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*
Jun 5, 2020, 1:25 pm
#2641
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,990
Weird situation I'm in, and looking through other threads I believe I have most of the information.
I had an F ticket booked through my TA, on BA (3/4 segments on BA, 1/4 on AA), my first segment was cancelled and I called my TA to initiate the refund. I received it almost two months later, but that is another issue. My refund was the cost of my ticket less $200, but there was no line item on the invoice as to why. I called my TA and they said since I had changed my ticket prior, the one time change was waived, and this is where the $200 charge is coming from. Now, the first change was before all the waivers in Jan/Feb, and was because an aircraft change had downgraded me to J, I called the TA and asked to be moved to a later flight due to the downgrade, to my originally booked cabin. (This i believe is in my rights due to EU-261/BA?). The BA flight segment cancellation was again, involuntary, and per DOT rules, (and EU-261?) I was entitled to a full refund. Am I incorrect to question them charging me the $200 on the refund since it was my "2nd" change, even though both were involuntary changes and covered (unsure about downgrade) by local laws?
I had an F ticket booked through my TA, on BA (3/4 segments on BA, 1/4 on AA), my first segment was cancelled and I called my TA to initiate the refund. I received it almost two months later, but that is another issue. My refund was the cost of my ticket less $200, but there was no line item on the invoice as to why. I called my TA and they said since I had changed my ticket prior, the one time change was waived, and this is where the $200 charge is coming from. Now, the first change was before all the waivers in Jan/Feb, and was because an aircraft change had downgraded me to J, I called the TA and asked to be moved to a later flight due to the downgrade, to my originally booked cabin. (This i believe is in my rights due to EU-261/BA?). The BA flight segment cancellation was again, involuntary, and per DOT rules, (and EU-261?) I was entitled to a full refund. Am I incorrect to question them charging me the $200 on the refund since it was my "2nd" change, even though both were involuntary changes and covered (unsure about downgrade) by local laws?
once your flight was cancelled you are entitled to a full refund - again there shouldn’t be any fees required by ba for this.
Jun 5, 2020, 4:52 pm
#2642
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 423
Hello,
I rebooked my flights to Kalamata online as it was cancelled.
It was very easy.
But the flight 2 days later is still not ticketed and I can not Manage the booking.
any advice?
I rebooked my flights to Kalamata online as it was cancelled.
It was very easy.
But the flight 2 days later is still not ticketed and I can not Manage the booking.
any advice?
Jun 5, 2020, 5:02 pm
#2643
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: 63,850
That's a bit unusual, if you can make online changes they usually work through to ticket issue immediately or within a few hours. I presume you want to pay and/or select seats, which you can do by calling up. Usually trying to force ticketing (on manually amended tickets) needs you to either have hefty status or to be travelling within a few days. I guess if you think your flight isn't too busy and you don't want to call, the other option is simply to wait. Some people have suggested using Royal Jordanian's MMB but I'm mot convinced this is always reliable.
Jun 6, 2020, 10:58 am
#2644
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,440
If I book a BA Holidays package to somewhere and the route gets cancelled, what would be my options?
Could I get the flights and hotel moved to another city within 300 miles for free?
Could I get the flights and hotel moved to another city within 300 miles for free?
Jun 6, 2020, 12:03 pm
#2645
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 907
Hi all,
Looking for your advice!
I am on a JFK-LHR, then MAN-LHR-IAD early July with a three day turnaround. All with BA on a 125 ticket.
This was booked before the UK 14-day quarantine when my intention was to travel at will from London to Manchester. That is no longer appropriate given 14-day quarantine requirements. Instead, I aim to self-quarantine near London and head back directly to the airport mid-quarantine to leave the UK as is allowed by the rules.
Do you think if I phone them up that BA would allow me to drop the MAN-LHR leg given that traveling up to MAN would break quarantine rules as it would be an indirect journey to an airport? Do you think there would be a charge? I’ve checked my flights and none of them seem like there is a plan to cancel the, based on the current schedules out into place for July- and the booking fare class availability for those planes (Other flights the same day with the same destinations are cancelled so I think I just happened to pick those that will fly with the consolidated schedule as it stands).
P.S. I am dual UK/US citizen In case anybody got worried about US immigration entry requirements
Looking for your advice!
I am on a JFK-LHR, then MAN-LHR-IAD early July with a three day turnaround. All with BA on a 125 ticket.
This was booked before the UK 14-day quarantine when my intention was to travel at will from London to Manchester. That is no longer appropriate given 14-day quarantine requirements. Instead, I aim to self-quarantine near London and head back directly to the airport mid-quarantine to leave the UK as is allowed by the rules.
Do you think if I phone them up that BA would allow me to drop the MAN-LHR leg given that traveling up to MAN would break quarantine rules as it would be an indirect journey to an airport? Do you think there would be a charge? I’ve checked my flights and none of them seem like there is a plan to cancel the, based on the current schedules out into place for July- and the booking fare class availability for those planes (Other flights the same day with the same destinations are cancelled so I think I just happened to pick those that will fly with the consolidated schedule as it stands).
P.S. I am dual UK/US citizen In case anybody got worried about US immigration entry requirements
Jun 6, 2020, 12:39 pm
#2646
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: 63,850
Having said that, and in the absence of precise dates, it would seem quite possible that the MAN-LHR leg would be cancelled or re-timed at some point in the next few weeks, ditto the USA leg. If the flights do operate as planned and you didn't start from MAN you better look to your FTV or refund options, depending on the fare rules.
Jun 7, 2020, 2:01 am
#2647
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: BA GGL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 302
I have a BA itinerary on July2/3 that includes an Iberia flight IB6317. The Iberia flight is still bookable at Iberia.com, has normal availability on expert flyer but is showing as cancelled in MMB. The IB6327 leg has red text/strikethrough with CANCELLED" as status. The route also appears still bookable in BA.com as well.
Anybody have any idea why my booking for it contradicts with all other current status info I can see?
Anybody have any idea why my booking for it contradicts with all other current status info I can see?
Jun 7, 2020, 2:06 am
#2648
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: 63,850
I have a BA itinerary on July2/3 that includes an Iberia flight IB6317. The Iberia flight is still bookable at Iberia.com, has normal availability on expert flyer but is showing as cancelled in MMB. The IB6327 leg has red text/strikethrough with CANCELLED" as status. The route also appears still bookable in BA.com as well.
Anybody have any idea why my booking for it contradicts with all other current status info I can see?
Anybody have any idea why my booking for it contradicts with all other current status info I can see?
Jun 7, 2020, 2:48 am
#2649
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: BA GFL
Posts: 21
Changing Destination and Booking for next Summer
Good morning.
does anyone have any tips for extending Avios redemption bookings out to next summer,
other than FTV?
also what are the rules on changing destination on an Avios booking from say Miami to St Lucia, for example
thank you.
does anyone have any tips for extending Avios redemption bookings out to next summer,
other than FTV?
also what are the rules on changing destination on an Avios booking from say Miami to St Lucia, for example
thank you.
Jun 7, 2020, 2:54 am
#2650
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: 63,850
If you are changing destinations in a fundamental way like that, you are in FTV territory. You are also in FTV territory if you want to travel a year after you initially booked. If your flight is cancelled, then you also have the refund option, and even if your flight is not cancelled your loss on an Avios booking is capped at £35 per person if cancelled. If you get a refund then you preserve your options better than an FTV in most respects, and while UVF is one of the more tricky places to get redemptions outside of World Traveller, it's not completely impossible, there are viable dates available now in May 2021 in CW.
Jun 7, 2020, 8:03 am
#2651
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Newcastle/London & Worldwide
Programs: BAEC Gold, Virgin Flying Club Silver
Posts: 818
Just booking some flights earlier to TLV and I noticed there was a button on the payment screen for 'e voucher' - is this referring to the FTV? If so what number would I enter - the booking reference? I have multiple vouchers - some with the 125 numbers and others that just say 'quote the booking reference'.
Apologies if this has already been asked - I didnt see it upthread.
Apologies if this has already been asked - I didnt see it upthread.
Jun 7, 2020, 8:09 am
#2652
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,990
Just booking some flights earlier to TLV and I noticed there was a button on the payment screen for 'e voucher' - is this referring to the FTV? If so what number would I enter - the booking reference? I have multiple vouchers - some with the 125 numbers and others that just say 'quote the booking reference'.
Apologies if this has already been asked - I didnt see it upthread.
Apologies if this has already been asked - I didnt see it upthread.
Jun 7, 2020, 8:51 am
#2653
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: San Francisco (Marin County), CA
Programs: UA Global Services, AA Lifetime ExecPlat, LH HON Circle, SQ PPS Solitaire, Hyatt Courtesy Card
Posts: 3,002
Hi, and sorry if I missed this somewhere above. I am on BA 286/287 next week, and paid for 5x first class tickets (non-refundable). The flight was downgraded to 787, no first class. They have rebooked us in Club World. I want to simply cancel (well, ideally, I'd take a date change for next summer since this was a terrific rate, but since +330, I guess that is impossible). I can't find any information about my rights for a downgrade situation specifically. Does anyone know the rule on this?
Also, any advice for the best way to contact them? Is there some special number for first class to use? Thanks in advance.
Also, any advice for the best way to contact them? Is there some special number for first class to use? Thanks in advance.
Jun 7, 2020, 10:04 am
#2654
Join Date: Oct 2018
Programs: BA GGL, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 302
My guess is that the codeshare got cancelled and perhaps reinstated, and Reaccom hasn't worked it out. Iberia operates its GDS in a fundamentally different way to BA and sometimes Altéa can't join all the dots. By all means get BA to revalidate the ticket, it would probably clear this out.
Jun 7, 2020, 11:30 am
#2655
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: 63,850
Hi, and sorry if I missed this somewhere above. I am on BA 286/287 next week, and paid for 5x first class tickets (non-refundable). The flight was downgraded to 787, no first class. They have rebooked us in Club World. I want to simply cancel (well, ideally, I'd take a date change for next summer since this was a terrific rate, but since +330, I guess that is impossible). I can't find any information about my rights for a downgrade situation specifically. Does anyone know the rule on this?
.
.