Last edit by: corporate-wage-slave
BA Covid-19 Rebooking / Cancellation / Refund Help & Advice
If your flight is cancelled by BA:
Commercial booking: Your options are: cash refund OR Future Travel Voucher (FTV) OR rebooking OR Avios credit
Redemption booking: Your options are: full refund of cash and Avios OR FTV OR rebooking.
BA Holidays booking: You should be given a refund pro-actively.
If your flight is cancelled by BA - any flight in the PNR - you can get a full refund so long as you booked directly with BA. You can only get a refund by telephoning BA. Refunds are taking between a few hours to a few weeks to be repaid, depending on the sort of booking made. If you don't wish to travel you can opt for an FTV or eVoucher valid for travel until 30 April 2022, though flights more than 355 days away are not currently bookable - flights are enabled at 355 days before departure. Vouchers such as 2-4-1 are also thereby extended. You can do this even if the flight is operating. The best advice we can give is to delay opting for an eVoucher options until the last moment, since if BA cancel your flight you have more options. BA have also adjusted the Standard Customer Guidelines so that if BA cancel the flight you can be rebooked to anytime in 12 months after you originally bought the ticket, so long as there is space in the cabin - there is no need to have a fare bucket available or Avios availability. If you choose the Avios credit you will get between 108 to 126 Avios per GBP of your fare. Note older posts in this thread may now be inaccuarate since the current policy has been amended several times.
===
If your flight is not cancelled but you don't wish to travel
Commercial booking: If you are eligible for Buy with Confidence, you can have an FTV valid until April 2022. Rebooking may lead to a fare recalculation but no change fee.
Redemption booking: Your can do the normal Avios refund, with the redeposit fee capped at GBP 35 per person. Alternatively for the same fee you can rebook to new dates subject to availability. Alternatively you can have an FTV.
BA Holidays booking: You may be get a refund proactively, otherwise you are looking at an FTV for at least the flight component of your trip, maybe for all components.
If all of the flights in your booking are still scheduled and you don't wish to travel then you best wait until a few days before departure in case there is a cancellation. As you can see above, a cancellation gives you better options. You are in scope with Buy with Confidence if you are flying between now and completing travel before 31 August 2021, also if you bought your ticket after 3 March and due to complete all flights before September 2021. The BA web page on this is:
ba.com/confidence
===
Below are some of the options / workarounds being suggested in order to obtain a refund as opposed to a Future Travel Voucher, but they probably no longer work:
Refund of Cancelled Flights:
Paid Seating Refund:
Bookings made using Lloyds Upgrade Voucher
You should expect to receive:
Lloyds Upgrade Voucher Notes
If your flight is cancelled by BA:
Commercial booking: Your options are: cash refund OR Future Travel Voucher (FTV) OR rebooking OR Avios credit
Redemption booking: Your options are: full refund of cash and Avios OR FTV OR rebooking.
BA Holidays booking: You should be given a refund pro-actively.
If your flight is cancelled by BA - any flight in the PNR - you can get a full refund so long as you booked directly with BA. You can only get a refund by telephoning BA. Refunds are taking between a few hours to a few weeks to be repaid, depending on the sort of booking made. If you don't wish to travel you can opt for an FTV or eVoucher valid for travel until 30 April 2022, though flights more than 355 days away are not currently bookable - flights are enabled at 355 days before departure. Vouchers such as 2-4-1 are also thereby extended. You can do this even if the flight is operating. The best advice we can give is to delay opting for an eVoucher options until the last moment, since if BA cancel your flight you have more options. BA have also adjusted the Standard Customer Guidelines so that if BA cancel the flight you can be rebooked to anytime in 12 months after you originally bought the ticket, so long as there is space in the cabin - there is no need to have a fare bucket available or Avios availability. If you choose the Avios credit you will get between 108 to 126 Avios per GBP of your fare. Note older posts in this thread may now be inaccuarate since the current policy has been amended several times.
===
If your flight is not cancelled but you don't wish to travel
Commercial booking: If you are eligible for Buy with Confidence, you can have an FTV valid until April 2022. Rebooking may lead to a fare recalculation but no change fee.
Redemption booking: Your can do the normal Avios refund, with the redeposit fee capped at GBP 35 per person. Alternatively for the same fee you can rebook to new dates subject to availability. Alternatively you can have an FTV.
BA Holidays booking: You may be get a refund proactively, otherwise you are looking at an FTV for at least the flight component of your trip, maybe for all components.
If all of the flights in your booking are still scheduled and you don't wish to travel then you best wait until a few days before departure in case there is a cancellation. As you can see above, a cancellation gives you better options. You are in scope with Buy with Confidence if you are flying between now and completing travel before 31 August 2021, also if you bought your ticket after 3 March and due to complete all flights before September 2021. The BA web page on this is:
ba.com/confidence
===
Below are some of the options / workarounds being suggested in order to obtain a refund as opposed to a Future Travel Voucher, but they probably no longer work:
Refund of Cancelled Flights:
- Call BA (no longer a requirement to be travelling in the next 72 hours, you may need to make repeated calls to get through). Telephone numbers are in this thread, but you can also find them on BA.com at the bottom left of the website, under Help and Contacts.
- Online forms (Post #435 - corporate-wage-slave) - manual process which may take many weeks
Paid Seating Refund:
- https://www.britishairways.com/trave...ing_claim_form (Post #765 - travelhappypair)
Bookings made using Lloyds Upgrade Voucher
You should expect to receive:
- Full refund of Avios and money paid
- A new voucher issued, which has validity for 6 months (from the date of issue, i.e. when you request the 'refund')
Lloyds Upgrade Voucher Notes
- Flights can be used within 12 months, so it will be good for travel up until the end 6 months plus 12 months if you book just before the new expiry
- It's been advised to take the voucher instead of rebooking as it gives me more flexibility.
- The original expiry date of the voucher was irrelevant because the booking was cancelled.
- You must book within 6 months of the voucher being issued and the ticket has 12 months validity so you can change flights after, provided the new flights are within the 12 month window.
- You won't receive any email, only the refund and the miles.
- Use the Qantas website and look back to your original PNR. Step by step guide in post 954
Covid-19 BA Rebooking/Cancellation/Refund HELP & ADVICE *No Speculation etc*
#1681
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,945
Hi
Does anyone know what happens if I use a voucher I received for an Avios booking to book new flights and then cancel those flights via the call centre? Would it be possible to get the Avios refunded into my account (subject to the usual fee) or would they insist on giving me another voucher?
I really feel done by them as due to time differences I wasn't able to telephone to cancel and had no option but to go for the voucher as otherwise I'd have been a no show and the Ts & Cs they had (more like FAQs) on the voucher page were really unclear - they didn't say, for eg, that you wouldn't get your Avios back. I naiviely assumed the voucher would just be for the tax and the Avios would land back in my account...
Thanks
Does anyone know what happens if I use a voucher I received for an Avios booking to book new flights and then cancel those flights via the call centre? Would it be possible to get the Avios refunded into my account (subject to the usual fee) or would they insist on giving me another voucher?
I really feel done by them as due to time differences I wasn't able to telephone to cancel and had no option but to go for the voucher as otherwise I'd have been a no show and the Ts & Cs they had (more like FAQs) on the voucher page were really unclear - they didn't say, for eg, that you wouldn't get your Avios back. I naiviely assumed the voucher would just be for the tax and the Avios would land back in my account...
Thanks
#1682
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Glasgow or London or elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Rewards Spire Ambassador
Posts: 142
It's complicated but it would be a bad use of Avios as there isn't a 241 in the booking (and I have two of those available) as it was a one way booking from outside the UK. It also isn't 12 months - it's 11 now and going down and I'm not sure I'll be able to use them in time, whereas they wouldn't expire if I got them back.
#1683
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: 63,787
They insist that once a voucher is issued, it cannot be reversed. Can anyone please let me know what options I have to avoid losing all of the money? Isn’t it possible for them to cancel the voucher and reinstate the original booking, so I can apply for a refund when the flight gets cancelled?
Welcome to Flyertalk maddy_arr, and welcome to the BA forum. I hope to find a resolution somehow.
#1684
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
Hi
Does anyone know what happens if I use a voucher I received for an Avios booking to book new flights and then cancel those flights via the call centre? Would it be possible to get the Avios refunded into my account (subject to the usual fee) or would they insist on giving me another voucher?
I really feel done by them as due to time differences I wasn't able to telephone to cancel and had no option but to go for the voucher as otherwise I'd have been a no show and the Ts & Cs they had (more like FAQs) on the voucher page were really unclear - they didn't say, for eg, that you wouldn't get your Avios back. I naiviely assumed the voucher would just be for the tax and the Avios would land back in my account...
Thanks
Does anyone know what happens if I use a voucher I received for an Avios booking to book new flights and then cancel those flights via the call centre? Would it be possible to get the Avios refunded into my account (subject to the usual fee) or would they insist on giving me another voucher?
I really feel done by them as due to time differences I wasn't able to telephone to cancel and had no option but to go for the voucher as otherwise I'd have been a no show and the Ts & Cs they had (more like FAQs) on the voucher page were really unclear - they didn't say, for eg, that you wouldn't get your Avios back. I naiviely assumed the voucher would just be for the tax and the Avios would land back in my account...
Thanks
but would only recommend this if you are 100% sure you aren't going to use it for something else.
don't forget it doesn't have to been same trip can be any Avios redemption
#1685
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Glasgow or London or elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Rewards Spire Ambassador
Posts: 142
Thanks Hawk777. Can I just check - when you say "no" do you mean they won't force me to accept a refund in a voucher, or do you mean that I will automatically get the balance back if I book a cheap Eco? Sorry to be thick!
basically no. Best option would be right off the very minimum book the shortest eco journey possible then any Avios remaining would be refunded and any taxes remaining refunded in cash
but would only recommend this if you are 100% sure you aren't going to use it for something else.
don't forget it doesn't have to been same trip can be any Avios redemption
but would only recommend this if you are 100% sure you aren't going to use it for something else.
don't forget it doesn't have to been same trip can be any Avios redemption
#1686
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
ok you lose the pts and 17.50 but considering normal Avios canx fee is 35gbp not to bad
#1687
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 111
Morning,
I have two bookings with two vouchers (241 and a lloyds voucher).
My outbound has been cancelled, but BA have offered to change the flight (which I can do online). Strangely this has only been for the 241, not the Lloyds voucher.
I actually just want to change the flights to Nov/Dec now.
Does anyone know if BA will charge me for this, given they've cancelled the outbound?
Thanks
I have two bookings with two vouchers (241 and a lloyds voucher).
My outbound has been cancelled, but BA have offered to change the flight (which I can do online). Strangely this has only been for the 241, not the Lloyds voucher.
I actually just want to change the flights to Nov/Dec now.
Does anyone know if BA will charge me for this, given they've cancelled the outbound?
Thanks
#1688
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,945
Morning,
I have two bookings with two vouchers (241 and a lloyds voucher).
My outbound has been cancelled, but BA have offered to change the flight (which I can do online). Strangely this has only been for the 241, not the Lloyds voucher.
I actually just want to change the flights to Nov/Dec now.
Does anyone know if BA will charge me for this, given they've cancelled the outbound?
Thanks
I have two bookings with two vouchers (241 and a lloyds voucher).
My outbound has been cancelled, but BA have offered to change the flight (which I can do online). Strangely this has only been for the 241, not the Lloyds voucher.
I actually just want to change the flights to Nov/Dec now.
Does anyone know if BA will charge me for this, given they've cancelled the outbound?
Thanks
#1689
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: 63,787
If more than 2 weeks off, you will need Avios space in hte new service, but there isn't a charge per se. There could be other factors, such as moving from off-peak to peak, or changes in airport fees and taxes since some are seasonal or increase after a notice period.
#1690
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Glasgow or London or elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Rewards Spire Ambassador
Posts: 142
Thanks - that's really helpful. 4500 Avios and £17.50 balanced against having to deal with BA Customer Relations seems cheap to me!
yep if you just rebook the original trip and cancel you just get same voucher back. If you book say a zone 1 so for example LHR to Man in eco it's 4500 pts plus 17.50. Anything else you have paid can then be refunded to card and get remainder of pts back. Note you have to proactively ask for this or again you will get a voucher
ok you lose the pts and 17.50 but considering normal Avios canx fee is 35gbp not to bad
ok you lose the pts and 17.50 but considering normal Avios canx fee is 35gbp not to bad
#1691
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Hamburg
Programs: BA Bronze, LH
Posts: 9
Need to cancel June flight -- should I wait?
Hello and sorry if this has already been covered. And thanks for all the useful advice from Corporate Wage Slave and others.
I was supposed to be giving a lecture in Vancouver toward the end of June, which has now been cancelled due to the coronavirus. Unfortunately, I booked my flight (from Hamburg via LHR) in December, so at the moment it doesn't fall into either of BA's categories eligible for a refund -- yet. Also, when looking at MMB I can't find the booking class anymore, so am unsure how the flights would be rated. Perhaps they won't be eligible for any refund? I booked premium economy outbound and first on the return, as I need to get some sleep on the return journey and the price of first class was only marginally more than business when I booked.
Another thing to bear in mind is that my visit was planned for only 8 days, and with the Canadian 14-day quarantine regulations as they are at the moment, my visit would be impossible, to say nothing of meaningless.
I'm in Germany and see there's a BA line here, but am unsure whether to contact anyone yet or wait until nearer the date. My lecture has not been postponed, just cancelled, so I can't rebook yet. Any ideas and advice would be most welcome! Thank you all.
I was supposed to be giving a lecture in Vancouver toward the end of June, which has now been cancelled due to the coronavirus. Unfortunately, I booked my flight (from Hamburg via LHR) in December, so at the moment it doesn't fall into either of BA's categories eligible for a refund -- yet. Also, when looking at MMB I can't find the booking class anymore, so am unsure how the flights would be rated. Perhaps they won't be eligible for any refund? I booked premium economy outbound and first on the return, as I need to get some sleep on the return journey and the price of first class was only marginally more than business when I booked.
Another thing to bear in mind is that my visit was planned for only 8 days, and with the Canadian 14-day quarantine regulations as they are at the moment, my visit would be impossible, to say nothing of meaningless.
I'm in Germany and see there's a BA line here, but am unsure whether to contact anyone yet or wait until nearer the date. My lecture has not been postponed, just cancelled, so I can't rebook yet. Any ideas and advice would be most welcome! Thank you all.
#1692
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: 63,787
. Also, when looking at MMB I can't find the booking class anymore, so am unsure how the flights would be rated. Perhaps they won't be eligible for any refund? I booked premium economy outbound and first on the return, as I need to get some sleep on the return journey and the price of first class was only marginally more than business when I booked.
So as with other cases for mid summer, at the moment you probably best adopt a waiting game. The first thing you will need is some extension to the Buy with Confidence policy, which in your case only covers flights until the end of May. By the looks of it, that would have to be announced fairly soon or BA won't get any new bookings. That will at least get you an eVoucher if all else fails. Then as we move nearer to your original departure date you are looking for signs of cancellations of your flight. My perception is that there is a chance that Canada will reduce some of their restrictions by then, and in any case the Vancouver service is a relatively high priority for BA to maintain, though it also depends on the India market too. But this is crystal ball stuff, no-one knows, other than at the moment BA seems to be focused on flight cnacellations about 3 weeks from now, so you may need to hold on for aother 5 weeks: Broadly speaking if cash is your preferred outcome you may as well wait until a few days to departure, at wihch point if BA cancels you get a full refund. If the flight continues then you either get (probably) a restricted cash refund if you don't fly, this is based on the original fare conditions, or the eVoucher for the full amount. Having said that the original flight cancellation conditions from Germany can be reasonably generous but that depends on the fare conditions at the time of purchase.
Welcome to Flyertalk and welcome to the BA forum Carosa, hopefully we will see more of you in the future.
#1693
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Hamburg
Programs: BA Bronze, LH
Posts: 9
The Selling Class will be shown in the hyperlink "More Flight Information" for each flight sector in MMB. The return will almost certainly be A, and the outbound will probably be E or T. with W the only other option. In terms of rebooking at a later date, these will be fairly easy to locate in due course, these only tend to dry up close to departure. So rebooking in the future should not be too problematic.
I'll wait as you suggest, and hope for the best. It's clear a great many people are in a similar position and that patience is called for. Thanks again for your help so far.
#1694
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: 63,787
But otherwise check in Qantas' version of MMB using your surname and BA's PNR, it should be clearer there.
#1695
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Hamburg
Programs: BA Bronze, LH
Posts: 9
If it's a bug on your MMB I'm sure it will be fixed in time for the operning of Berlin AIrport. But more seriously there should be a scroll bar on the right that takes you down to the Selling Class. You need to be in the original version of MMB, not the new tablet version, toggle on the top screen area.
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BER... no comment...