Mar 19, 2020, 2:45 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
Latest official update, posted by BA refund helper on 16 August (post no 579)
Historic wiki updates:
There seems to be some confusion over the ‘vouchers’ for future travel so here is some clarity in the hope it proves helpful to others.
The ‘voucher number’ will be the customer’s existing ticket number. The process is no different to putting a booking on hold for medical reasons and the existing booking will be reused for future travel, with the ticket reissued following payment of any difference in fare. This is why it takes so long to receive confirmation as someone has to manually go into each booking (as you’ll imagine there are a lot!), remove the live flights, hold in a ghost flight and send the confirmation email to the customer. It is not an eVoucher that you would enter into ba.com for a discount off a brand new booking and new travel arrangements should NOT be made in this way.
Similarly, customers should NOT cancel their own bookings at any point in the voucher process. This will invalidate any eligibility for the voucher and process a fare rules refund.
When ready to rebook (and once the lines are a lot quieter!) customers will need to call to be rebooked as there is no facility to do this online at all and anything done online in this manner will be at the customer’s own expense since you won't be able to deploy the eVoucher's funds. The voucher is valid for travel completed (both outbound and inbound) by 30th April 2021.
There is no telephone service charge for using the eVoucher, you have to call up, but you won't have to pay an extra fee to make the booking in this scenario.
Historic wiki updates:
There seems to be some confusion over the ‘vouchers’ for future travel so here is some clarity in the hope it proves helpful to others.
The ‘voucher number’ will be the customer’s existing ticket number. The process is no different to putting a booking on hold for medical reasons and the existing booking will be reused for future travel, with the ticket reissued following payment of any difference in fare. This is why it takes so long to receive confirmation as someone has to manually go into each booking (as you’ll imagine there are a lot!), remove the live flights, hold in a ghost flight and send the confirmation email to the customer. It is not an eVoucher that you would enter into ba.com for a discount off a brand new booking and new travel arrangements should NOT be made in this way.
Similarly, customers should NOT cancel their own bookings at any point in the voucher process. This will invalidate any eligibility for the voucher and process a fare rules refund.
When ready to rebook (and once the lines are a lot quieter!) customers will need to call to be rebooked as there is no facility to do this online at all and anything done online in this manner will be at the customer’s own expense since you won't be able to deploy the eVoucher's funds. The voucher is valid for travel completed (both outbound and inbound) by 30th April 2021.
There is no telephone service charge for using the eVoucher, you have to call up, but you won't have to pay an extra fee to make the booking in this scenario.
Rebooking with e-voucher
Apr 11, 2020, 4:32 am
#137
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: BAEC GOLD, Star Alliance, HH Gold
Posts: 75
Hotlines can only be bought online and vouchers can only be used by phoning.
Apr 11, 2020, 4:44 am
#138
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
yep unfortunayley no way of combining hopefully this might be sorted but not holding my breath, got a fee hotlines myself so holding off on vouchers hoping for canx
Apr 11, 2020, 5:05 am
#140
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,991
Apr 11, 2020, 5:56 am
#141
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 121
Hello all,
Does anyone have any experience with the following...
I booked a flight recently through BA hotline (Staff discounted commercial tickets for those that may not know), and I opted for the voucher. I now know where I want to go and when.
It has however just dawned on me that when I call to rebook they wont quote me the hotline price, but the standard one, I assume.
Has anyone had this experience? Will they book me the hotline fare over the phone?
Any info appreciated. Thanks
Oh and a side note, BA don't seem to send any conformation of your voucher. I only know mine has been processed because I asked when I was calling about a refund for a different flight I asked the agent to check. She said its done and I just need to quote my original booking ref when rebooking. If you have the flight in Check My Trip you will notice a random flight to a random place with the reference VOUCHER, or at least I did. This might be useful info for someone.
Does anyone have any experience with the following...
I booked a flight recently through BA hotline (Staff discounted commercial tickets for those that may not know), and I opted for the voucher. I now know where I want to go and when.
It has however just dawned on me that when I call to rebook they wont quote me the hotline price, but the standard one, I assume.
Has anyone had this experience? Will they book me the hotline fare over the phone?
Any info appreciated. Thanks
Oh and a side note, BA don't seem to send any conformation of your voucher. I only know mine has been processed because I asked when I was calling about a refund for a different flight I asked the agent to check. She said its done and I just need to quote my original booking ref when rebooking. If you have the flight in Check My Trip you will notice a random flight to a random place with the reference VOUCHER, or at least I did. This might be useful info for someone.
Apr 11, 2020, 6:02 am
#142
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,991
Just to your last point I have had email confirmations that my vouchers are ready to use. I got them for all three last week.
Apr 11, 2020, 6:20 am
#144
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
Hello all,
Does anyone have any experience with the following...
I booked a flight recently through BA hotline (Staff discounted commercial tickets for those that may not know), and I opted for the voucher. I now know where I want to go and when.
It has however just dawned on me that when I call to rebook they wont quote me the hotline price, but the standard one, I assume.
Has anyone had this experience? Will they book me the hotline fare over the phone?
Any info appreciated. Thanks
Oh and a side note, BA don't seem to send any conformation of your voucher. I only know mine has been processed because I asked when I was calling about a refund for a different flight I asked the agent to check. She said its done and I just need to quote my original booking ref when rebooking. If you have the flight in Check My Trip you will notice a random flight to a random place with the reference VOUCHER, or at least I did. This might be useful info for someone.
Does anyone have any experience with the following...
I booked a flight recently through BA hotline (Staff discounted commercial tickets for those that may not know), and I opted for the voucher. I now know where I want to go and when.
It has however just dawned on me that when I call to rebook they wont quote me the hotline price, but the standard one, I assume.
Has anyone had this experience? Will they book me the hotline fare over the phone?
Any info appreciated. Thanks
Oh and a side note, BA don't seem to send any conformation of your voucher. I only know mine has been processed because I asked when I was calling about a refund for a different flight I asked the agent to check. She said its done and I just need to quote my original booking ref when rebooking. If you have the flight in Check My Trip you will notice a random flight to a random place with the reference VOUCHER, or at least I did. This might be useful info for someone.
I do know the possibility of using vouchers in general online is being looked at so hold fire as if that happens then I'd imagine they would be useable on hotlines but not expecting anything to happen soon
Apr 11, 2020, 6:52 am
#147
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,660
nope hotline aren't available over the phone only online, and yep the voucher can be only used over the phone, so quite a lot of us with bookings made via hotline hoping for cancellations rather than having to take voucher as won't be as good value if we have the voucher but need to use general commercial price rather than our hotline price
I do know the possibility of using vouchers in general online is being looked at so hold fire as if that happens then I'd imagine they would be useable on hotlines but not expecting anything to happen soon
I do know the possibility of using vouchers in general online is being looked at so hold fire as if that happens then I'd imagine they would be useable on hotlines but not expecting anything to happen soon
Apr 11, 2020, 6:54 am
#148
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
changes are different as it's just standard fare rules that dictate the change prices even on hotlines
Apr 11, 2020, 7:02 am
#150
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: BAEC GOLD, Star Alliance, HH Gold
Posts: 75