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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
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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 Aug 11, 2020, 2:15 pm
  #3466  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
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Originally Posted by Vgravity
I have a BA Holidays booking at a rather attractive ex-EU fare. Segments have been cancelled.

Can I rebook for alternative dates or do I have to take the proactive refund when BA offer it?
Yes, you can in theory rebook to new dates, but it may prove tricky to do it, given the way that BAH bookings are priced up. Unlike with flight-only bookings, you can simply require BA to offer the next possible date, though you may get lucky in that respect. It may be easier to do this before the automated cancellation halppens.
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Old Aug 11, 2020, 3:51 pm
  #3467  
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Originally Posted by Vgravity
I have a BA Holidays booking at a rather attractive ex-EU fare. Segments have been cancelled.

Can I rebook for alternative dates or do I have to take the proactive refund when BA offer it?
You’ll need to call Bremen or similar, BAH will only touch exUK and exUS and have got very strict on this
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Old Aug 11, 2020, 3:55 pm
  #3468  
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: BAEC Gold
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I am booked on a Dec 18 2020 BA278 flight from SJC to LHR. Last week, however, this flight was cancelled, as BA shifted to any every-other-day schedule.

As I understand it, due to the cancellation, I can choose between a refund or I can choose to be rebooked on another service where a seat is available. In the case of being rebooked, as I understand it, the passenger is not required to pay any difference in fare or fees. Do I have this correct?

I still wish to travel, so I want to be rebooked onto either the service on the 17th or 19th. However, when I contact JustFly (the OTA through whom I booked the ticket - a mistake that I won't be making again for future travel), they are advising me that I will have to pay a difference in fair. That, in order to be rebooked, I will be issued a voucher for the value of my original ticket which will then be applied to any new booking. This to me seems completely incorrect, but is this how this in fact works?

I have contacted BA directly, but they tell me they're unable to take control of the booking. and I have escalated with JustFly to no avail. I don't seem to know who or how to escalate it to, or what words to say.

Does anyone have any advice on how to handle this situation? Many thanks!
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Old Aug 11, 2020, 4:09 pm
  #3469  
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Originally Posted by matticusbond
I am booked on a Dec 18 2020 BA278 flight from SJC to LHR. Last week, however, this flight was cancelled, as BA shifted to any every-other-day schedule.

As I understand it, due to the cancellation, I can choose between a refund or I can choose to be rebooked on another service where a seat is available. In the case of being rebooked, as I understand it, the passenger is not required to pay any difference in fare or fees. Do I have this correct?
Yes. Refund, or rebook for dates within a year of when you originally rebooked as long as there are seats available in the same cabin. There would be no fare difference or fees to pay to BA.

I still wish to travel, so I want to be rebooked onto either the service on the 17th or 19th. However, when I contact JustFly (the OTA through whom I booked the ticket - a mistake that I won't be making again for future travel), they are advising me that I will have to pay a difference in fair. That, in order to be rebooked, I will be issued a voucher for the value of my original ticket which will then be applied to any new booking. This to me seems completely incorrect, but is this how this in fact works?

I have contacted BA directly, but they tell me they're unable to take control of the booking. and I have escalated with JustFly to no avail. I don't seem to know who or how to escalate it to, or what words to say.

Does anyone have any advice on how to handle this situation? Many thanks!
If your flights are cancelled there is no reason to go via the future travel voucher which is what your TA are suggesting. They should be able to do the change by following the guidelines on the BA travel trade site, see this post for details https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32579078-post3320.html

Unfortunately you are stuck with dealing with the TA, so try again and specifically refer them to Update 7 of 25 July 2020 & Guideline 1 for BA-125 ticketed customers whose BA flight is cancelled.
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Old Aug 11, 2020, 4:12 pm
  #3470  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Originally Posted by matticusbond
I still wish to travel, so I want to be rebooked onto either the service on the 17th or 19th. However, when I contact JustFly (the OTA through whom I booked the ticket - a mistake that I won't be making again for future travel), they are advising me that I will have to pay a difference in fair. That, in order to be rebooked, I will be issued a voucher for the value of my original ticket which will then be applied to any new booking. This to me seems completely incorrect, but is this how this in fact works?
You can only resolve this via JustFly in practical terms. In impractical terms you could wait until you were within 24 hours of departure and at that point BA can take over the booking and make changes. However that is unrealistic on many levels, and it's possible BA would bounce you back to the OTA, who regularly feature in this forum with a caveat emptor note. The law does support your position, namely either a refund or a rebooking. Personally I'd look for a refund since it would seem unlikely that SJC-LHR will be possible this year - the risk is that you will go to some effort to move to a new date and then find the route cancelled again until the pandemic is resolved. But EC261 protects both refund and rebooking options. For the refund the easiest would be Chargeback if UK based. For the rebooking, if the TA refuses to budge, you could pay the extra under protest then take both the TA and BA jointly through the Small Claims Court to refund whatever extra you had to pay. But the law is completely on your side here, and by jointly suing both companies, JustFly will be on the hook for a potential ADM (internal penalty) as well as the direct legal costs.
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Old Aug 11, 2020, 4:18 pm
  #3471  
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
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KARFA corporate-wage-slave
Thank you both. I really appreciate it.
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Old Aug 11, 2020, 7:10 pm
  #3472  
 
Join Date: May 2009
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Invol return from different point after first flight taken

Hi all

As ever if there is an obvious link to answer this specific question then just point me in that direction - I did do a quick search but didn’t come up with the specific answer.

(On the other hand if you ask my wife how good I am at looking for anything she would not give me a glowing report &#128512

A friend and his family flew to Gothenburg from LHR a few days ago and were due to fly back in 10 days time, but have just been advised by BA that the flight is cancelled and he has been rerouted to leave from Stockholm.

(There are no flights ex GOT within a timescale that would work for him - his is aware that he will have to self isolate on his return from Sweden regardless).

Question is will BA cover the reasonable cost of him getting himself and family to Stockholm and if so what is the process for claiming this?

Again if there is a quick link to answer the above then point me in that direction and all will be good.
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Old Aug 12, 2020, 12:52 am
  #3473  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
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Originally Posted by travelswithmybriefcase
Question is will BA cover the reasonable cost of him getting himself and family to Stockholm and if so what is the process for claiming this?
There is a provision in EC261 for reclaiming the cost of getting to another airport in this sort of scenario. However when he calls to rebook he will be told that the additional travel cost will be for his own expense and this will be recorded on his PNR. BA will not agree to pay for this before travel. I don't think this gets BA off the EC261 entitlement, particularly after travelling to GOT and now returning on what I guess is a straightforward return ticket. One option - which probably works better for a single traveller ok to accept the hassle - is to leave until the day before travel and then get BA to reroute via other airlines from GOT, probably indirectly. But in this particular scenario I would simply take the train to ARN and hfter travelling send the receipts to BA and invite them to pay it. If they don't then CEDR would probably work for this one, more details in the main EC261 thread.
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Old Aug 12, 2020, 2:38 am
  #3474  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 122
Hi all,

​​Is it worthwhile persevering with attempting to contact BA? I have a flight which they have cancelled and need to contact them to request a refund (as per their email to me, due to the cancellation there is no viable alternative flight) but every time I ring through on 0800 727 8000, I get the message that they are too busy.

Having worked in a call centre I totally agree with having the minimum staff in the buildings as they can be breeding grounds for disease at the best of times!
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Old Aug 12, 2020, 3:04 am
  #3475  
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Originally Posted by fnl111
Hi all,

​​Is it worthwhile persevering with attempting to contact BA? I have a flight which they have cancelled and need to contact them to request a refund (as per their email to me, due to the cancellation there is no viable alternative flight) but every time I ring through on 0800 727 8000, I get the message that they are too busy.

Having worked in a call centre I totally agree with having the minimum staff in the buildings as they can be breeding grounds for disease at the best of times!
try this number https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32593666-post307.html
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Old Aug 12, 2020, 5:17 am
  #3476  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BA GGL For Life: Hilton Diamond: IHG Platinum
Posts: 263
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
There is a provision in EC261 for reclaiming the cost of getting to another airport in this sort of scenario. However when he calls to rebook he will be told that the additional travel cost will be for his own expense and this will be recorded on his PNR. BA will not agree to pay for this before travel. I don't think this gets BA off the EC261 entitlement, particularly after travelling to GOT and now returning on what I guess is a straightforward return ticket. One option - which probably works better for a single traveller ok to accept the hassle - is to leave until the day before travel and then get BA to reroute via other airlines from GOT, probably indirectly. But in this particular scenario I would simply take the train to ARN and hfter travelling send the receipts to BA and invite them to pay it. If they don't then CEDR would probably work for this one, more details in the main EC261 thread.
Many thanks CWS. Will advise him accordingly.
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Old Aug 12, 2020, 5:34 am
  #3477  
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 81
I’ve got a club europe avios booking to Spain this Saturday morning that I’d like to cancel. It’s for 2 people and I paid £161+16,000 avios. I booked in February, what are my options if I take cash vs if I take a voucher? Can I amend it to a later date?

Thanks!
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Old Aug 12, 2020, 6:33 am
  #3478  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 122
Originally Posted by KARFA
Thank you KARFA. I've made it into the queue after pressing option 4 as you advised, much obliged!
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Old Aug 12, 2020, 6:52 am
  #3479  
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Originally Posted by Flying12345
I’ve got a club europe avios booking to Spain this Saturday morning that I’d like to cancel. It’s for 2 people and I paid £161+16,000 avios. I booked in February, what are my options if I take cash vs if I take a voucher? Can I amend it to a later date?

Thanks!
If you take the FTV you basically have 16,000 avios + £161 on the voucher to use for any reward booking up to April 2022. You would need reward availability. You will need to call to book. There would be no fees using this route which is the main advantage for you I think.

You can also either change or cancel under normal reward booking rules, £35 change fee per person to pay or £35 cancellation per person depending on which you choose. Any cancellation changes would have to be done no later than 24 hours before the flight departure time, whereas a FTV can be applied for online up to 2 hours before departure.
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Old Aug 12, 2020, 7:16 am
  #3480  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: KLM, BA Silver, Etihad
Posts: 918
Just had our flights to Vienna cancelled.

The number in the email to call tells me that the number is not valid and I have to ring another number. This number intern says that they are too busy.

Such poor standards to send out a mail with a number in it they are not responding to.

Do I just spend all day re-trying the 0800 727 800 number until I melt with service?
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