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*
Jul 20, 2020, 11:45 am
#3106
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
Just had a LHR-BOS flight in September downgraded from F to J due to equipment swap. I don't want to go and was hoping for some legs to be cancelled for a refund rather than FTV.
Is equipment class forced downgrade something BA will honour a cash refund for at the moment, or would I only be eligible for the standard downgrade compensation (if I chose to fly) and not a cancellation?
Is equipment class forced downgrade something BA will honour a cash refund for at the moment, or would I only be eligible for the standard downgrade compensation (if I chose to fly) and not a cancellation?
Jul 20, 2020, 11:49 am
#3107
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,811
The complete holidays terms and conditions for the Book With Confidence policy:
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...clickpage=HOME
- To make a date change only to an existing booking please call 0800 727 800 (freephone) from the UK. If calling from outside the UK please visit the Contact Us page. To apply for a voucher, which enables the flexibility to change your whole booking (destination, dates etc), please complete the form here.
- Applies to existing bookings made prior to 3 Mar 2020 for travel between 14 March 2020 and 31 August 2020.
- Applies to new bookings made between 3 March and 31 August 2020 for travel that is due to be completed by 30 April 2021.
- If your holiday includes a non-changeable hotel and/or experience product and you wish to make a date change or apply for a voucher, the value of your original flights will be credited towards this. The amount paid for your original non-changeable hotel and/or experience reservation will be forfeited.
- If booking after 11 June 2020 date changes must be made, or vouchers requested a minimum of three weeks before the original departure date. If you booked a package between 3 March and 11 June 2020 for travel up to 31 December 2020 48 hours’ notice applies and if travelling between 1 January and 30 April 2021 three weeks’ notice applies.
- Any voucher issued must be used for bookings with travel completed by 30 April 2022.
- Applies to holiday bookings based on British Airways or British Airways codeshare flights only, holidays including flights on other airlines may be subject to change fees.
- If there is a difference in price from the original booking, any increase is payable by you at the time of re-booking and any decrease is refundable with a voucher.
- If, at the time you request a voucher, your holiday is unable to proceed due to government advice, entry restrictions in your destination and/or flight cancellation, the full value of the amount paid will be included in the voucher credit.
- The voucher provided can be used towards a new British Airways Holiday or British Airways flight only.
- Vouchers must be redeemed in accordance with the instructions detailed within your voucher confirmation.
- Vouchers are non-refundable and non-transferable. See voucher information for further details.
Jul 20, 2020, 11:57 am
#3109
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: ARN
Programs: Excecutive Club Bronze
Posts: 60
As I understand it, you can currently book a BA Holiday (flight + hotel or flight + car) and only pay a deposit and as long as you book by 31 August 2020 and travel by 30 April 2021 (this is both outbound and inbound completed) and the following is true:
- You pay only the deposit now and the balance is due 3 weeks before the holiday
- You can change the dates or destination for no change fee other than the fare difference (take notice that you need to have a flexible hotel booking although from what I have seen, most are now)
- You can choose to cancel before you depart for a Future Travel Voucher (FTV) which will be valid for travel that must be completed by 30 April 2022
- You must cancel and request the FTV at least 3 weeks before the holiday
- The FTV can be used towards either a British Airways Holiday or British Airways flight only booking
- You pay only the deposit now and the balance is due 3 weeks before the holiday
- You can change the dates or destination for no change fee other than the fare difference (take notice that you need to have a flexible hotel booking although from what I have seen, most are now)
- You can choose to cancel before you depart for a Future Travel Voucher (FTV) which will be valid for travel that must be completed by 30 April 2022
- You must cancel and request the FTV at least 3 weeks before the holiday
- The FTV can be used towards either a British Airways Holiday or British Airways flight only booking
Fantastic, that's very generous of BA.
Thank you flyers for helping
Jul 20, 2020, 12:16 pm
#3110
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Newcastle UK
Posts: 1,114
What is the minimum flight time change allowed by BA that stops a passenger requesting a refund on the full itinerary when they rebook you on another flight. My itin is NCL LHR, LHR MAD return with stopovers both ways. It's early Sep and obviously the Sep schedule has not been updated yet, so there's not going to be one flight on 31st Aug then four or five from the day after. Thanks.
Last edited by northeastflyer; Jul 20, 2020 at 12:36 pm
Jul 20, 2020, 1:02 pm
#3111
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,936
What is the minimum flight time change allowed by BA that stops a passenger requesting a refund on the full itinerary when they rebook you on another flight. My itin is NCL LHR, LHR MAD return with stopovers both ways. It's early Sep and obviously the Sep schedule has not been updated yet, so there's not going to be one flight on 31st Aug then four or five from the day after. Thanks.
Jul 20, 2020, 7:41 pm
#3112
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Beijing
Programs: SK EBG, BAEC Gold
Posts: 932
Just had a LHR-BOS flight in September downgraded from F to J due to equipment swap. I don't want to go and was hoping for some legs to be cancelled for a refund rather than FTV.
Is equipment class forced downgrade something BA will honour a cash refund for at the moment, or would I only be eligible for the standard downgrade compensation (if I chose to fly) and not a cancellation?
Is equipment class forced downgrade something BA will honour a cash refund for at the moment, or would I only be eligible for the standard downgrade compensation (if I chose to fly) and not a cancellation?
Bottom line is that until recently the answer to your question would have been "yes, you can cancel", as BA decided in the past that it was in their interest to parse a change of aircraft where there is a change in the number of cabins as a cancellation and then rebooking (thereby providing an excuse, though far from a watertight one, to avoid paying the higher EC261/2004 downgrade compensation payments).
From the thread linked below it may be the case that they now plan to take a different view. What I would suggest if you want to cancel is to at least call up and try - you may get an agent who is more familiar with the previous set of rules and who "didn't read the memo" (presuming that there was one ...).
See this thread for more details: Downgraded F-J Return leg on flight I want to cancel - Thoughts pls!
Jul 20, 2020, 10:21 pm
#3113
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,590
I have a BAH booking made in January for travel in December to Abu Dhabi. I've only paid the deposit so far with the balance due sometime in November.
Do I understand everything correctly that there doesn't appear to be any provision to cancel/amend or take a voucher for the deposit value with these booking/travel dates? The current fly with confidence voucher seems only to cover bookings made 03MAR-AUG with travel up until 31DEC. I've been made redundant and can no longer justify a Club World new year break. Quite happy to book to go to our bolt-hole in Spain with the value of the deposit if I can, otherwise will we be writing off the deposit? We definitely won't be going to Abu Dhabi.
Do I understand everything correctly that there doesn't appear to be any provision to cancel/amend or take a voucher for the deposit value with these booking/travel dates? The current fly with confidence voucher seems only to cover bookings made 03MAR-AUG with travel up until 31DEC. I've been made redundant and can no longer justify a Club World new year break. Quite happy to book to go to our bolt-hole in Spain with the value of the deposit if I can, otherwise will we be writing off the deposit? We definitely won't be going to Abu Dhabi.
Jul 21, 2020, 1:55 am
#3114
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,936
I have a BAH booking made in January for travel in December to Abu Dhabi. I've only paid the deposit so far with the balance due sometime in November.
Do I understand everything correctly that there doesn't appear to be any provision to cancel/amend or take a voucher for the deposit value with these booking/travel dates? The current fly with confidence voucher seems only to cover bookings made 03MAR-AUG with travel up until 31DEC. I've been made redundant and can no longer justify a Club World new year break. Quite happy to book to go to our bolt-hole in Spain with the value of the deposit if I can, otherwise will we be writing off the deposit? We definitely won't be going to Abu Dhabi.
Do I understand everything correctly that there doesn't appear to be any provision to cancel/amend or take a voucher for the deposit value with these booking/travel dates? The current fly with confidence voucher seems only to cover bookings made 03MAR-AUG with travel up until 31DEC. I've been made redundant and can no longer justify a Club World new year break. Quite happy to book to go to our bolt-hole in Spain with the value of the deposit if I can, otherwise will we be writing off the deposit? We definitely won't be going to Abu Dhabi.
sorry to hear your news btw.
Jul 21, 2020, 2:18 am
#3115
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,590
due to your booking & travel dates there aren’t any options for you under BWC/FTV atm. I think this may be a case of waiting to see what happens - hopefully either a cancellation later this year so you can do a refund or maybe some extension of BWC/FTV.
sorry to hear your news btw.
sorry to hear your news btw.
Jul 21, 2020, 2:24 am
#3116
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 804
I have a BAH booking made in January for travel in December to Abu Dhabi. I've only paid the deposit so far with the balance due sometime in November.
Do I understand everything correctly that there doesn't appear to be any provision to cancel/amend or take a voucher for the deposit value with these booking/travel dates? The current fly with confidence voucher seems only to cover bookings made 03MAR-AUG with travel up until 31DEC. I've been made redundant and can no longer justify a Club World new year break. Quite happy to book to go to our bolt-hole in Spain with the value of the deposit if I can, otherwise will we be writing off the deposit? We definitely won't be going to Abu Dhabi.
Do I understand everything correctly that there doesn't appear to be any provision to cancel/amend or take a voucher for the deposit value with these booking/travel dates? The current fly with confidence voucher seems only to cover bookings made 03MAR-AUG with travel up until 31DEC. I've been made redundant and can no longer justify a Club World new year break. Quite happy to book to go to our bolt-hole in Spain with the value of the deposit if I can, otherwise will we be writing off the deposit? We definitely won't be going to Abu Dhabi.
In relation to the BA holiday booking, your only cancellation option is to ring them and cancel the holiday but you will lose your deposit. Alternatively you can wait and see if BA cancels the flight in which case your deposit will be refunded. But if the flight does go ahead, then you will be liable for the full payment 3 weeks before you go. Unfortunately the current FTV is only being issued for flights / holidays till end of August currently.
I had a BA holiday in September which I had to cancel but I lost my deposit of £150 which I knew. Hope that helps.
Jul 21, 2020, 2:33 am
#3117
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,590
Sorry to hear about your job.
In relation to the BA holiday booking, your only cancellation option is to ring them and cancel the holiday but you will lose your deposit. Alternatively you can wait and see if BA cancels the flight in which case your deposit will be refunded. But if the flight does go ahead, then you will be liable for the full payment 3 weeks before you go. Unfortunately the current FTV is only being issued for flights / holidays till end of August currently.
I had a BA holiday in September which I had to cancel but I lost my deposit of £150 which I knew. Hope that helps.
In relation to the BA holiday booking, your only cancellation option is to ring them and cancel the holiday but you will lose your deposit. Alternatively you can wait and see if BA cancels the flight in which case your deposit will be refunded. But if the flight does go ahead, then you will be liable for the full payment 3 weeks before you go. Unfortunately the current FTV is only being issued for flights / holidays till end of August currently.
I had a BA holiday in September which I had to cancel but I lost my deposit of £150 which I knew. Hope that helps.
Thanks for clarifying the scenario, all the best 👍
Jul 21, 2020, 3:19 am
#3118
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: BHX
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 162
What seems to have happened here is that BA have used a recent policy change in respect of Avios bookings and used it on your UuA. The policy change was because irrepective of cancellation status, people can cancel their Avios redemption (and UuA) up to 24 hours before cancellation anyway, so many found themselves with FTVs which were more applicable for commercial flights, with restricted tickets, which were at that point still operating. Redemption and UuA always had a refund flexibility.
The essential argument is that only those who asked for FTVs got them. In this thread there are only 2 cases of people who believe they did not claim the FTV but got one anyway, hence the policy change relates more to those who applied for FTVs by mistake. If you are totally certain that you did not apply for the FTV then you have remedies in law to recover your money in full (Chargeback, Section 75 and EC261 all in play). But if you did apply for the FTV then at least that would preserve the value of booking in full. BA won't change their minds if they have reached a settled position, so if you want to take it further you need to ask BA for a "our answer will not change" letter from BA, so you can take it to CEDR or MCOL.
The essential argument is that only those who asked for FTVs got them. In this thread there are only 2 cases of people who believe they did not claim the FTV but got one anyway, hence the policy change relates more to those who applied for FTVs by mistake. If you are totally certain that you did not apply for the FTV then you have remedies in law to recover your money in full (Chargeback, Section 75 and EC261 all in play). But if you did apply for the FTV then at least that would preserve the value of booking in full. BA won't change their minds if they have reached a settled position, so if you want to take it further you need to ask BA for a "our answer will not change" letter from BA, so you can take it to CEDR or MCOL.
I've checked your booking and can see that you're not eligible for a refund. I'd like to inform you that refund only applies to redemption bookings - it does not apply to any commercial bookings, including Part Pay with Avios on Commercial (CAAV) or where Avios have been used to upgrade a commercial ticket.
So I guess this is in line with the recent policy change you referred to CWS? Seems strange they can retrospectively change a policy, send me a voucher without it being requested, send me an email saying I will get a refund minus the fees, and now an email saying I can't get a refund! Not a sparkling example of customer service (or even knowing other body parts from elbows 😁 )
I assume I now have two options:
1. Give in, let them keep my money and re-book my next post-Covid holiday/flight with BA, accepting I'm limited to one company instead of the whole market;
2. Request the 'our answer will not change letter' and file a claim through Section 75/CEDR/MCOL
With the former, does that mean I have a 'voucher' of £2.1k+c.70k Avios, or are the avios converted to £ (and at what rate)? If the latter, would I lose the c.70k Avios in the event of a positive ruling/claim?
Jul 21, 2020, 3:25 am
#3119
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: AB BA Waterloo Mama Mia
Posts: 1,147
I believe I may have asked this before (apologies). Has anyone had a cancelled flight re booked with another non One World carrier where there are repeated cancellations of your itinerary?
Jul 21, 2020, 3:33 am
#3120
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: 63,769
1. Give in, let them keep my money and re-book my next post-Covid holiday/flight with BA, accepting I'm limited to one company instead of the whole market;
2. Request the 'our answer will not change letter' and file a claim through Section 75/CEDR/MCOL
With the former, does that mean I have a 'voucher' of £2.1k+c.70k Avios, or are the avios converted to £ (and at what rate)? If the latter, would I lose the c.70k Avios in the event of a positive ruling/claim?
2. Request the 'our answer will not change letter' and file a claim through Section 75/CEDR/MCOL
With the former, does that mean I have a 'voucher' of £2.1k+c.70k Avios, or are the avios converted to £ (and at what rate)? If the latter, would I lose the c.70k Avios in the event of a positive ruling/claim?