund money until near the day of departure, despite the knowledge that the flights are highly unlikely to go ahead as planned.
Nowhere in the email does it state or even suggest that if you chose the Voucher you would still get a refund should the originally booked flight be cancelled.
Leaving aside BA's cynicism in not cancelling flights when governments have already outlawed them; I find sending customers emails stating "your flight is currently scheduled to go ahead" in these circumstances reprehensible. It gives severely misleading information and false hope to customers at the height of wider uncertainty.
BA have seemingly adopted a policy of deliberately not cancelling flights even after their government approvals to fly on those dates have been withdrawn. This may well be to give BA a cashflow advantage by not having to refund money until near the day of departure, despite the knowledge that the flights are highly unlikely to go ahead as planned.
Nowhere in the email does it state or even suggest that if you chose the Voucher you would still get a refund should the originally booked flight be cancelled.
Leaving aside BA's cynicism in not cancelling flights when governments have already outlawed them; I find sending customers emails stating "your flight is currently scheduled to go ahead" in these circumstances reprehensible. It gives severely misleading information and false hope to customers at the height of wider uncertainty.
Mar 16, 2020, 5:47 am
#228
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: London. Or a plane.
Programs: "Only" 50,000 TPs until BA GGLfL
Posts: 2,774
You are aware that not just Argentina is affected by the covid-19 situation? OK, that's a bit blunt, but the Argentina issue is just a few days old, and yes, BA is behind the curve but I bet they were not given a week's notice to prepare for this. With a million passengers due to fly this week on BA, I think it's going to be the case that those travelling today will get the most accurate information.
as for "those travelling today" BA have cancelled the next 7 days flights, but have take the decision to keep 24MAR-10APR as un-cancelled in the system despite there being a government ban on those dates.
I accept that BA may want to stagger cancellations so that its call centers can cope, but why on earth then proactively send passengers on flights that are waiting to be cancelled an email telling them "your flight is currently due to depart as planned"?? It's highly disingenuous.
Last edited by alexwuk; Mar 16, 2020 at 5:59 am
Mar 16, 2020, 5:49 am
#229
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: PSC
Posts: 45
I have all my trip refunds in hand except for my flights. Don't want a voucher as I already have trips for the summer and fall booked. I received the same email, why are my trans atlantic flights in red? Still 9 days out and hoping they eventually cancel.
Mar 16, 2020, 5:49 am
#230
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 127
Mar 16, 2020, 5:51 am
#231
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 214
The flights this week from GIG and GRU to LHR have suddenly moved from wide open Avios availability in all classes to sold out in all classes Mon / Tues / Wed this week. I suspect passengers from other cancelled services must be being rebooked on BA. So there are some very very full services ...
How long this will last - who knows ?
How long this will last - who knows ?
Mar 16, 2020, 5:53 am
#232
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Accor Live Limitless Gold, Hilton Honours Gold, Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 1,806
Has anyone seen anything specific, official, they can link to regarding transit and UK Passport Holders?
I've got so many good sources in SIN and UK, but no-one has a clue?
Edit - sorry, I thought I was in the SQ forum, so ignore. I won't delete in case someone has relevant info! Admin, feel free. One of those days/weeks/months.
I've got so many good sources in SIN and UK, but no-one has a clue?
Edit - sorry, I thought I was in the SQ forum, so ignore. I won't delete in case someone has relevant info! Admin, feel free. One of those days/weeks/months.
- It is nothing to do with the fact that you are a UK passport holder and is instead based on travel history (which includes transitting in a country)
- If you have travel history to China (except Hubei), Iran, Italy, France, Germany, Republic of Korea, and Spain within the past 14 days then you will not be allowed to enter or transit through Singapore
- If you have travel history to UK, Switzerland, Japan or any ASEAN country then from 23:59 tonight then you will be allowed both entry and transit at Singapore however:
• If you plan on entering Singapore then you will be required to quarantine for 14 days and will be issued with a SHN (Stay Home Notice)
• You can serve your SHN at a hotel or property owned by yourself or family, you tell them on entry to the country where you will be
• You may/will be denied entry if you do not have proof of a hotel booking for the full 14 days or proof that you have a place to stay owned by yourself or family
• The SHN is monitored by frequent GPS and also potential in-person spot checks
• If you intend to transit and remain within the transit area then you do not have to be issued with a SHN
EDIT: Just seen that you posted this in the wrong place, happy to have it left here if it is of use to anybody
EDIT 2: Just realised that you asked for links, the best website is: https://www.ica.gov.sg/covid-19 unfortunately it is down at the moment so the second best would be https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highligh...covid-19-cases which is the latest press release regarding entry requirements from the Ministry of Health (MoH). You can use a cached version of the broken page to view anything if necessary but do not trust its reliability as it is not going to be guaranteed up to date: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache
19EtWzcC3EJ:https://www.ica.gov.sg/news-and-publications/public-education/updates-on-border-control-measures+&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
Last edited by wilsnunn; Mar 16, 2020 at 6:22 am Reason: Added links
Mar 16, 2020, 6:06 am
#233
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,925
Price gouging by BA
With masterful timing I decided to have a short city break holiday in Warsaw last week. Flew out on Thursday and whilst waiting for the connection at MUC read that all Polish museums had been close from that date. Not to worry, plenty to see and some nice restaurants to visit. On Friday evening told that all restaurants were closing from midnight. The Foreign Office advice as I went to bed was that Poland was banning visitors from Sunday. That's fine I thought as I have my booking on Sunday. By Saturday morning, as I awoke a little groggy, the advice had changed to Poland sealing its borders from 23.59 that day and that any British subject should try to leave immediately.
Went onto the BA site and bought a single ticket for 2503 zloty which translates to £529.19. This is price gouging, a term I have just learnt. It means selling a high demand item for a grossly excessive mark-up.
Went onto the BA site and bought a single ticket for 2503 zloty which translates to £529.19. This is price gouging, a term I have just learnt. It means selling a high demand item for a grossly excessive mark-up.
Mar 16, 2020, 6:11 am
#234
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,948
Mar 16, 2020, 6:16 am
#235
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire
Posts: 1,242
I got the same email about my flight to EZE in early April. That flight falls within the period in that Argentina's government has banned flights from the UK, but remains (as yet) uncanceled in BA's systems.
BA have seemingly adopted a policy of deliberately not cancelling flights even after their government approvals to fly on those dates have been withdrawn. This may well be to give BA a cashflow advantage by not having to refund money until near the day of departure, despite the knowledge that the flights are highly unlikely to go ahead as planned.
Nowhere in the email does it state or even suggest that if you chose the Voucher you would still get a refund should the originally booked flight be cancelled.
Leaving aside BA's cynicism in not cancelling flights when governments have already outlawed them; I find sending customers emails stating "your flight is currently scheduled to go ahead" in these circumstances reprehensible. It gives severely misleading information and false hope to customers at the height of wider uncertainty.
BA have seemingly adopted a policy of deliberately not cancelling flights even after their government approvals to fly on those dates have been withdrawn. This may well be to give BA a cashflow advantage by not having to refund money until near the day of departure, despite the knowledge that the flights are highly unlikely to go ahead as planned.
Nowhere in the email does it state or even suggest that if you chose the Voucher you would still get a refund should the originally booked flight be cancelled.
Leaving aside BA's cynicism in not cancelling flights when governments have already outlawed them; I find sending customers emails stating "your flight is currently scheduled to go ahead" in these circumstances reprehensible. It gives severely misleading information and false hope to customers at the height of wider uncertainty.
Mar 16, 2020, 6:18 am
#237
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Lemonia. Best Greek ever.
Posts: 2,271
My daughter was caught in Slovakia. No way out by air. Got a car rental to Poland. Krakow. (Expensive to leave rental cars in the wrong country!)
Bought on Thurs evening a Ryanair flight on Friday . It was cheap. No price gouging there!
Bought on Thurs evening a Ryanair flight on Friday . It was cheap. No price gouging there!
Mar 16, 2020, 6:20 am
#238
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold / Hilton Diamond / IHG Diamond Ambassador / Marriot Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,533
Being more charitable to BA, perhaps the e-mail was lined up this weekend and was just sent automatically this morning? I am sure that there are many ways in which their response hasn't always been perfect, but these are unprecedented challenges and I've seen nothing to suggest that BA are not approaching them in good faith.
I can understand that the situation is fast moving
I can understand that the email may have been written over the weekend.
I can understand that they do not wish to offer refunds.
I can understand that they will want you to fly in the future and so waive change fees.
I do not understand why, when anyone bought a ticket in good faith, that that same ticket cannot be used at a later date without the need to pay any fare difference. In some instances this could be many thousands of pounds.
So any of the above on their own can be forgiven as cock up over conspiracy but together begin to look like a deliberate attempt to fleece customers.
Mar 16, 2020, 6:24 am
#239
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Another test is: How is this position different from that of someone who has become legally entitled to a full refund?
Mar 16, 2020, 6:29 am
#240
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
If anyone has flights not cancelled yet but thinks it will be and dont want the voucher then just don't do anything yet . You don't have to apply for voucher till 1 hr before and you'll know by then if it's cancelled!
it us a fast changing situation not just daily hourly but by the minute 'lve just come out of a meeting where the flight schedule was due to be set but 10mjns in to the meeting the original plan has changed 6 times due the how quick the situation is being changed
it us a fast changing situation not just daily hourly but by the minute 'lve just come out of a meeting where the flight schedule was due to be set but 10mjns in to the meeting the original plan has changed 6 times due the how quick the situation is being changed