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
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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*
#376
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 95
I'd greatly appreciate your thoughts and advice on the following please....
My son and I have flights booked on BA flights, via Doha to Hanoi (Operated by Qatar).
These were booked by a third party online agent - TravelUp.
BA quite rightly and reasonably advise me to speak to TravelUp, however, this is proving impossible - they are not replying to emails - I have had an enquiry lodged (and acknowledged) with them for over a week now (and a couple of others more recently). I have tried all the phone numbers I can find for them at all hours of the day and night and all just ring once and disconnect.
I will of course continue in my endeavours to speak to TravelUp, however my question is this: should I get to within 24 hours of departure, I note in BA MMB the following message (my emphasis):
Change/Cancel bookingTo make changes or cancel your booking, please contact your original booking agent.
You can make changes to your booking online within 24 hours to departure, fare rules permitting.
Does this mean that if I do not manage to cancel these flights with TravelUp, I will be able to do so online?
Thank you in advance for your help.
My son and I have flights booked on BA flights, via Doha to Hanoi (Operated by Qatar).
These were booked by a third party online agent - TravelUp.
BA quite rightly and reasonably advise me to speak to TravelUp, however, this is proving impossible - they are not replying to emails - I have had an enquiry lodged (and acknowledged) with them for over a week now (and a couple of others more recently). I have tried all the phone numbers I can find for them at all hours of the day and night and all just ring once and disconnect.
I will of course continue in my endeavours to speak to TravelUp, however my question is this: should I get to within 24 hours of departure, I note in BA MMB the following message (my emphasis):
Change/Cancel bookingTo make changes or cancel your booking, please contact your original booking agent.
You can make changes to your booking online within 24 hours to departure, fare rules permitting.
Does this mean that if I do not manage to cancel these flights with TravelUp, I will be able to do so online?
Thank you in advance for your help.
#377
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 224
Deleted
#378
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 224
I would be really grateful for some clarification if possible.
My wife and I have a BA holiday to Dubai departing this Friday 20th Having looked at requesting a credit voucher, the terms state that I will only be reimbursed the flight element and not the hotel. Is it correct that the hotel element is going to be lost?
My wife and I have a BA holiday to Dubai departing this Friday 20th Having looked at requesting a credit voucher, the terms state that I will only be reimbursed the flight element and not the hotel. Is it correct that the hotel element is going to be lost?
We had a BA Holiday booked to Dubrovnik (flight and hotel), flying out last Friday but the 14 day self isolation introduced by the Croatian government meant it didn't make sense to go. BA Holidays, though difficult to get through to, were very quick to agree to a full refund.
#379
Join Date: May 2018
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 320
You have to call (or end a Twitter message) now, to get a refund - I would advise against completing the voucher form if you have a full refund option available, even by a more lengthy phone process.
#380
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: 63,830
Judging from some of the other posts upthread you may get an email from BA Holidays with a cash refund. If not you should apply for the voucher just before T-48 and do the screenshots. I can't guarantee this but judging from other posts I think you will end up with a full value eVoucher or a full cash refund.
#381
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: 63,830
BA can cancel the booking at T-24 and they may be able to rebook if it's a public fare, but all refund issues will need TravelUp to do the legwork. I would call them as well as email them. This may have to end up on travel insurance.
#382
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: BAEC: Silver
Posts: 2
I’m in this situation too. Very wary of accepting this voucher and forfeiting any refund (although mine is an Avios booking). Don’t really want to call BA at this stage as still several weeks to my scheduled flights, but they really don’t help themselves in being so deliberately vague.
#383
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Bronze, Virgin Atlantic Silver, Iraq Medal, Afghanistan Medal
Posts: 12
Many thanks I have just had an email confirming cancellation of the holiday and a full refund will be given
#384
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK (currently)
Programs: BA Gold (and many other greater and lesser distinctions)
Posts: 7,208
Can anyone clarify how the system is currently meant to be operating ?
I have a number of upcoming Avios bookings that I want to cancel completely. I don't mind taking a hit on the usual canx charges if I can cancel this quickly and efficiently.
On an ex US booking on BA metal and BA Avios ticket which has not (yet) been cancelled, there is no cancel option at all. Just a large red notice warning me of a potential future cancellation and request that I call to discuss my options. Should the canx option have completely disappeared ?
On an internal USA flight on AA metal ticketed by BA as an Avios booking there is the option to canx, but clicking that takes me straight to the e-voucher request page. I would just like my Avios back and to write off the canx fee, but this is not an option. Is this how is should be working at the moment ?
I have a number of upcoming Avios bookings that I want to cancel completely. I don't mind taking a hit on the usual canx charges if I can cancel this quickly and efficiently.
On an ex US booking on BA metal and BA Avios ticket which has not (yet) been cancelled, there is no cancel option at all. Just a large red notice warning me of a potential future cancellation and request that I call to discuss my options. Should the canx option have completely disappeared ?
On an internal USA flight on AA metal ticketed by BA as an Avios booking there is the option to canx, but clicking that takes me straight to the e-voucher request page. I would just like my Avios back and to write off the canx fee, but this is not an option. Is this how is should be working at the moment ?
#385
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Shoreham By Sea
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,333
I didn’t cancel as I wanted to wait for them to cancel for a full refund rather than a voucher. Is that what’s just happened?
#386
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 14
Hello
do I understand correctly that if I have a flight on 20 March to Germany and the flight is not currently cancelled I can only get a voucher and no cash refund? If the return flight is subsequently cancelled but I already accepted a voucher can I still not get a cash refund?
thanks for any help.
do I understand correctly that if I have a flight on 20 March to Germany and the flight is not currently cancelled I can only get a voucher and no cash refund? If the return flight is subsequently cancelled but I already accepted a voucher can I still not get a cash refund?
thanks for any help.
#387
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Bronze, Virgin Atlantic Silver, Iraq Medal, Afghanistan Medal
Posts: 12
I think I may have just had the same email for a BA holiday to Nashville in April. However, the email begins ‘We are sorry to hear you are unable to travel’ and that ‘if a refund is due I will receive a separate email.
I didn’t cancel as I wanted to wait for them to cancel for a full refund rather than a voucher. Is that what’s just happened?
I didn’t cancel as I wanted to wait for them to cancel for a full refund rather than a voucher. Is that what’s just happened?
#388
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA Executive Club, UA Mileage Plus, bmi Diamond Club
Posts: 480
Hi, after some urgent help please.
We are at MAD. Want to fly today (booked for tomorrow). No ticket desk open and check in staff can't help. Phone number provided just disconnected immediately. Can't change booking online (it's an Avios booking).
Are we best of booking with cash or Avios for today and using the form to claim for tomorrow's flight?
We are at MAD. Want to fly today (booked for tomorrow). No ticket desk open and check in staff can't help. Phone number provided just disconnected immediately. Can't change booking online (it's an Avios booking).
Are we best of booking with cash or Avios for today and using the form to claim for tomorrow's flight?
#389
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,821
Can anyone clarify how the system is currently meant to be operating ?
I have a number of upcoming Avios bookings that I want to cancel completely. I don't mind taking a hit on the usual canx charges if I can cancel this quickly and efficiently.
On an ex US booking on BA metal and BA Avios ticket which has not (yet) been cancelled, there is no cancel option at all. Just a large red notice warning me of a potential future cancellation and request that I call to discuss my options. Should the canx option have completely disappeared ?
On an internal USA flight on AA metal ticketed by BA as an Avios booking there is the option to canx, but clicking that takes me straight to the e-voucher request page. I would just like my Avios back and to write off the canx fee, but this is not an option. Is this how is should be working at the moment ?
I have a number of upcoming Avios bookings that I want to cancel completely. I don't mind taking a hit on the usual canx charges if I can cancel this quickly and efficiently.
On an ex US booking on BA metal and BA Avios ticket which has not (yet) been cancelled, there is no cancel option at all. Just a large red notice warning me of a potential future cancellation and request that I call to discuss my options. Should the canx option have completely disappeared ?
On an internal USA flight on AA metal ticketed by BA as an Avios booking there is the option to canx, but clicking that takes me straight to the e-voucher request page. I would just like my Avios back and to write off the canx fee, but this is not an option. Is this how is should be working at the moment ?
There has been a number of posts about this if you read backwards in this thread and the rant/noise thread.
#390
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
South Africa update 1 now released
tickets issued by 16 March
travel date up to 30 april
for part flown customers rebook asap without charge same cabin
for customers wanting to defer rebook same routing 01may to 01 august no change fee but fare difference payable
no refunds but voucher policy
tickets issued by 16 March
travel date up to 30 april
for part flown customers rebook asap without charge same cabin
for customers wanting to defer rebook same routing 01may to 01 august no change fee but fare difference payable
no refunds but voucher policy