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Covid-19 BA Rebooking/Cancellation/Refund HELP & ADVICE *No Speculation etc*

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Old Mar 14, 2020, 4:58 pm
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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:
  • 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.

Paid Seating Refund:
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.
How to find out the status of your voucher and the amount it contains Future Travel Vouchers versus eVouchers
  • See posts 3052 and 3151 to understand the difference. FTVs cannot be used online (and are not really vouchers), whereas eVouchers, issued for simple bookings, can be used online.
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Covid-19 BA Rebooking/Cancellation/Refund HELP & ADVICE *No Speculation etc*

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Old May 7, 2020, 12:35 pm
  #2086  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
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Originally Posted by greenchicken
Thanks, good tips. I'm not completely clear on whether they are likely to let me change to Atlanta, is there any fixed rule about this or does it depend on the agent?

If not it sounds like Nashville is a good experience anyway.
It used to be 300 miles in the Standard Customer Guidelines, known as Option 7 so that isn't agent specific, but at the moment you are allowed to change to any airport in North America, due to so many cancellations. There is some flexibility on the mileage, 300 doesn't go very far in Canada....
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Old May 7, 2020, 12:43 pm
  #2087  
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 148
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
It used to be 300 miles in the Standard Customer Guidelines, known as Option 7 so that isn't agent specific, but at the moment you are allowed to change to any airport in North America, due to so many cancellations. There is some flexibility on the mileage, 300 doesn't go very far in Canada....
Good to know thanks. Though unless they are very flexible with the rebooking window, I think I need to do a refund/voucher anyway so I guess I'll be starting from scratch.
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Old May 7, 2020, 2:31 pm
  #2088  
 
Join Date: May 2015
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As if by magic, new availability opened up to Asia this afternoon. Had to reverse itinerary, but A380 both ways (yay). Just reserved seats and there was no one else in the F Cabin, so BA are not releasing F seats on every flight it would seem, and they really COULD be reaccommodating people more than they are. I'm happy with my resolution, but it was just chance checking.
This said there was a slight difference in Avios (against me) which BA waived, so that WAS nice of them.
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Old May 7, 2020, 3:54 pm
  #2089  
 
Join Date: May 2020
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Question Refund for Change Fees

Last August 2019, I booked two non-refundable round-trip tickets in Club World from Denver to London. In October of 2019 I was offered to upgrade to First Class and did so for an additional amount that included Tax/Fee/Charge of $1031.64.

The flight from the USA to London was cancelled yesterday and this morning I requested a refund via the BA toll free line. The BA representative told me that BA would refund all of the amount except $1000. She explained that the $1000 was a change fee that was charged to me for upgrading both tickets to First Class from Club World back in October 2019.

My e-receipt does show a fee of $1034.89 for taxes/fees/charges, in addition to the cost to upgrade. Is BA allowed to keep the $1000?

I thought that under the US DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION rules that if a carrier cancels a flight, the passenger is entitled to a full refund of costs regardless of the fact that it was a non-refundable ticket purchase.
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Old May 7, 2020, 4:44 pm
  #2090  
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Originally Posted by Lorewisp
My e-receipt does show a fee of $1034.89 for taxes/fees/charges, in addition to the cost to upgrade. Is BA allowed to keep the $1000?

I thought that under the US DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION rules that if a carrier cancels a flight, the passenger is entitled to a full refund of costs regardless of the fact that it was a non-refundable ticket purchase.
This has come up a few times recently, and among FTers there is a debate as to whether the change fee should be refunded or not. I'm not aware of the DOT detailed requirements in this space, but from an EC261 perspective both sides can be reasonably argued. That said, BA's policy is that a Change Fee was a facility that allowed you to make changes to an inflexible ticket, which you got, and so they don't refund change fees unless it was a special priced upgrade (POUG). Your upgrade was just a change of plan on your part and had you bought a flexible ticket or First in the first instance you would have got the full amount back. I would guess you disagree with that policy, for example you would not have made that change had you known that even if BA cancel the service you don't get it back, but BA won't be budging on this, so you'd have to look to either DOT or the small claims process to get the change fee refunded.
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Old May 7, 2020, 11:03 pm
  #2091  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 13
A week to go and flight still scheduled ?

We have a BA holiday to Washington via Dublin a week Monday and it's still showing in manage my booking, I've checked the Aer Lingus website and it's not showing.

Its really frustrating as they clearly aren't operating the flight, Are they hoping I cancel so they can keep the deposit?
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Old May 7, 2020, 11:42 pm
  #2092  
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Originally Posted by finchy165
We have a BA holiday to Washington via Dublin a week Monday and it's still showing in manage my booking, I've checked the Aer Lingus website and it's not showing.

Its really frustrating as they clearly aren't operating the flight, Are they hoping I cancel so they can keep the deposit?
There is an active daily service to Washington Dulles ( IAD ) - BA217/216 operates daily.

Plus, Dublin flights also operate with a reduced schedule.

It’s likely that your flights aren’t cancelled.
If you write us the flight numbers and the dates, we can check the status of your flight.
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Old May 8, 2020, 12:19 am
  #2093  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,015
BA holiday booking: if the flight is operating but due to destination country e.g Singapore not allowing short term visitors, would I be able to get full refund? Or would BA insist on voucher?

Thanks.
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Old May 8, 2020, 12:19 am
  #2094  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 13
The flights we are due to go on are:
Bhx-Dub 18th May 0810 BA2013
Dub-Iad 18th May 1235 BA6141

All flown by Aer Lingua

Thank you
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Old May 8, 2020, 1:09 am
  #2095  
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Originally Posted by CatchThePigeon
BA holiday booking: if the flight is operating but due to destination country e.g Singapore not allowing short term visitors, would I be able to get full refund? Or would BA insist on voucher?

Thanks.
If the flight operates and you are not allowed to fly due to government restrictions, you would not have the right to a full refund.
You would simply be denied boarding from the flight because you would not have the valid documents for travel.

Your best bet would be to wait until 24-48 hours before the flight, wait for a cancellation, if not canceled, convert it to a voucher.

Originally Posted by finchy165
The flights we are due to go on are:
Bhx-Dub 18th May 0810 BA2013
Dub-Iad 18th May 1235 BA6141

All flown by Aer Lingua

Thank you
Both flights seem to operate and still available for sale.
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Old May 8, 2020, 1:43 am
  #2096  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,015
[QUOTE=ISTFlyer;32358025]If the flight operates and you are not allowed to fly due to government restrictions, you would not have the right to a full refund.
You would simply be denied boarding from the flight because you would not have the valid documents for travel.

Your best bet would be to wait until 24-48 hours before the flight, wait for a cancellation, if not canceled, convert it to a voucher. [QUOTE]


Thanks. That's put me off making a BA Holiday booking even for 2021. Looking ahead, it's far more likely that while flights will operate it will be destination government restrictions that will prevent folk being able to fly.
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Old May 8, 2020, 1:49 am
  #2097  
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to be fair in normal times if the flight wasn't cancelled but you didn't want to travel you would only get some taxes and fees back usually. Under the current policy you would get a voucher at least so the total value of what you paid is available to book future travel.
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Old May 8, 2020, 1:54 am
  #2098  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Originally Posted by finchy165
We have a BA holiday to Washington via Dublin a week Monday and it's still showing in manage my booking, I've checked the Aer Lingus website and it's not showing.

Its really frustrating as they clearly aren't operating the flight, Are they hoping I cancel so they can keep the deposit?
I would call BA Holidays. Because of the EI link, it may be that they haven't got your booking on their usual radars. The FTV voucher should be offered, but assuming this is an Inclusive Package holiday (and not flight booked then hotels) a different set of rules and laws will apply and some relates to whether it is feasible to have a holiday in Washington (presumably DC) at the moment. I was working in DC recently and it was a ghost town then and will have become even more so in the last few days.

Originally Posted by CatchThePigeon
BA holiday booking: if the flight is operating but due to destination country e.g Singapore not allowing short term visitors, would I be able to get full refund? Or would BA insist on voucher?
Similar answer. If a flight ioperates and you take advantage of Buy with Confidence your three options are FTV or a voluntary refund or a voluntary rebook. Depending on various factors the second and third options are likely to be unattractive. However Inclusive Package arrangements sold by BA Holidays have a wider set of consumer protections. Usually BA Holidays have been cancelling Inclusives around 24 days to departure, and refunding proactively. If you get close to that time and have heard nothing then you best call BA Holidays to see if they will refund.

The worst case scenario here is that strictly speaking you may be on the hook for inflexible hotel reservations, but the main hotel providers have waived that too, at least for the time being. As places emerge from lockdown then this may change but this is going to take some weeks / months.
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Last edited by corporate-wage-slave; May 8, 2020 at 2:00 am
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Old May 8, 2020, 2:01 am
  #2099  
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 335
CWS are you saying my BA holiday mid June (outbound flight segments have been cancelled) will be cancelled and refunded without me contacting them to say that is my preferred option? If that is not the case what is the best contact number for BA holidays as I am confused? I am silver currently.
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Old May 8, 2020, 2:05 am
  #2100  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
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Originally Posted by Jerseylily2
What is the best contact number for BA holidays as I am confused? I am silver currently.
The usual main number and there should be an option in the IVR for BA Holidays. This is an easy URL to remember:
ba.com/contact
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