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
Jun 9, 2020, 6:24 am
#376
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 443
i don't appear to have a code.
I just have an email saying I have a voucher for x amount and the booking code for the flight which was cancelled.
I tried calling today to rebook but just got a message saying they weren't taking calls.
Can I call the gold line if it is for a holiday booking, or is that just for flights?
Thankyou
I just have an email saying I have a voucher for x amount and the booking code for the flight which was cancelled.
I tried calling today to rebook but just got a message saying they weren't taking calls.
Can I call the gold line if it is for a holiday booking, or is that just for flights?
Thankyou
Jun 9, 2020, 6:46 am
#377
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: 63,812
i don't appear to have a code.
I just have an email saying I have a voucher for x amount and the booking code for the flight which was cancelled.
I tried calling today to rebook but just got a message saying they weren't taking calls.
Can I call the gold line if it is for a holiday booking, or is that just for flights?
Thankyou
I just have an email saying I have a voucher for x amount and the booking code for the flight which was cancelled.
I tried calling today to rebook but just got a message saying they weren't taking calls.
Can I call the gold line if it is for a holiday booking, or is that just for flights?
Thankyou
Jun 11, 2020, 11:48 am
#379
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 11
There seems to be some discrepancy between the Wiki and the BA Site - on the BA site it says you get a voucher valid through April 2022 by when travel must be completed whereas the Wiki talks about using within 12 months of the original flight.
My situation is that I have a 1 way flight US to UK next week w avios and a 241 which we need to cancel. Trying to understand my options without using phone if possible.
It feels like alternatives are this...
1. Phone BA and cancel over the phone, recredit of Avios and taxes/fees + voucher which gets extended 6 months to March 2021, w payment of applicable cancellation fee;
2. Cancel on line through application for an FTV. This is effectively a wrapper consisting of three elements - cash from the fees/taxes, avios and the 241. Can then rebook at any time for travel through April 2022 and if I don't use all the elements I get another voucher for the residual (so could for example use the cash towards a cash booking and then get a new voucher w just the avios and 241).
Second option feels better because I effectively get an additional year of 241 and can hopefully credit to a round trip if there is availability - only risk is there is no avios availability in that time frame.
Can anyone shine light onto whether my interpretation is correct?
My situation is that I have a 1 way flight US to UK next week w avios and a 241 which we need to cancel. Trying to understand my options without using phone if possible.
It feels like alternatives are this...
1. Phone BA and cancel over the phone, recredit of Avios and taxes/fees + voucher which gets extended 6 months to March 2021, w payment of applicable cancellation fee;
2. Cancel on line through application for an FTV. This is effectively a wrapper consisting of three elements - cash from the fees/taxes, avios and the 241. Can then rebook at any time for travel through April 2022 and if I don't use all the elements I get another voucher for the residual (so could for example use the cash towards a cash booking and then get a new voucher w just the avios and 241).
Second option feels better because I effectively get an additional year of 241 and can hopefully credit to a round trip if there is availability - only risk is there is no avios availability in that time frame.
Can anyone shine light onto whether my interpretation is correct?
Jun 11, 2020, 2:12 pm
#380
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 279
As a reference point, I was able to use an e-voucher from a cancelled BA holiday to pay the taxes/fees on a 100% Avios booking through BA, for 6 Malaysian Airlines flights. It took a while for the call centre stars to align (BA holidays are separate to BA), but one of the call handlers eventually took up the challenge and succeeded. 😎
Jun 12, 2020, 6:04 am
#381
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: CX DM, BA Gold
Posts: 135
Just a data point. Used 3 FTV on an August CW booking. Remainder of the value will be returned in a new voucher (valid for 12 months to buy a new ticket v. Apil 2022 travel). Agent was very helpful but needed to send the booking to back office for manual processing. BWC applies to the new ticket.
Jun 12, 2020, 6:17 am
#382
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,967
There seems to be some discrepancy between the Wiki and the BA Site - on the BA site it says you get a voucher valid through April 2022 by when travel must be completed whereas the Wiki talks about using within 12 months of the original flight.
My situation is that I have a 1 way flight US to UK next week w avios and a 241 which we need to cancel. Trying to understand my options without using phone if possible.
It feels like alternatives are this...
1. Phone BA and cancel over the phone, recredit of Avios and taxes/fees + voucher which gets extended 6 months to March 2021, w payment of applicable cancellation fee;
2. Cancel on line through application for an FTV. This is effectively a wrapper consisting of three elements - cash from the fees/taxes, avios and the 241. Can then rebook at any time for travel through April 2022 and if I don't use all the elements I get another voucher for the residual (so could for example use the cash towards a cash booking and then get a new voucher w just the avios and 241).
Second option feels better because I effectively get an additional year of 241 and can hopefully credit to a round trip if there is availability - only risk is there is no avios availability in that time frame.
Can anyone shine light onto whether my interpretation is correct?
My situation is that I have a 1 way flight US to UK next week w avios and a 241 which we need to cancel. Trying to understand my options without using phone if possible.
It feels like alternatives are this...
1. Phone BA and cancel over the phone, recredit of Avios and taxes/fees + voucher which gets extended 6 months to March 2021, w payment of applicable cancellation fee;
2. Cancel on line through application for an FTV. This is effectively a wrapper consisting of three elements - cash from the fees/taxes, avios and the 241. Can then rebook at any time for travel through April 2022 and if I don't use all the elements I get another voucher for the residual (so could for example use the cash towards a cash booking and then get a new voucher w just the avios and 241).
Second option feels better because I effectively get an additional year of 241 and can hopefully credit to a round trip if there is availability - only risk is there is no avios availability in that time frame.
Can anyone shine light onto whether my interpretation is correct?
Also the voucher date is definitely now April 2022, I think in all the stuff that has been going on it is just the wiki update which has been overlooked.
Jun 12, 2020, 6:55 am
#383
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 86
If I have an expiring 2-4-1 voucher which I am unable to use before expiry, would the following work to extend its useful life?
1. Book using 2-4-1 for dates before expiry of the 2-4-1 to the destination I want to go to.
2. Ask BA to cancel the booking and issue a FTV.
3. Use the FTV to rebook for new, later, dates (before April 2022)? In this case, would I need avios availability for the new dates, or would I be booked into the new dates regardless as long as there are cash seats? My understanding is the former...
1. Book using 2-4-1 for dates before expiry of the 2-4-1 to the destination I want to go to.
2. Ask BA to cancel the booking and issue a FTV.
3. Use the FTV to rebook for new, later, dates (before April 2022)? In this case, would I need avios availability for the new dates, or would I be booked into the new dates regardless as long as there are cash seats? My understanding is the former...
Jun 12, 2020, 9:27 am
#384
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 7
Hi all, I had two separate BA flights cancelled in March and vouchers were issued. One voucher was issued by AMEX Travel while the other directly by BA. Ideally, I'd like to use both vouchers on a new booking. Does anyone know if this will be possible?
Jun 12, 2020, 10:51 am
#385
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,379
Seems BA have been. Ore flexible with the FTVs that are for 100% Avios bookings.
People that previously had an Avios only booking and requested the voucher had the Avios and cash paid incorporated in the voucher. To instigate a refund you would have needed to phone up and cancel.
BA will now allow you to reverse this and have the Avios refunded to your account and the cash paid refunded however this has to be requested by phone and the £35 fee per person will apply even if you selected a £1 fee for more Avios.
People that previously had an Avios only booking and requested the voucher had the Avios and cash paid incorporated in the voucher. To instigate a refund you would have needed to phone up and cancel.
BA will now allow you to reverse this and have the Avios refunded to your account and the cash paid refunded however this has to be requested by phone and the £35 fee per person will apply even if you selected a £1 fee for more Avios.
Jun 12, 2020, 11:40 am
#386
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: 63,812
I suspect not. The Amex one is definitely going to confine you to Amex for rebooking, and I doubt the BA one will be accessible to Amex since they don't own the voucher.
Jun 12, 2020, 4:48 pm
#387
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,993
I had a booking (for 2 pax) which I made with a single voucher in my name (from a price match claim, not a future travel voucher). I have since cancelled that booking for a FTV, and it has given me two FT vouchers - one for my GF and one for me. Is it possible to use both vouchers for a booking only in my name? We do not share the same surname.
Jun 13, 2020, 2:39 am
#388
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: 63,812
I had a booking (for 2 pax) which I made with a single voucher in my name (from a price match claim, not a future travel voucher). I have since cancelled that booking for a FTV, and it has given me two FT vouchers - one for my GF and one for me. Is it possible to use both vouchers for a booking only in my name? We do not share the same surname.
Jun 13, 2020, 6:36 am
#389
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: US/UK - and elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,559
I had a booking (for 2 pax) which I made with a single voucher in my name (from a price match claim, not a future travel voucher). I have since cancelled that booking for a FTV, and it has given me two FT vouchers - one for my GF and one for me. Is it possible to use both vouchers for a booking only in my name? We do not share the same surname.
Jun 13, 2020, 10:17 am
#390
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 7