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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 Sep 25, 2020, 7:18 pm
  #3946  
 
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Buckeye, AZ
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 241
Followed KARFA's sage advice, filled out the form online and recieved an eVoucher in about 30 minutes. I am good to go.Thank you again.
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Old Sep 25, 2020, 9:44 pm
  #3947  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,916
I want to go to Brazil next month with BA.
I've seen a couple of mentions here in passing but can't find them now ... where can I get travel insurance notwithstanding HMG's all but essential travel guidance?
As a single, healthy 30 y.o. I am not worried about catching coronavirus but to have insurance coverage is the only entry requirement I need
ENTP is online now  
Old Sep 25, 2020, 11:15 pm
  #3948  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,810
Originally Posted by ENTP
I want to go to Brazil next month with BA.
I've seen a couple of mentions here in passing but can't find them now ... where can I get travel insurance notwithstanding HMG's all but essential travel guidance?
As a single, healthy 30 y.o. I am not worried about catching coronavirus but to have insurance coverage is the only entry requirement I need
See these threads for some information:
BA-Allianz Travel Insurance - COVID Cover
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/coro...surance-7.html
COVID Travel Medical Insurance... suggestions?
Brazil - Mandatory Insurance Masterthread
jerry a. laska is offline  
Old Sep 25, 2020, 11:29 pm
  #3949  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 94
Originally Posted by ShortDog
I had to call again, and it finally was refunded 24 days after the initial call.
I'm still waiting a month later for refund of LHR-BIO flights which had been shifted from Gatwick then shifted dates, then fully cancelled. Have just chased up via the Twitter team so will see if it's getting towards the top of the queue.🤞
*Edit* Twitter useless "refunds are taking longer than usual"

Last edited by kath2049; Sep 26, 2020 at 12:16 am
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Old Sep 26, 2020, 3:22 am
  #3950  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 158
still waiting for refund requested 23/07. Have phoned twice and also did twitter DM over a week ago. Usual bluff about longer than usual, coming soon/word like hopefully, should etc. I mentioned chargeback and twitter team advised not to do this as it could complicate things/make things longer.
contractor is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2020, 3:25 am
  #3951  
 
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 274
I have paid a deposit on a BAH trip to Copenhagen, balance due next week. Given the recent change in restrictions, I can no longer travel and want to try an alternative destination. BA is still showing as having multiple flights LHR-CPH in October, which doubtless will be consolidated.

What's my best course of action? Wait it out for cancellation + refund? But what would happen if the flights aren't cancelled by the time the balance is due next week - do I lose any right to the FTV and essentially forfeit the deposit?

Or should I cancel it myself, take the FTV and use it to pay part of the balance for my alternative destination? My understanding is that it can't use it to pay a deposit.

Thanks!
The_Editor is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2020, 3:54 am
  #3952  
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: 63,767
Originally Posted by contractor
still waiting for refund requested 23/07. Have phoned twice and also did twitter DM over a week ago. Usual bluff about longer than usual, coming soon/word like hopefully, should etc. I mentioned chargeback and twitter team advised not to do this as it could complicate things/make things longer.
I am sure it complicates things at the BA end, but that's their problem. I have a contact who works in a related area for a major credit card issuer, BA are no longer challenging many (any?) chargebacks. They did initially challenge some on the basis that a refund was already in the system, but when the customer put a second claim in 2 weeks later BA didn't reply to the credit card company. This particular company is running several hundred chargebacks to BA every day. As suggested upthread by KARFA, just prepare a 2 paragraph statement with a few key dates and a justification as to why you are entitled to a refund, namely EC261/2004 Article 8.1.a - which requires a refund in 7 days (of the cancellation notification!). This is for flights that are cancelled by BA, the cause of the cancellation isn't relevant under EC261.
adrianlondon likes this.
corporate-wage-slave is online now  
Old Sep 26, 2020, 3:58 am
  #3953  
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: 63,767
Originally Posted by The_Editor
I have paid a deposit on a BAH trip to Copenhagen, balance due next week. Given the recent change in restrictions, I can no longer travel and want to try an alternative destination. BA is still showing as having multiple flights LHR-CPH in October, which doubtless will be consolidated.
Almost certainly BAH will proactively cancel this anyway, with a full cash refund, but I would suggest you call them one day before the balance is due, if they don't contact you before then. There is a provision for changing rules for exemptions to self isolation, so I don't expect you will have a problem.
corporate-wage-slave is online now  
Old Sep 26, 2020, 4:20 am
  #3954  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 547
I've had to cancel a return to DOH in November. My FTV arrived immediately but I've not yet received avios I used to upgrade from WTP to CW. Will they come automatically or need to be chased up?
Thanks
u01sss3 is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2020, 4:34 am
  #3955  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,287
Originally Posted by u01sss3
I've had to cancel a return to DOH in November. My FTV arrived immediately but I've not yet received avios I used to upgrade from WTP to CW. Will they come automatically or need to be chased up?
Thanks
The FTV will hold both the cash and avios part of your booking. It doesn't help that BA's email has no details as to the contents of the voucher, but everything will be in there.

ETA: It also explains why you received an FTV, and not an eVoucher which people are receiving when their bookings are simple and cash-only.
u01sss3 likes this.
alex67500 is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2020, 4:37 am
  #3956  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
What is the current wait time, roughly, for the refund for the tax element of an award booking?

Also, is the £35pp change/cancel fee currently being waived?
pazza2000 is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2020, 4:37 am
  #3957  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
Originally Posted by pazza2000
What is the current wait time, roughly, for the refund for the tax element of an award booking?
Assuming it's a simple booking, normally no more than 1-3 days.
pazza2000 likes this.
flashware is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2020, 4:39 am
  #3958  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
Originally Posted by flashware
Assuming it's a simple booking, normally no more than 1-3 days.
Thanks! Is the £35pp canx fee currently waived, it was waived on a recent change I made on another award booking earlier in the week, for reasons I’m unsure why
pazza2000 is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2020, 4:43 am
  #3959  
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,936
Originally Posted by pazza2000
Thanks! Is the £35pp canx fee currently waived, it was waived on a recent change I made on another award booking earlier in the week, for reasons I’m unsure why
it’s only waived for involuntary cancellations - so where flights are cancelled. It won’t be waived for voluntary cancellations.
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KARFA is offline  
Old Sep 26, 2020, 4:46 am
  #3960  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
Originally Posted by KARFA
it’s only waived for involuntary cancellations - so where flights are cancelled. It won’t be waived for voluntary cancellations.
Thanks, unsure why my change fee was waived the other day, the trip in question has not seen a schedule change! Will look at is as a bonus then and not the present rule.
pazza2000 is offline  


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