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*
#3916
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 47
Has anyone cancelled a fully flexible fare recently? I've just had to cancel a booking and was told it'll be 5-6 weeks to process. The agent I spoke to said this can't be processed any quicker. I'm a bit annoyed it's going to take so long as I'll have to pay my amex and once it's refunded will be in minus avios.
Thanks
Thanks
#3917
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,887
Has anyone cancelled a fully flexible fare recently? I've just had to cancel a booking and was told it'll be 5-6 weeks to process. The agent I spoke to said this can't be processed any quicker. I'm a bit annoyed it's going to take so long as I'll have to pay my amex and once it's refunded will be in minus avios.
Thanks
Thanks
if you need the money back just do a chargeback if it doesn't appear beyond say 10 days.
#3918
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 474
A new data point on refunds. I had a J booking for travel to the US, which got cancelled and changed several times, with the fourth cancellation and change being the last straw. I asked for the ticket to be refunded on 31 August. 19 days later, I'm still waiting for my money.
#3919
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 47
really depends on complexity and whether a refund is auto quoted. for simple bookings where no changes have been done then it should be done within a few days. if changes have previously been done and a manual calculation is required then it will take 4+ weeks.
if you need the money back just do a chargeback if it doesn't appear beyond say 10 days.
if you need the money back just do a chargeback if it doesn't appear beyond say 10 days.
#3920
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: 63,732
Under EC261 you are entitled to re-routing, however since it's not until November, it's not unusual that BA doesn't have a Plan B for you yet. It may do when you get nearer to departure. In the absence of that, don't put in for a refund just yet, though equally - much nearer to deparure - you should ask to be removed from the flight. Make sure you say clearly that you are not applying for a refund at that point. Then indeed buy the most cost effective alternative, which you will then claim from BA. It's supposed to be in comparable conditions to your original booking, but you need to keep it reasonable. You will then have to claim that from BA, and then go MCOL (not CEDR) if BA aren't willing to pay up. Clearly if you are able to get a cheap fare somehow and a good Involuntary Refund then it's a lot easier to go that route. Involuntary refunds should be around 45% of your total spend on that routing.
#3921
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Posts: 319
Thanks corporate-wage-slave !
A few quick Qs:
You say comparable - I would assume that is the cheapest business ticket available on the route on any airline (which currently seems to be coming out at around Ł1000). It is, however, because it is not bought in a sale and a one-way more than the original ticket.
You say not CEDR - why is this? It looks lower risk to me!
Fine - I will continue to rattle cages and see if their policy changes, but not actually do anything yet until nearer the time. BA have told me the refund due would be around Ł200 + 30,000 miles (of a Ł800 original return ticket). Certainly not enough to get any sort of replacement flight.
A few quick Qs:
You say comparable - I would assume that is the cheapest business ticket available on the route on any airline (which currently seems to be coming out at around Ł1000). It is, however, because it is not bought in a sale and a one-way more than the original ticket.
You say not CEDR - why is this? It looks lower risk to me!
Fine - I will continue to rattle cages and see if their policy changes, but not actually do anything yet until nearer the time. BA have told me the refund due would be around Ł200 + 30,000 miles (of a Ł800 original return ticket). Certainly not enough to get any sort of replacement flight.
Last edited by wilko1; Sep 24, 2020 at 7:45 am Reason: Updated refund amount
#3922
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,398
I have a FTV for 5,000 Avios + Ł115. If I use this to book a flight for 4,300 Avios + Ł90, what happens to the delta (700 Avios and Ł25). I've seen some reports that it is refunded, others that it is added to a new voucher. Anyone have recent experience to confirm?
#3923
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,492
does EU261 apply if non-EU to non-EU flight is cancelled?
looking at Q4 here it was not clear https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22060865-post6.html
Q2 mentions the flight segment should arrive or depart EU
looking at Q4 here it was not clear https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22060865-post6.html
Q2 mentions the flight segment should arrive or depart EU
#3924
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Posts: 319
does EU261 apply if non-EU to non-EU flight is cancelled?
looking at Q4 here it was not clear https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22060865-post6.html
Q2 mentions the flight segment should arrive or depart EU
looking at Q4 here it was not clear https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/22060865-post6.html
Q2 mentions the flight segment should arrive or depart EU
But I don't know - any other thoughts/precedent?
#3925
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: 63,732
Yes, this is a Harare to London trip, so it would be included for EC261, HRE to JNB would not, though BA may claim the operating carrier is Comair rather than BA. But however you look at it, you have a contract with BA to get your to Zim and back, and so BA have to offer more than a part refund. There is provision under IATA for this to be resolved better than that.
#3926
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: London
Posts: 319
Yes, this is a Harare to London trip, so it would be included for EC261, HRE to JNB would not, though BA may claim the operating carrier is Comair rather than BA. But however you look at it, you have a contract with BA to get your to Zim and back, and so BA have to offer more than a part refund. There is provision under IATA for this to be resolved better than that.
The IATA handbook says (p6):
In case of involuntary reroute providing a smooth passenger handling is a key aspect with a direct contribution to the overall customer experience.In this situation,the Original Marketing/Operating Carrier, or the Ticket Handler acting on their behalf, with due consideration to the passenger's reasonable interests, shall:
1.Arrange for involuntary refund in accordance with Resolution 737 (Refunds);or
2.Provide onward carriage to the destination or point of stopover named on the ticket, without additional charge to the passenger, as follows:
a.for a flight interruption en route on the same or another of its own aircraft;
b.for other than flight interruption en route on the service of the original receiving carrier;or
c.on any other transportation service(s).
#3927
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,575
I'm using Twitter messaging rather than phoning to change my cancelled flights now. I prefer this to being on hold, and I like the fact I can clearly type out all the flight details.
I've just made a change which incolved a change of both departure and arrival airports (both nearby the original ones of course) and dates, and it was all done within around half an hour. And during that time I could be doing other things, simply waiting for an email from Twitter telling me I had a new message each time. Perfect.
BA have got this working well.
I've just made a change which incolved a change of both departure and arrival airports (both nearby the original ones of course) and dates, and it was all done within around half an hour. And during that time I could be doing other things, simply waiting for an email from Twitter telling me I had a new message each time. Perfect.
BA have got this working well.
#3928
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: 63,732
#3929
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 224
Still no sign of Book with Confidence being extended beyond September and we’re rapidly approaching the end of the month.
I’ve a LHR – ORD booked for the end of October. I can’t enter the US according to the UK and US governments. BA are still operating that route and my particular flight each day. I don’t have insurance that will pay out for this, if the flight isn’t cancelled, so currently looks like a CW/WTP fare will go down the drain. Unless anyone knows otherwise?
I’ve a LHR – ORD booked for the end of October. I can’t enter the US according to the UK and US governments. BA are still operating that route and my particular flight each day. I don’t have insurance that will pay out for this, if the flight isn’t cancelled, so currently looks like a CW/WTP fare will go down the drain. Unless anyone knows otherwise?
#3930
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,706
Still no sign of Book with Confidence being extended beyond September and we’re rapidly approaching the end of the month.
I’ve a LHR – ORD booked for the end of October. I can’t enter the US according to the UK and US governments. BA are still operating that route and my particular flight each day. I don’t have insurance that will pay out for this, if the flight isn’t cancelled, so currently looks like a CW/WTP fare will go down the drain. Unless anyone knows otherwise?
I’ve a LHR – ORD booked for the end of October. I can’t enter the US according to the UK and US governments. BA are still operating that route and my particular flight each day. I don’t have insurance that will pay out for this, if the flight isn’t cancelled, so currently looks like a CW/WTP fare will go down the drain. Unless anyone knows otherwise?