Mar 14, 2020, 4:58 pm
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*
Apr 26, 2020, 5:50 pm
#1786
formerly Guanran Wang
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: HKG, PEK, IAD/DCA, LON, BHX,
Programs: Alaska, BAEC, Asiana, Aegean, Enrich, Marriott/SPG, Hilton
Posts: 322
Hi all, I have two questions after processing my voucher:
1. If I applied a voucher on my original booking that I have now used to claim for a new voucher, the new voucher should contain the value of my payment total in the booking (old voucher value+the amount I paid), right? (see image attached)
2. If I'm not mistaken. BA vouchers are always issued in the original payment currency in the cancelled booking and will only be converted to another currency (if required) when used on a new booking?
1. If I applied a voucher on my original booking that I have now used to claim for a new voucher, the new voucher should contain the value of my payment total in the booking (old voucher value+the amount I paid), right? (see image attached)
2. If I'm not mistaken. BA vouchers are always issued in the original payment currency in the cancelled booking and will only be converted to another currency (if required) when used on a new booking?
Apr 26, 2020, 6:45 pm
#1787
Join Date: Mar 2003
Programs: BA GGL; AA LT Gold; AS 100K; DL MM GM; Hyatt G*list, Hilton Diamond; SQ silver
Posts: 3,806
I am writing this post in praise of BA's handling of my tickets on which flights were cancelled. I am quite happy with the way they have handled it, I must say.
I had to change two tickets (the third one will need to be changed soon). One of them, I had already flown the outbound, so I was pretty sure, I wouldn't have to pay anything to rebook it for dates in the futures. And indeed there was no issue.
The second one, I had not read details about BA's policy but thought that since the outbound had not been flown, it would be more painful, with having to re-fare it for the new dates. But instead, I had the same very friendly and professional rebooking and the ticket was re-issued without fuss, including the fact that it had been GUF upgraded.
Thanks BA and even more thanks to the friendly and professional staff who are doing the work in these strange times!
I had to change two tickets (the third one will need to be changed soon). One of them, I had already flown the outbound, so I was pretty sure, I wouldn't have to pay anything to rebook it for dates in the futures. And indeed there was no issue.
The second one, I had not read details about BA's policy but thought that since the outbound had not been flown, it would be more painful, with having to re-fare it for the new dates. But instead, I had the same very friendly and professional rebooking and the ticket was re-issued without fuss, including the fact that it had been GUF upgraded.
Thanks BA and even more thanks to the friendly and professional staff who are doing the work in these strange times!
Apr 26, 2020, 7:47 pm
#1788
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Dallas
Programs: AA BA
Posts: 10
We are trying to get refunds for seat selection charges for a flight from LHR to ARN. The flight was reserved through one world code share, which was cancelled because of the current corona virus pandemic. We cannot use vouchers, so If BA only offers vouchers, we will be out the money paid directly to BA for the seat selections. The only procedure we can find to seek refunds is through calling BA, but that requires getting through to BA on the phone, which from the posts above may be difficult. I see that some people have contacted BA via Twitter, so we may try that if we cannot get through to BA on the telephone. Question: Does anyone know whether BA is declining to refund money for seat selection charges?
Apr 26, 2020, 8:09 pm
#1789
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,956
We are trying to get refunds for seat selection charges for a flight from LHR to ARN. The flight was reserved through one world code share, which was cancelled because of the current corona virus pandemic. We cannot use vouchers, so If BA only offers vouchers, we will be out the money paid directly to BA for the seat selections. The only procedure we can find to seek refunds is through calling BA, but that requires getting through to BA on the phone, which from the posts above may be difficult. I see that some people have contacted BA via Twitter, so we may try that if we cannot get through to BA on the telephone. Question: Does anyone know whether BA is declining to refund money for seat selection charges?
Apr 26, 2020, 10:50 pm
#1790
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Programs: ANA SFC (*G)
Posts: 529
Yes, I've dug a bit more. There was a HND showing on the T5 departure screens but I suspect it is freight only. BA4609 is a codeshare operated by JAL, and that's runs about 5 days a week until the end of May. BA resume 1 June (or rather 2 June from TOK).
However if you are OK to go to BCN or MAD, then I think BA can rebook that for you now, the complication being that I don't think a ticket to Spain would be under the joint business arrangement, but they should get you to London at least. Vueling are still operating BCN-ALC. BA don't have a codeshare on that, so you may have to pay that and reclaim aftewards. LGW is blocked to end of May realistically.
However if you are OK to go to BCN or MAD, then I think BA can rebook that for you now, the complication being that I don't think a ticket to Spain would be under the joint business arrangement, but they should get you to London at least. Vueling are still operating BCN-ALC. BA don't have a codeshare on that, so you may have to pay that and reclaim aftewards. LGW is blocked to end of May realistically.
That makes more sense. If they fly me to London that would be enough as I can just buy Iberia tickets to MAD or BCN and then drive a rental car.
I was originally going to spend one night in LHR in order to get on a morning plane to Madrid but I’ve seen news of a mandated quarantine in the UK. I guess it’s too risky and I should try to fly Madrid at once?
Apr 27, 2020, 2:52 am
#1791
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: 63,803
The press reports over the weekend were from an internal options paper being circulated within government, the bits that got left off included doing nothing, linking it in with testing when capacity allows, self isolation and including travellers in PHE's new (in fact not yet established) track and trace mechanism. No decision has been made and I wouldn't expect to see a decision much before Friday, it's more likely next week for various reasons. But I doubt it would seriously hinder your travel either way. For other reasons it's probably best to work on the basis of immediate connection to Spain, however, notably in terms of certainty of arrangements. But getting from UK to Spain isn't particularly problematic at the moment, other than the lack of choice. So there shouldn't be anything to stop you planning your travel now, if you wanted to leave in the next few days, but things could change thereafter given there are so many moving parts.
Apr 27, 2020, 3:59 am
#1792
Join Date: Apr 2020
Programs: Exec Club
Posts: 18
Well as expected, 2 days after offering me a preemptive voucher for future travel, the domestic leg of my holiday has been cancelled.
Credit to BA - was on hold for 10 minutes and the agent was brilliant, very clear, processed the refund, explained the timelines. Sounded stressed as hell but understandable.
Credit to BA - was on hold for 10 minutes and the agent was brilliant, very clear, processed the refund, explained the timelines. Sounded stressed as hell but understandable.
Apr 27, 2020, 4:11 am
#1793
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Newcastle UK
Posts: 1,114
So the June flight cancellation emails have started going out. My NCL flights now cancelled throughout June. This route is currently suspended until end June I believe.
Apr 27, 2020, 4:49 am
#1794
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Newcastle (NCL)
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 70
Yep, my 14th June early morning just got cancelled. It was an avios 2 for 1 to BCN. Only option online to cancel says voucher and call centre not taking calls. What voucher will I get as there is no cash value other than tax and obviously 2 for 1 voucher is used?
Apr 27, 2020, 5:21 am
#1795
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Newcastle UK
Posts: 1,114
Just FYI, I got through third attempt on main 0800 727800 number to request a refund. The phone lines only take so many in a queue, but as I did, you might get through if you try a few times. I tried the silver line but that's closed.
Apr 27, 2020, 6:06 am
#1796
Join Date: Jun 2013
Programs: BA Gold, TAP Gold
Posts: 131
Hello all,
my return flight is on June 29th DPS-HKG-LHR-TXL.
Today the leg DPS-HKG was cancelled, CX cancelled all DPS flights in June.
At the moment I’m stuck in Bangkok and I’d rather wait to make any changes.
Is there and expiration time to alter the booking?
my return flight is on June 29th DPS-HKG-LHR-TXL.
Today the leg DPS-HKG was cancelled, CX cancelled all DPS flights in June.
At the moment I’m stuck in Bangkok and I’d rather wait to make any changes.
Is there and expiration time to alter the booking?
Apr 27, 2020, 7:06 am
#1797
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: San Miguel de Allende Mex
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 352
My flight on May 5th MEX-LHR has been cancelled. Do I still have to wait until the 72 hours to call for a refund, since it's now a non-existent flight? Since I currently have Gold status, is there any advantage in terms of agent access calling the gold helpline to process the refund? Thanks.
Apr 27, 2020, 7:08 am
#1798
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,956
My flight on May 5th MEX-LHR has been cancelled. Do I still have to wait until the 72 hours to call for a refund, since it's now a non-existent flight? Since I currently have Gold status, is there any advantage in terms of agent access calling the gold helpline to process the refund? Thanks.
Apr 27, 2020, 7:58 am
#1799
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Newcastle (NCL)
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 70
Il keep trying. Im not sure if me selecting the avios option makes any difference, but it's just saying busy call back.
Apr 27, 2020, 10:12 am
#1800
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,076
Lloyds Upgrade Voucher - outbound flown
I haven't seen this scenario addressed above. I have used the Lloyds Upgrade Voucher just before the end of its validity and have taken the outbound flight to the East Coast. My flight back next week is cancelled (which is fine - I'm not in any rush to go to the UK). I assume my options are as follows:
1. Cancel and get a refund of Avios and cash (I assume this will mean I will lose the benefit of the return portion of the voucher as there is no way to retain just that half after the outbound has been flown?).
2. Change the booking to some date in the future. Can be an option, I'm not planning any trips to the UK in the immediate future but will definitely go there later this year/early next year. The only problem is that I assume the ticket will become non-changeable after I make this change (since I have already flown the outbound), so there's limited flexibility which is not great given the lack of visibility with Covid 19.
3. If I take the voucher, is it for a flight in the same cabin on the same route (that would be the best option), or just for the amount of Avios and 'taxes' paid for my flight?
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
1. Cancel and get a refund of Avios and cash (I assume this will mean I will lose the benefit of the return portion of the voucher as there is no way to retain just that half after the outbound has been flown?).
2. Change the booking to some date in the future. Can be an option, I'm not planning any trips to the UK in the immediate future but will definitely go there later this year/early next year. The only problem is that I assume the ticket will become non-changeable after I make this change (since I have already flown the outbound), so there's limited flexibility which is not great given the lack of visibility with Covid 19.
3. If I take the voucher, is it for a flight in the same cabin on the same route (that would be the best option), or just for the amount of Avios and 'taxes' paid for my flight?
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.