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 28, 2020, 3:45 am
#1816
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 16
Yes, just received email from BA stating our flights to Cancun for 11th June have now been cancelled.
Apr 28, 2020, 3:51 am
#1817
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: 63,846
I have updated the wiki a bit to take account of the new Buy with Confidence policy. The first paragraph is my attempt at a very tight summary, using as few words as possible.
[Can the Usual Suspects kindly double check this please?]
[Can the Usual Suspects kindly double check this please?]
Apr 28, 2020, 4:10 am
#1818
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: London
Programs: BAEC - Silver
Posts: 70
Positive BA experience, been calling the refund BA number (+442032500145) for the past three weeks with no luck. Decided to try the BA call centre in Bremen today +494215575767 for a refund on a cancelled flight, it took 7 minutes and received confirmation email as well 
Last edited by JohnnyCarmello; Apr 28, 2020 at 5:09 am Reason: Added Q
Apr 28, 2020, 4:20 am
#1819
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: CX DM, BA Gold
Posts: 135
I know not the most pressing matter at the moment. Any idea of what's gonna happen to all the double miles booked under the centenary promotions? Will they extent the travel period beyond end of June?
Apr 28, 2020, 4:29 am
#1820
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Hamburg
Programs: BA Bronze, LH
Posts: 9
Update on my refund query (20.4.)
Thanks to all for their advice and to BA for their understanding. The deadline at end May was no longer realistic.
Apr 28, 2020, 4:41 am
#1821
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
Programs: BA GGL - maybe only briefly!
Posts: 1,378
Deleted
Apr 28, 2020, 4:55 am
#1822
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,990
More or less by chance happened to look at the BA site today and found out that I can now apply for a voucher to compensate for my June flight to Vancouver. What a relief! So that's now in the pipeline.
Thanks to all for their advice and to BA for their understanding. The deadline at end May was no longer realistic.
Thanks to all for their advice and to BA for their understanding. The deadline at end May was no longer realistic.
Apr 28, 2020, 5:10 am
#1823
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Hamburg
Programs: BA Bronze, LH
Posts: 9
But as I hope the journey will take place sometime next year, it seemed sensible to take the voucher, which will cover the cost I paid, won't it?
Apr 28, 2020, 5:25 am
#1824
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 148
Advice on re-booking flight paid with Avios+companion voucher
Hi everyone,
Please redirect me if this has already been answered, I have had a look but can't see anything similar.
I have flights booked in June: Heathrow to Nashville, returning two weeks later from New Orleans (had planned a road trip in between, now not happening).
This was booked in Club World using a BA 2-4-1 companion voucher and avios, with the tax etc paid in cash.
BA have now emailed to say we can cancel the booking and receive a voucher to use on future bookings. But I am confused as to what this voucher will be - will it be a cash value equivalent to the cash value of the flights we hold, or simply a voucher saying we have (e.g.) 20,000 avios, a companion voucher and £1000 cash to use in future?
Do I have any other options i.e. swapping this directly to an equivalent flight next year? Ideally we would move this trip to June 2021 but I assume these flights aren't available to book yet. I know it is usually possible to move an Avios booking for £35, so would we be able to do this once the flights become available or is this going to be tricky given the timings?
Thanks for your advice.
Please redirect me if this has already been answered, I have had a look but can't see anything similar.
I have flights booked in June: Heathrow to Nashville, returning two weeks later from New Orleans (had planned a road trip in between, now not happening).
This was booked in Club World using a BA 2-4-1 companion voucher and avios, with the tax etc paid in cash.
BA have now emailed to say we can cancel the booking and receive a voucher to use on future bookings. But I am confused as to what this voucher will be - will it be a cash value equivalent to the cash value of the flights we hold, or simply a voucher saying we have (e.g.) 20,000 avios, a companion voucher and £1000 cash to use in future?
Do I have any other options i.e. swapping this directly to an equivalent flight next year? Ideally we would move this trip to June 2021 but I assume these flights aren't available to book yet. I know it is usually possible to move an Avios booking for £35, so would we be able to do this once the flights become available or is this going to be tricky given the timings?
Thanks for your advice.
Apr 28, 2020, 5:33 am
#1825
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
Hi everyone,
Please redirect me if this has already been answered, I have had a look but can't see anything similar.
I have flights booked in June: Heathrow to Nashville, returning two weeks later from New Orleans (had planned a road trip in between, now not happening).
This was booked in Club World using a BA 2-4-1 companion voucher and avios, with the tax etc paid in cash.
BA have now emailed to say we can cancel the booking and receive a voucher to use on future bookings. But I am confused as to what this voucher will be - will it be a cash value equivalent to the cash value of the flights we hold, or simply a voucher saying we have (e.g.) 20,000 avios, a companion voucher and £1000 cash to use in future?
Do I have any other options i.e. swapping this directly to an equivalent flight next year? Ideally we would move this trip to June 2021 but I assume these flights aren't available to book yet. I know it is usually possible to move an Avios booking for £35, so would we be able to do this once the flights become available or is this going to be tricky given the timings?
Thanks for your advice.
Please redirect me if this has already been answered, I have had a look but can't see anything similar.
I have flights booked in June: Heathrow to Nashville, returning two weeks later from New Orleans (had planned a road trip in between, now not happening).
This was booked in Club World using a BA 2-4-1 companion voucher and avios, with the tax etc paid in cash.
BA have now emailed to say we can cancel the booking and receive a voucher to use on future bookings. But I am confused as to what this voucher will be - will it be a cash value equivalent to the cash value of the flights we hold, or simply a voucher saying we have (e.g.) 20,000 avios, a companion voucher and £1000 cash to use in future?
Do I have any other options i.e. swapping this directly to an equivalent flight next year? Ideally we would move this trip to June 2021 but I assume these flights aren't available to book yet. I know it is usually possible to move an Avios booking for £35, so would we be able to do this once the flights become available or is this going to be tricky given the timings?
Thanks for your advice.
If you still want to take the voucher, you would be able to use it until 30 April 2022 ( according to the information in post 1814 in this thread ). They would convert it to an open ticket for you and you would need to contact them again when you're flights are available for sale. I am not sure how 2-4-1 vouchers fit into COVID vouchers so I would be unable to comment on that. The only thing I know is that the validity of 2-4-1 vouchers is extended for another 6 months.
Plus, if you wait until the cancellation of your flights, you would be entitled to a full refund of taxes and Avios.
Apr 28, 2020, 5:43 am
#1826
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: 63,846
This was booked in Club World using a BA 2-4-1 companion voucher and avios, with the tax etc paid in cash.
BA have now emailed to say we can cancel the booking and receive a voucher to use on future bookings. But I am confused as to what this voucher will be - will it be a cash value equivalent to the cash value of the flights we hold, or simply a voucher saying we have (e.g.) 20,000 avios, a companion voucher and £1000 cash to use in future?
Do I have any other options i.e. swapping this directly to an equivalent flight next year? Ideally we would move this trip to June 2021 but I assume these flights aren't available to book yet. I know it is usually possible to move an Avios booking for £35, so would we be able to do this once the flights become available or is this going to be tricky given the timings?
BA have now emailed to say we can cancel the booking and receive a voucher to use on future bookings. But I am confused as to what this voucher will be - will it be a cash value equivalent to the cash value of the flights we hold, or simply a voucher saying we have (e.g.) 20,000 avios, a companion voucher and £1000 cash to use in future?
Do I have any other options i.e. swapping this directly to an equivalent flight next year? Ideally we would move this trip to June 2021 but I assume these flights aren't available to book yet. I know it is usually possible to move an Avios booking for £35, so would we be able to do this once the flights become available or is this going to be tricky given the timings?
- eVouchers
- rebook on the same routes (some variations would also be allowed such as swapping IAH for MSY)
- full refund - I am assuming that at least one of your flights will be cancelled and neither Nashville nor New Orleans can accept international flights at the moment.
- mostly refund - being an Avios booking you can cancel for the £35 redeposit fee and do that now, if you want the certainty.
Rebook and eVouchers are essentially a nuance on each other, but yes, you can now simply rebook for the same trip on another date within 355 days - you just need space in the cabin and on those routes that should be relatively easy. If you want to book beyond this then you can go for the eVoucher instead which allows travel until 2022 and can be used on other routes or BA Holidays. It's not really a voucher, which has confused a lot of people, it's retaining the payment in a wrapper, which can then be redeployed to the same value as you spent. So in your case it's a mix of cash, Avios and a 2-4-1. This is more flexible than a rebook on one level, but as things stand you may need Avios availability for the period from May 2021 to April 2022, whereas a rebook you just need space in the cabin. Strictly speaking a refund is the most flexible, the 2-4-1 would be extended 6 months if necessary but then you have to find Avios space, not currently very difficult.
You don't need to decide right now, you have until 24 hours before departure before you have to make a decision. If a date in early June 2021 would work as a rebooking date then you can leave it until you are within 355 days of the departure date and thus it is in the schedule. The only small risk I can think of is if the policy changes again for some reason, but you should be OK for a few weeks, BA isn't that nimble.
Apr 28, 2020, 5:48 am
#1827
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Hamburg
Programs: BA Bronze, LH
Posts: 9
I hope I haven't made a mistake now in claiming my voucher, as I see I need to phone BA in order to activate it. Wouldn't it be easier for BA to issue a voucher code to redeem on their website, thus freeing up the telephone lines?
Apr 28, 2020, 5:59 am
#1828
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: 63,846
Yes, you do currrently need to ring BA to rebook, but I can't see any downside to that, particularly if you have access to Bremen. There has been talk of allowing an online booking feature, which could happen if cash values were actualised into a traditional EMD, which is the current system for this. On the other hand, having last week discovered I was advising another FTer who was on an open jaw, non-UK POS, part pay Avios, GUF and a Best Price Guarantee, all on one booking, I suspect some of the denizens of this forum will be able to defeat BA's IT prowess.
Apr 28, 2020, 7:14 am
#1829
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 120
Hope this is useful for those having originally booking with a 241 voucher based on the revised guidelines issued today.
The 241 voucher I used had an expiry of May 2021. This was automatically extended to November 2021. I am only able to rebook the outbound flight up to the revised expiry date, anything thereafter is greyed out. It does explicitly state this in a warning box.
Likewise, online rebooking is only available on a like for like basis- in my case off peak. It shows me which peak dates are available but would need to call in and 'pay the extra avios.
The 241 voucher I used had an expiry of May 2021. This was automatically extended to November 2021. I am only able to rebook the outbound flight up to the revised expiry date, anything thereafter is greyed out. It does explicitly state this in a warning box.
Likewise, online rebooking is only available on a like for like basis- in my case off peak. It shows me which peak dates are available but would need to call in and 'pay the extra avios.
Apr 28, 2020, 7:35 am
#1830
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
Hope this is useful for those having originally booking with a 241 voucher based on the revised guidelines issued today.
The 241 voucher I used had an expiry of May 2021. This was automatically extended to November 2021. I am only able to rebook the outbound flight up to the revised expiry date, anything thereafter is greyed out. It does explicitly state this in a warning box.
Likewise, online rebooking is only available on a like for like basis- in my case off peak. It shows me which peak dates are available but would need to call in and 'pay the extra avios.
The 241 voucher I used had an expiry of May 2021. This was automatically extended to November 2021. I am only able to rebook the outbound flight up to the revised expiry date, anything thereafter is greyed out. It does explicitly state this in a warning box.
Likewise, online rebooking is only available on a like for like basis- in my case off peak. It shows me which peak dates are available but would need to call in and 'pay the extra avios.
same applies to anyone with bwc voucher for an old booking that they took voucher on any extra Avios would have to be paid but amex voucher on the booking is frozen so can be used up to 30 April
but I'm really shocked you can see flights that far ahead as November 2021 as schedule only out to mod April at moment