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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 Nov 23, 2020, 11:16 am
  #4726  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
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Originally Posted by Karen762
Does the FTV just stay on the account till the return flights are available or do they issue another one for the difference? Would like to know what exactly happens so I don't make a mistake and don't muck up the timings if I have to wait for a new FTV or have to invest in some extra Avios.
I think the FTV just stays available for later amendment for the second flight. In a way this will be straightforward to find out since you will have to call up to book the flight at 355 days, and at that point you can clarify whether this will work. If it doesn't then your other option is to wait until 355 days for the return, which would normally be problematic, but it's possible that the outbound will still remain open. Again, be careful of "maybe" bookings. You risk running down the clock and running out of options at some point.
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Old Nov 23, 2020, 12:02 pm
  #4727  
 
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corporate-wage-slave
I would appreciate a moment of your time.

As we previously discussed, I booked a very cheap BA holiday to Cape Town in January in the "747 sale" - NCL-LHR-CPT-LHR-NCL for £1100 each in Club, with car hire for the entire holiday. BA have just emailed to say that they have cancelled the 7th Jan NCL-LHR leg - big change of time for the alternative flight and a different flight number, so it's a clear cancellation.

As I booked this Holiday on 8/10/20, my understanding is I can move the booking 355 days from that date for free, or close to it depending on car hire, or accept a full refund of the £350 deposit?

My only thought is that numbers are looking low in South Africa - do you know if they might be added to the travel corridor in the next few weeks? That would encourage me to go in January.

Thanks, as always, for your invaluable advice.
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Old Nov 23, 2020, 1:02 pm
  #4728  
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Originally Posted by Radiation Station
My only thought is that numbers are looking low in South Africa - do you know if they might be added to the travel corridor in the next few weeks? That would encourage me to go in January.
The numbers in RSA indeed are much lower than the UK (around 50 versus 480) but one of the things taken into account is whether the numbers can be relied upon. This militates against almost all non Western countries unless the figures are very low indeed. However at least on paper RSA is well placed for the corridor. If you have been following the Coronavirus thread, you will also know that there will be an option to keep self-isolation to 5 or 6 days from 16 December.

For the rebooking, it depends a bit on whether you have a flight only booking with a separate car hire contract OR a BAH booking - your booking emails will make it clear which it is. The 365 day free move arrangement is for flight only reservations. I gather that BAH have flexibility too, so you need to call up with some options of your own pre-prepared. You do have the refund option, and I know everyone thinks their booking was a uniquely low price, but the total reality is that we are heading into a buyers market coming up, so cash in your bank account now = lots of options in the future.

If you have already paid for the trip in full, then you may as well hang on a few weeks, time is on your side. If you paid a deposit then the cut off time is about 23 days to departure.
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Old Nov 23, 2020, 1:06 pm
  #4729  
 
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Thank you, I've just paid the £350 deposit. BA Holidays gentleman on the phone says we can move to October 7th for free, apart from perhaps difference in car hire price. He also says that we can decide whether to change up to three weeks before our original flights - so three weeks before 7th January 2021. Apparently, they won't automatically cancel our holiday booking if we don't change right now.

I'd prefer to travel in January, so do you reckon it's worth waiting until 17th December to make a decision?
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Old Nov 23, 2020, 1:09 pm
  #4730  
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Originally Posted by Radiation Station
I'd prefer to travel in January, so do you reckon it's worth waiting until 17th December to make a decision?
Yes, I would leave making a decision to the last moment. For example if there was a bad outbreak in either the UK or RSA this may change your perspective completely. This pandemic has been utterly unpredictable from the start to (hopefully) the end-game. RSA will still be there in a year from now.

Anything involving a deposit makes a booking BAH rather than a flight only booking. Some BAH breaks can't have deposits, for example if booked at short notice.
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Old Nov 23, 2020, 1:14 pm
  #4731  
 
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
Yes, I would leave making a decision to the last moment. For example if there was a bad outbreak in either the UK or RSA this may change your perspective completely. This pandemic has been utterly unpredictable from the start to (hopefully) the end-game. RSA will still be there in a year from now.

Anything involving a deposit makes a booking BAH rather than a flight only booking. Some BAH breaks can't have deposits, for example if booked at short notice.
Thank you again. My main concern was that the booking would be automatically cancelled - the very helpful gentleman at BAH assures me this will not happen before three weeks out. So I will take your wise counsel and wait and see. As you say, COVID-19 is the very definition of chaos.

I understand this is definitely a BAH then - the good news is I could apparently move it to October 7th outbound and even extend the holiday by a week and only increase the overall cost by an estimated £80 due to the extra car hire costs.

The other wildcard is that BA may launch a Black Friday sale with even better prices - so I could take a refund and use the cash to fund that.

Thanks so much for all your help, you actually replied whilst I was on the phone and helped sway me towards not making a hasty decision.
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Old Nov 24, 2020, 1:53 am
  #4732  
 
Join Date: May 2016
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Originally Posted by KARFA
Yes if you want to move the booking to any date within ticket validity at no cost as a result of a cancelled flight, it would be for the same route. There is some debate whether the 300 mile allowance is also supposed to apply for that too but it seems agents are generally saying no.

There would be no cost for this move of dates (no fees or fare difference) and you just need space in the same cabin, same selling class availability isn't required.
All good I really want to go on my trip at some point so one last question if I may. When do I have to make the changes to booking dates by? Travel outbound was 22 Dec. Do I have to give new dates by then?
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Old Nov 24, 2020, 2:00 am
  #4733  
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Originally Posted by Jerseylily2
All good I really want to go on my trip at some point so one last question if I may. When do I have to make the changes to booking dates by? Travel outbound was 22 Dec. Do I have to give new dates by then?
As ever, don't overlook the benefit of a full refund, that gives you the most flexibility, and be wary of "maybe" bookings. But yes, the usual advice to ring up on 21 December and give new dates. I think there is a provision to just remove your existing flights and not give new dates at that point. If you are definitely not travelling but definitely travelling on replacement dates (I guess sometime after Easter 2021) then I don't see any point in leaving it.
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Old Nov 24, 2020, 2:10 am
  #4734  
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 335
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
As ever, don't overlook the benefit of a full refund, that gives you the most flexibility, and be wary of "maybe" bookings. But yes, the usual advice to ring up on 21 December and give new dates. I think there is a provision to just remove your existing flights and not give new dates at that point. If you are definitely not travelling but definitely travelling on replacement dates (I guess sometime after Easter 2021) then I don't see any point in leaving it.
Thanks CWS. I will give them a couple of days to clear latest bulge and will ask if it possible oo try your second option. To defer but not book dates. I'm looking at May but need to finesse the whole package.
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Old Nov 24, 2020, 5:32 am
  #4735  
 
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Using 2 flight only vouchers and 1 holiday voucher for 1 holiday booking

My family and I have 2 flight only vouchers and 1 potential voucher for a BA flydrive.
Can we use all 3 on one new holiday booking?
All the vouchers are in different names but all 3 passengers will be on the new booking.
I understand that I would have to ring up to use the the holiday one anyway.
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Old Nov 24, 2020, 6:06 am
  #4736  
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Originally Posted by SonTech
My family and I have 2 flight only vouchers and 1 potential voucher for a BA flydrive.
Can we use all 3 on one new holiday booking?
All the vouchers are in different names but all 3 passengers will be on the new booking.
I understand that I would have to ring up to use the the holiday one anyway.
I think that would be OK, and yes you would need to call up. If it was just the BAH voucher (the fly-drive) then you could book online and then email in the voucher, but not for the other items.
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Old Nov 24, 2020, 9:06 am
  #4737  
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
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Hello, looking for some advice.
In the summer I had a return flight to the US cancelled, which I had paid for with Avios and an Amex companion voucher (Club World). I moved these flights to April-May 2021 when that date became available as it worked well with other commitments. At that time April '21 seemed a lifetime away and we were sure the Covid situation would be resolved - now, even with the promise of vaccines on the horizon, I am not so sure, and even if the flight happens I am assuming the US will still be in a bit of a Covid mess and we may not be able to do all the things we planned (it is a 3 week 'trip of a lifetime' job).
Does anyone know if it is likely I will be allowed to move this flight again, and would I only be allowed to do so if one of the booked flights gets cancelled? Typically, how far out are flights being cancelled due to low take-up etc?
I am wondering if my best option is just to cancel and get a future travel voucher (if allowed) then booking it again in the distant future when things calm down, or am I best to wait until nearer the departure date?
Any advice much appreciated.
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Old Nov 24, 2020, 9:14 am
  #4738  
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Originally Posted by greenchicken
Hello, looking for some advice.
In the summer I had a return flight to the US cancelled, which I had paid for with Avios and an Amex companion voucher (Club World). I moved these flights to April-May 2021 when that date became available as it worked well with other commitments. At that time April '21 seemed a lifetime away and we were sure the Covid situation would be resolved - now, even with the promise of vaccines on the horizon, I am not so sure, and even if the flight happens I am assuming the US will still be in a bit of a Covid mess and we may not be able to do all the things we planned (it is a 3 week 'trip of a lifetime' job).
Does anyone know if it is likely I will be allowed to move this flight again, and would I only be allowed to do so if one of the booked flights gets cancelled? Typically, how far out are flights being cancelled due to low take-up etc?
I am wondering if my best option is just to cancel and get a future travel voucher (if allowed) then booking it again in the distant future when things calm down, or am I best to wait until nearer the departure date?
Any advice much appreciated.
Currently, except for minor schedule changes, the BA long-haul schedule is only updated until 10 January 2021. As there is a significant amount of time until April 2021 and there are some positive updates about the vaccination situation, BA wouldn't adjust their schedule far in advance for April so April schedules would most likely be finalized in early-March.

Also, we still don't know if Biden would keep the current Presidential Proclamation imposed by the Trump government which could have a significant effect on the number of passengers traveling between the UK and the USA. ( a.k.a. the travel ban for people been in the EU/UK for the last 14 days )

If there is no cancellation, you would be able to request a Future Travel Voucher that you could use on flights until 30 April 2022.
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Old Nov 24, 2020, 9:34 am
  #4739  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
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Originally Posted by greenchicken
I am wondering if my best option is just to cancel and get a future travel voucher (if allowed) then booking it again in the distant future when things calm down, or am I best to wait until nearer the departure date?
Any advice much appreciated.
Your best option is to leave it as late as possible. A cancellation will give you a full refund option as well as an improved rebook option. You are covered by Buy With Confidence (which covers trips completed before end of August 2021). There isn't much point moving quickly on this, this pandemic is unpredictable beyond a 3 week timeframe. The exception would be if you make a firm decision to travel on a new date and the FTV will unlock that booking. However best to be very wary of "maybe" bookings, you may find yourself boxed in by shortening deadlines and changing rules.
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Old Nov 24, 2020, 9:48 am
  #4740  
 
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
I think that would be OK, and yes you would need to call up. If it was just the BAH voucher (the fly-drive) then you could book online and then email in the voucher, but not for the other items.
A big thanks. Spoke a great guy at BA Holidays and got it all sorted in one phone call. Much better experience than when my wife tried at lunchtime and told it couldn't be done.
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