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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 Jul 23, 2020, 8:59 am
  #3151  
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: 63,766
Further to my earlier post 3052 about how FTVs are turning into a version of EMDs, which allow for online / self serve rebooking:

Today, and I did nothing to prompt this, I got the following email about an unrelated FTV sitting around for some time (March 2020 to be slightly more accurate):

Originally Posted by British Airways

We’ve replaced your future travel voucher


Dear Mr CWS,

Good news. We’ve replaced your future travel voucher with a new eVoucher you can use on ba.com.

Why have we replaced your voucher?
To make it quicker and easier for you to make a booking. The future travel voucher we sent you doesn't work on ba.com and you could only use it by calling us.

This new eVoucher has exactly the same value as your previous future travel voucher.

Your new eVoucher details
125-4200123456 / GBP166.13 / CWS / [email protected]

You can use this eVoucher to pay or part-pay for a new booking online. We’ll give you another eVoucher if you don’t use its full value.

Flights booked using your eVoucher must be completed by 30 April 2022. View our frequently asked questions for more information.

What happens to your previous future travel voucher?
Please disregard your future travel voucher email. Simply use the eVoucher details above to make a booking.

How to use your eVoucher
When you're ready to book, using your eVoucher couldn't be easier
  1. Find flights on ba.com
  2. Review your booking and enter your eVoucher details
  3. See your updated total and continue to payment

Where will your eVoucher take you?
You can use your eVoucher on flights to any destination, whenever you’re ready. Discover our outstanding fares and let your eVoucher take you further for less.
Search Flights
We're looking forward to welcoming you on board when the time comes.
Love and kisses

British Airways xxxx
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Last edited by corporate-wage-slave; Jul 23, 2020 at 9:35 am
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 9:07 am
  #3152  
IMH
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Gold; Accor Plat; IHG Diamond-Amb; Meliá & HH & Marriott Gold
Posts: 5,450
That will save BA and its customers a lot of phone time (unless it's only for you!).
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 9:25 am
  #3153  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Programs: Aer Lingus AerClub Concierge, BA Silver
Posts: 409
I’ve just gotten an notifications that my upcoming DUB-LHR-DUB flights are cancelled.

I’ve tried to rebook on the website and on the app and on both I get all the way through to confining my new flights and whilst I’m waiting for the confirmation, I get an error that says ‘something went wrong, please try again’.

is this a known bug? It’s very frustrating!
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 9:34 am
  #3154  
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: 63,766
Originally Posted by mrdisco
I’ve tried to rebook on the website and on the app and on both I get all the way through to confining my new flights and whilst I’m waiting for the confirmation, I get an error that says ‘something went wrong, please try again’.

is this a known bug? It’s very frustrating!
Yes, this has been seen before. It tends to break most if done on the day of the cancel notification. Leave it a few days and it may get fixed. If you have mucked around with the reservation then the module will probably never work, so a call will be needed. If it's not very urgent you best leave that for a while.
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 10:18 am
  #3155  
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC blue dust
Posts: 271
I have two separate RFS which were booked on February 27th. One is LCY-NCE on September 1st and the other is NCE-LCY on September 17th. Both dates off-peak and I went with 4000 Avios + Ł17.50 for each booking.
I was advised today of a change of time, both flights now leaving 95 minutes later than when I booked. Ideally I'd like to be able to change both dates to one day earlier, particularly the NCE-LCY as there's talks of a possible general strike in France on September 17th Am i entitled to amend the date at no cost because of the change in departure time? I know I could just cancel, get the Avios back but forfeit the cash element but I'd rather not! For some weird reason, September 16th is a peak date. Or if not entitled to a "free" change, I wouldn't mind being able to cancel as long as I get a refund of both the Avios and cash and I could just do a new cash booking for the 16th.

TIA
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 10:25 am
  #3156  
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,930
Originally Posted by Irreverent Medusa
I have two separate RFS which were booked on February 27th. One is LCY-NCE on September 1st and the other is NCE-LCY on September 17th. Both dates off-peak and I went with 4000 Avios + Ł17.50 for each booking.
I was advised today of a change of time, both flights now leaving 95 minutes later than when I booked. Ideally I'd like to be able to change both dates to one day earlier, particularly the NCE-LCY as there's talks of a possible general strike in France on September 17th Am i entitled to amend the date at no cost because of the change in departure time? I know I could just cancel, get the Avios back but forfeit the cash element but I'd rather not! For some weird reason, September 16th is a peak date. Or if not entitled to a "free" change, I wouldn't mind being able to cancel as long as I get a refund of both the Avios and cash and I could just do a new cash booking for the 16th.

TIA
No you aren't entailed to any free changes if the time change is less than 2 hours.

If you cancel it would be on normal reward terms, so as long as you do it more than 24 hours before the flight you get all the avios back, and any cash minus a Ł35 per person cancellation change. As you paid Ł17.50 cash per booking basically you wouldn't get any cash back but you would not be asked to make up the different to the Ł35 fee.
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 10:43 am
  #3157  
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: London
Programs: BAEC blue dust
Posts: 271
Originally Posted by KARFA
No you aren't entailed to any free changes if the time change is less than 2 hours.

If you cancel it would be on normal reward terms, so as long as you do it more than 24 hours before the flight you get all the avios back, and any cash minus a Ł35 per person cancellation change. As you paid Ł17.50 cash per booking basically you wouldn't get any cash back but you would not be asked to make up the different to the Ł35 fee.
Thanks for confirming. I guess I can keep my two RFS as they are but book a cash ticket NCE-LCY for the 16th in case the French strike does go ahead. If I understand correctly, that new booking (€60 so cheap enough) would then be within the "book with confidence" policy and therefore I could just get a voucher if it turns out I don't need it and cancel.
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 8:54 pm
  #3158  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: UK
Programs: BA EC
Posts: 524
I would like to cancel an avios reward booking departing mid Sept from Hong Kong to London, London to Zagreb and London to Hong Kong. All the flights are NOT cancelled. I phoned the contact centre and they said "Your avios will be on hold until you book exactly the same trip again and the tax value will be refunded as an voucher. You may received a full refund only if you pay the service charge". Is it true?
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 9:06 pm
  #3159  
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,248
Originally Posted by neofung
I would like to cancel an avios reward booking departing mid Sept from Hong Kong to London, London to Zagreb and London to Hong Kong. All the flights are NOT cancelled. I phoned the contact centre and they said "Your avios will be on hold until you book exactly the same trip again and the tax value will be refunded as an voucher. You may received a full refund only if you pay the service charge". Is it true?
Yes. If you are not GGL then there is a small fee to pay to cancel an Avios booking. It has been this way for several years now.
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Old Jul 23, 2020, 11:57 pm
  #3160  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 804
Originally Posted by neofung
I would like to cancel an avios reward booking departing mid Sept from Hong Kong to London, London to Zagreb and London to Hong Kong. All the flights are NOT cancelled. I phoned the contact centre and they said "Your avios will be on hold until you book exactly the same trip again and the tax value will be refunded as an voucher. You may received a full refund only if you pay the service charge". Is it true?
Yes, Ł35 pp for cancellations. Normally the Avios is usually in your account almost immediately and the “taxes” will be refunded to the card you paid with.
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Old Jul 24, 2020, 12:19 am
  #3161  
IMH
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Gold; Accor Plat; IHG Diamond-Amb; Meliá & HH & Marriott Gold
Posts: 5,450
Alternatively, neofung could wait until a week or two before their trip is due to begin in mid September and get a full refund if BA has cancelled one or more of the flights.
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Old Jul 24, 2020, 1:59 am
  #3162  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: UK
Programs: BA EC
Posts: 524
Originally Posted by IMH
Alternatively, neofung could wait until a week or two before their trip is due to begin in mid September and get a full refund if BA has cancelled one or more of the flights.
They have cancelled one of the two departures from Hong Kong ... but just not mine
I am hoping the Zagreb flight to be cancelled ...
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Old Jul 24, 2020, 2:00 am
  #3163  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: UK
Programs: BA EC
Posts: 524
Originally Posted by golfmad
Yes. If you are not GGL then there is a small fee to pay to cancel an Avios booking. It has been this way for several years now.
Cash ticket can be refunded as voucher until 30 september.. i just thought reward booking is the same...
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Old Jul 24, 2020, 2:02 am
  #3164  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: E14, LON
Programs: Virtuoso TA; SELECT TA; BAEC Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond; IHG Plantinum Amb
Posts: 238
Originally Posted by neofung
Cash ticket can be refunded as voucher until 30 september.. i just thought reward booking is the same...
Yes, that's right - you can get a "Future Travel Voucher" for any flights until the end of September. The total value of the avios and cash element ("taxes") will be kept on the voucher for flight up to April 2022. I think the confusion here is that you mention the agent said it had to be used for the exact same trip - which isn't true.
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Old Jul 24, 2020, 2:08 am
  #3165  
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,930
Originally Posted by neofung
Cash ticket can be refunded as voucher until 30 september.. i just thought reward booking is the same...
Yes you can get a FTV.

Your options are:
- cancel as normal, get everything back minus the Ł35 per person cancellation fee
- get a FTV, everything will be held on the FTV (avios and cash) for making a new booking up to April 2022
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