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.
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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*
#4231
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,888
Yes, all FTVs whenever issued are now valid up to April 2022.
#4232
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 858
Thanks CWS.
Will firm up new dates for April and September with Flygoddess and family in the States and get on the phone to BA well before November.
Will firm up new dates for April and September with Flygoddess and family in the States and get on the phone to BA well before November.
#4233
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Shoreham By Sea
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,316
I made a booking to NAP for half term in the late September sale. I actually added car during the booking process so I understand it’s now a holiday.
When Italy introduced the test on arrival I called to cancel and was expecting a voucher but I was told I could not cancel as it’s a holiday and is within 3 weeks. I was a bit miffed, mainly with myself for not reading the rules.
But not the foreign office has advised against all but essential travel, am I right in thinking that as this is a holiday, I can’t be sent on a holiday to an area we are advised not to go to? So my question essentially is, should I call BA again?
Of course, there is still a chance my flight will be cancelled but it’s within 14 days so I think that means there is much less chance. We fly on 26/10 on the afternoon flight. That and the morning flight look to have super light loads.......
When Italy introduced the test on arrival I called to cancel and was expecting a voucher but I was told I could not cancel as it’s a holiday and is within 3 weeks. I was a bit miffed, mainly with myself for not reading the rules.
But not the foreign office has advised against all but essential travel, am I right in thinking that as this is a holiday, I can’t be sent on a holiday to an area we are advised not to go to? So my question essentially is, should I call BA again?
Of course, there is still a chance my flight will be cancelled but it’s within 14 days so I think that means there is much less chance. We fly on 26/10 on the afternoon flight. That and the morning flight look to have super light loads.......
#4234
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Rang on Thursday to cancel a flight. Money back on card today. Impressive.
#4235
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: 63,736
Yes, I would call BAH again and ask them to review your booking. BAH's rule should allow a refund in this scenario, provided you give BAH at least one week's notice.
#4236
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: 63,736
You can change your flight to new dates now if you wish, and I can see First availability to Miami in February, for example, this is a standard Avios feature, with a change fee, but you will need availability assuming your current service operates. There are also some dates in July 2021, but you will need to go the FTV route to book this.
#4237
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: MAN/JNB
Programs: KL/BMI/BA
Posts: 410
So if I call to book the outward flight using the FTV, could I then wait and call back after 2 weeks to add the return flight using the same FTV or do both outward & return flights have to be booked at the same time?
#4238
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,345
I booked a new flight only using a voucher from a BA holiday which I now want to cancel, can I get a money refund or is it another voucher only? I won't bother hanging on the phone for ever if it's a voucher only as I can do that online but would prefer the cash really, Thanks.
#4239
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,888
I booked a new flight only using a voucher from a BA holiday which I now want to cancel, can I get a money refund or is it another voucher only? I won't bother hanging on the phone for ever if it's a voucher only as I can do that online but would prefer the cash really, Thanks.
#4240
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,345
When i booked the agent said it was free cancellation upto 24 hours before but didn't say whether it would be cash or voucher. If its a FTV is that the sort where you get a code or the one I've recently had where you have to call to use it which is a pain? Sorry don't fully understand.
#4241
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,237
Full details on the Book with Confidence policy here Book with confidence policy or https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...st-information
#4242
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,888
When i booked the agent said it was free cancellation upto 24 hours before but didn't say whether it would be cash or voucher. If its a FTV is that the sort where you get a code or the one I've recently had where you have to call to use it which is a pain? Sorry don't fully understand.
it may be an online evoucher but probably more likely an offline FTV which you need to call to use. You can request it up to around 1 hour before check in closed.
#4243
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,345
[QUOTE=KARFA;32753891]I have no idea why it should be free cancellation up to 24 hours? I don’t think that’s ever been the policy.
She said if I didn't check in online it was an hour before otherwise 24 hours.
She said if I didn't check in online it was an hour before otherwise 24 hours.
#4244
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,888
basically the problem is once you check in, if you go to the booking and click in cancellation options it won’t let you do anything. At that stage you could call and get un checked and do it, or just go directly to the FTV page and request it anyway. even if still checked in it will work and you will get your FTV email within the hour.
https://www.britishairways.com/trave...1&wfpId=covidn
#4245
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: 63,736
BAH also have a different sort of FTV to flight only bookings, though ultimately it works in a similar way. You will get an email address to liaise about future travel, and it depends if the replacement is another BAH or flight only.