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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
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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 9, 2020, 4:41 pm
  #2131  
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Mucci, BAEC Silver, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 1,038
Originally Posted by Hawk777
Right now would be a very good time to call 0 calls in the queue
many thanks, called to refund 2 bookings for the end of May and got straight through.
Akoz is offline  
Old May 10, 2020, 3:24 am
  #2132  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Sheffield, UK
Programs: Virgin Flying Club
Posts: 82
Is there anything we can do?

Hi all

Think I’m having a bit of a corona wobble. We have our first F booked to Haneda at the end of September. For us, this is our first first and a pricey ‘trip of a lifetime’.

I know we say we don’t know what will happen by then, but it feels like even if we go we have a high chance the experience won’t be the same - from the flight itself, lounge/no lounge, to when we get there. We’ve paid for the flights for that ‘First’ experience as part of our trip. Currently you have to self isolate for 14 days so who knows if this will lift.

We booked back in early January with cash on standard first tickets. Is there anything we can do at this point to change our flights? We want to go, but this year just doesn’t feel like it will deliver the experience we want. I’d even take a voucher but I’m not sure we can do anything for September at this point and I’ve got mounting fear that they may keep us flying when we have no chance of an experience when we get there (which may or may not be unfounded).
Malli1 is offline  
Old May 10, 2020, 4:07 am
  #2133  
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: 63,804
Originally Posted by Malli1
Think I’m having a bit of a corona wobble. We have our first F booked to Haneda at the end of September. For us, this is our first first and a pricey ‘trip of a lifetime’.
I think the advice that almost all of the regulars are saying would apply here: leave this until late August and then review the situation. Because you booked in January you don't currently appear to quality for Buy with Confidence, the current applicable horizon for you is 31 July, so there wouldn't be anything other than standard penalties which would apply to any changes at the moment. But as we get nearer to July / August then hopefully the policy will adapt to the circumstances.
corporate-wage-slave is online now  
Old May 10, 2020, 7:48 am
  #2134  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: Marriott Titanium
Posts: 461
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
Yes, I would give it a few hours or overnight, then call if you are still blocked. You can check the timetable on BA.com to see what is still down to operate:
ba.com/schedules
Thanks. Just to say it remained blocked online but did get rebooked by a very pleasant agent on Friday morning. Perhaps because there was an infant in the booking.

another question - I have a separate Avios booking in June that has been cancelled. Will I be entitled to rebook it to an alternative date after the initial date of the cancelled flight?
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Old May 10, 2020, 8:57 am
  #2135  
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: 63,804
Originally Posted by jamesie_version1
another question - I have a separate Avios booking in June that has been cancelled. Will I be entitled to rebook it to an alternative date after the initial date of the cancelled flight?
Yes, upto a year after you made the initial reservation.
jamesie_version1 likes this.
corporate-wage-slave is online now  
Old May 10, 2020, 9:38 am
  #2136  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Aspen, CO
Posts: 792
How long do refunds usually take to process? It has been five weeks since I have cancelled my flight (due to route being suspended during travel date.)
Gino Troian is offline  
Old May 10, 2020, 9:50 am
  #2137  
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: 63,804
Originally Posted by Gino Troian
How long do refunds usually take to process? It has been five weeks since I have cancelled my flight (due to route being suspended during travel date.)
Complicated ones are taking many weeks, simple ones go through in a few hours / days. After a couple of weeks reach out to the BA Refund Helper as mentioned upthread.
corporate-wage-slave is online now  
Old May 10, 2020, 10:43 am
  #2138  
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Aspen, CO
Posts: 792
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
Complicated ones are taking many weeks, simple ones go through in a few hours / days. After a couple of weeks reach out to the BA Refund Helper as mentioned upthread.
Thank you very much, CWS!
Gino Troian is offline  
Old May 10, 2020, 1:02 pm
  #2139  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,847
I managed to get through immediately today (called 1-877-767-7970) from Canada.

My canceled Avios bookings were just a plane change, but i still managed to get all of my Avios and taxes back without penalty. The agent had to do the cancelations and points refund manually. She said my taxes will take up to 6 weeks to be refunded.
pokee is offline  
Old May 11, 2020, 3:47 am
  #2140  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Marske UK; Limerick, Ireland; KL, Malaysia
Programs: BA Gold, Amex Plat
Posts: 48
Wife's flight KUL-LHR cancelled. Wasted days trying to get through to request refund.

Both tried it from 8am today, cuts out after 90s. When one of us is calling and the other tries gets engaged tone. So it looks like a single phone line which was not answered once 7.55am - 9am UK time (back to back serial calls).

Tried Twitter as saw DMs being 'offered'. Wouldn't deal with me so my wife sent a DM - said they'd pass her over to an agent. 90m later still waiting despite reminders. She then made her first ever Tweet to complain about this.

We are both BA Exec Gold - am I right in thinking it's a waste of time trying the Gold line?

What happens if we don't get through before the date of her cancelled flight 18 May, do we have to accept a voucher?

Grateful for any advice.

Thanks, Mike
Mike Larvin is offline  
Old May 11, 2020, 4:07 am
  #2141  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
Originally Posted by Mike Larvin
Wife's flight KUL-LHR cancelled. Wasted days trying to get through to request refund.

Both tried it from 8am today, cuts out after 90s. When one of us is calling and the other tries gets engaged tone. So it looks like a single phone line which was not answered once 7.55am - 9am UK time (back to back serial calls).

Tried Twitter as saw DMs being 'offered'. Wouldn't deal with me so my wife sent a DM - said they'd pass her over to an agent. 90m later still waiting despite reminders. She then made her first ever Tweet to complain about this.

We are both BA Exec Gold - am I right in thinking it's a waste of time trying the Gold line?

What happens if we don't get through before the date of her cancelled flight 18 May, do we have to accept a voucher?

Grateful for any advice.

Thanks, Mike
You have up to 6 years to claim your refund so don't stress. Try calling after 7pm, lines seem to be quieter then.

Gold line works too, maybe try via Skype if not working from your mobile.
flashware is offline  
Old May 11, 2020, 4:12 am
  #2142  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA EC Gold
Posts: 214
Originally Posted by Keystone
A datapoint for those with BA holidays.

Had a BA Holiday, flight + car, booked for ABZ>LHR>DEN return leaving 2 June. £350 deposit paid.

Balance would normally be at 5 week before depart – 28 April, but all BA holidays bookings now have a 3 week before depart balance due.

Thu 30 April: email saying return LHR>ABZ cancelled and they would be in touch to discuss options

Tue 5 May: email saying whole holiday cancelled and they would refund deposit to original credit card

(saw on expertflyer that 2 June LHR>DEN flight had been zeroed out, was cancelled following day)

Fri 8 May: Money back in Amex account

Excellent service from BA Holidays (as usual).
Thank you for posting this. Our BA holiday to Corfu in mid June is heading the same way sadly.
Both flights have now been cancelled and the 'we'll be in touch to discuss options' message received. The balance was originally due last Friday before the 3 week rule came in to play.
So far I haven't received any further communication so I was preparing to try and call-in, however your timeline has given me some confidence that it will get processed automatically. Hopefully before the 3 week balance-due date.
dca100 is offline  
Old May 11, 2020, 4:36 am
  #2143  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: BAEC Gold/ Skywards Gold/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 83
Trying to go into "manage my booking" for booking to ATL next month that's just been cancelled. All I get is a blank page on every device....is this a common problem. Apologies in advance if already been answered
muskysman is offline  
Old May 11, 2020, 4:42 am
  #2144  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 61
Originally Posted by muskysman
Trying to go into "manage my booking" for booking to ATL next month that's just been cancelled. All I get is a blank page on every device....is this a common problem. Apologies in advance if already been answered

I'm getting the same problem
GLAFlyer is offline  
Old May 11, 2020, 4:51 am
  #2145  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,839
Originally Posted by muskysman
Trying to go into "manage my booking" for booking to ATL next month that's just been cancelled. All I get is a blank page on every device....is this a common problem. Apologies in advance if already been answered
Originally Posted by GLAFlyer
I'm getting the same problem
Ditto. Tried all devices, different bookings, different browsers, cleared cookies etc.
Kgmm77 is offline  


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