Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > British Airways | Executive Club
Reload this Page >

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

Community
Wiki Posts
Search
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.
Print Wikipost

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

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 29, 2020, 8:40 am
  #3271  
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,945
Originally Posted by FlyingWelshie
I have an AMEX 2-4-1 voucher expiring (including the 6 month extension) this November. Realistically I will not be able to use it for a long haul flight and will probably do something short haul.

If one of the flights on the PNR are cancelled and I accept a FTV am I correct in thinking the Amex 2-4-1 will be extended by 12 months from when I made the booking, and I can re-use the 2-4-1 to a different destination?

Thanks
If you do a FTV (and subject to your booking being in the eligible date rate for one) then nothing gets refunded and everything is held on the FTV - so cash, avios, and 241. The FTV and everything in it will be available for bookings up to April 2022. You do not need a flight to be cancelled in your booking to take a FTV. You can use the FTV to book whatever BA destination you want using the 241.
KARFA is offline  
Old Jul 29, 2020, 10:26 am
  #3272  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA Blue
Posts: 1,360
I have a booking GLA-LGW-TPA-overland-MIA-LHR-GLA booked solely with avios - travelling out in Oct, back in Nov 2020. Shorthauls are in J, outbound LH is in PE and inbound LH is in J. The inbound sectors were added by phone after the outbound sectors had been booked. Return LH was originally booked in PE but agent made a total cock up and didn't actually complete the booking. When I called to query the mistake was noticed. By this time there were no PE seats available for MIA-LHR so I was put in J with no further avios being charged (I had no avios to cover the additional "cost" of upgrading to J) - I was accompanying family members who were booked on the same flight in J using a 241. So basically I have a free upgrade to J on the return LH.

Fast forward to today and I've received notice of cancellation of the GLA-LGW sector, as SHs to/from LGW have now been canx till Nov. I have a choice - refund or FTV (I don't want to travel to Florida, for obvious reasons). So to my question - if I take FTV will it only be the avios used (ie PE return) or will I get credit for the J avios for the return sector in the FTV? My own reading is that since I did not "pay" for the upgrade to J only the actual avios used will be bound up in the FTV, in which case my free upgrade is lost. If this is the case I might as well go for the refund. I'm not complaining - you never lose what you never had, but I'm just seeking confirmation, to allow me to consider my options fully. I will go with the FTV with the other (241) booking, to extend the validity of the 241.
gate4lounge is offline  
Old Jul 29, 2020, 10:52 am
  #3273  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: QF, TK, VA, SQ
Posts: 695
Our BIO-LGW flight for mid September has just been cancelled / changed from LGW to LHR. We're up in the air about whether we're able to go, depending on what happens to the quarantine situation.

I had exit row seats selected for the original flight, and they are available for the replacement, but we haven't been put in there by default.

Does anyone know, if I select seats on the new flight, does this remove my right to get a refund, which is currently being offered as the original flight was cancelled? (realise this is a case of wanting to have my cake and eat it, but thought I'd ask)
pythonisman is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2020, 12:39 pm
  #3274  
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Helsinki
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 406
Quick question. Our flights to London were cancelled in April. We re-booked, due to travel in September. If we are unable to travel due to travel restrictions even if flights are running, are we entilted for refund as the original tickets were cancelled?
teme is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2020, 12:43 pm
  #3275  
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: 63,791
Originally Posted by teme
Quick question. Our flights to London were cancelled in April. We re-booked, due to travel in September. If we are unable to travel due to travel restrictions even if flights are running, are we entilted for refund as the original tickets were cancelled?
No, I don't think so. You can rebook again or get an FTV but you "used up" the refund option by rebooking instead. Moreover we can't take BA's existing policies as a permanent fixture. Hence the advice upthread about thinking carefully in terms of realistic outcomes.
corporate-wage-slave is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2020, 12:44 pm
  #3276  
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,945
Originally Posted by teme
Quick question. Our flights to London were cancelled in April. We re-booked, due to travel in September. If we are unable to travel due to travel restrictions even if flights are running, are we entilted for refund as the original tickets were cancelled?
No you aren't. You wouldn't be entitled to a full refund anymore - that option went when you chose to rebook. You would be able to get a future travel voucher though so you can preserve the value to use against a new booking up to April 2022. Also if any of your new flights gets cancelled at that point you can request a full refund.
KARFA is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2020, 12:47 pm
  #3277  
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: 63,791
Originally Posted by pythonisman
Does anyone know, if I select seats on the new flight, does this remove my right to get a refund, which is currently being offered as the original flight was cancelled? (realise this is a case of wanting to have my cake and eat it, but thought I'd ask)
I don't think seat selection would make a difference but you can see that if an agent says "well you accepted the flight?" you would not be in a strong position to argue the point. Moreover, until you are about 10 days to departure there isn't much chance of plum seats vanishing in a rush of demand.
pythonisman likes this.
corporate-wage-slave is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2020, 1:07 am
  #3278  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Newcastle UK
Posts: 1,114
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
Important update

BA are now issuing eVouchers directly in simple cases. These are usable online. Complex cases still get FTVs, which require a phone call to book. In both cases, you need to apply online through the Cancellation Options in MMB, and both will generate an email typically within a few minutes. This is how to tell the difference

1) eVouchers will get an email entitled "Your British Airways eVoucher"
This will then have a line like this and the online ability is mentioned in the email text:

Your eVoucher details
125-4200412345 / GBP48.87 / WAGE-SLAVE /

2) FTVs will get an email entitled "Your British Airways Future Travel Voucher"
The relevant line then shows:

Voucher code(s)
125-2110754321

It doesn't take much, by FT standards, to turn a booking too complicated for the automated eVoucher. POUGs, flight changes, TCP, seat payment, pay payment with Avios, UuA. 48 and 72 hour Hold bookings all stop it. But if you made a simple single or return booking, point to point, on BA.com and didn't change it, then you should get an eVoucher.
Does this itinerary count as simple enough to qualify for an eVoucher on the basis that's it's not been changed by either BA or myself? Would this work if 100% cash only, or does it still apply if it's cash booking with some Avios used to reduce the cost? Thanks.

NCL LHR overnight LHR
LHR LIS
LIS LHR overnight LHR
LHR NCL
northeastflyer is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2020, 2:02 am
  #3279  
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: 63,791
Originally Posted by northeastflyer
Does this itinerary count as simple enough to qualify for an eVoucher on the basis that's it's not been changed by either BA or myself? Would this work if 100% cash only, or does it still apply if it's cash booking with some Avios used to reduce the cost? Thanks.

NCL LHR overnight LHR
LHR LIS
LIS LHR overnight LHR
LHR NCL
Using Avios will rule this out for an eVoucher for sure (and it's a bad idea anyway). A commercial cash only booking should work but I think you use Hotline fares, and that may rule it out, I don't know for sure, I have never had a Hotline booking. Also, at least for the moment I think we have to treat eVouchers as a nice bonus, which BA could change, so booking now - thinking you would get an eVoucher rather than a FTV - would be risky to my mind.
corporate-wage-slave is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2020, 2:33 am
  #3280  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Newcastle UK
Posts: 1,114
Thanks.
northeastflyer is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2020, 2:37 am
  #3281  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: CPT SA
Programs: EK Plat
Posts: 196
Tax refunded but no avios redeposit?

My flight on BA scheduled in June was cancelled by BA. By some miracle, I was able to get through to the call centre on 25th May to request a refund. The flights were for 2 pax, CE, booked using Avios. I received the tax back on 11th June but am still waiting for my Avios to be redeposited. I have tried numerous times at varying times of day, to contact the call centre. Each time, I get the same message “we are experiencing a high volume of calls. Please call back later”. And then the line is disconnected. I have a vague memory of a BA rep assisting with refunds on this forum. Is this still the case?
gillyd22 is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2020, 2:40 am
  #3282  
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: 63,791
Originally Posted by gillyd22
I have a vague memory of a BA rep assisting with refunds on this forum. Is this still the case?
Yes, and he is online now, so send a PM to BA Refund Helper.
corporate-wage-slave is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2020, 2:49 am
  #3283  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: CPT SA
Programs: EK Plat
Posts: 196
Wow! Thank you so much, CWS, for your super swift reply. I have taken your advice. Many thanks.
gillyd22 is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2020, 3:21 am
  #3284  
 
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 13
Help URGENT

Morning all!
I have just tried to rebook a flight that was originally scheduled for Sunday, 3 August but cancelled by BA (GLA-LGW-FCO-LGW-GLA).When I open MMB all the flights are there, but when I click on the option to change the booking, the 3 August GLA-LGW flight is not there and it only gives me the option to change the LGW-FCO sector.
Can anyone explain this? I have tried to contact BA, but they are disconnecting or not taking the calls at all at the moment; they must be swamped with requests for help from passengers with Spanish flights and I understand this.
However, given that my flight was due to leave on Sunday, I want to know how much time I have left to rectify this before something else disappears from the screen. Can anyone give me advice on how to go about this? Many thanks!
BA0558 is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2020, 4:25 am
  #3285  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Canary Wharf, London
Programs: MyWaitrose, IC Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond & BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,685
With BA1 not operating any more, when BA do get round to cancelling my flight, is a change of airport a reason to get a refund or will it only depend on the timings? My flight is in Nov and doesn't qualify for a voucher, so a refund would be preferred. TIA.
chistery is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.