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*
#61
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: BA GGL + GfL
Posts: 293
Hi, if I have an existing F ticket LHRJFK 1st April, but have made 2 x previous changes to date at £300 a time, are these change fees also refunded if BA cancel the flight? Thank you.
#62
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
I would not expect so. I am not expecting the 4 change fees I have spent on moving things around (that is consequential loss on my multiple tickets).
#63
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 131
Have flights tomorrow to PHL. FCO now advises against all travel to USA.
I have:
Flights with avios part payment.
Car hire avios part payment booked separately.
Will I get a voucher for both? Will I get a voucher and my avios back? Any help appreciated.
I have:
Flights with avios part payment.
Car hire avios part payment booked separately.
Will I get a voucher for both? Will I get a voucher and my avios back? Any help appreciated.
#64
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,624
Routes Online BA Route Reservation Suspensions
Although YouFirst still wouldn't refund my DEN trip on Thur...
Although YouFirst still wouldn't refund my DEN trip on Thur...
#65
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,926
I would not expect so. I am not expecting the 4 change fees I have spent on moving things around (that is consequential loss on my multiple tickets).
#66
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,964
The information in that link - i.e. from Tuesday it would be expected these route will be cancelled.
British Airways in the last 12 hours filed inventory changes for service to the US, as the US expands travel restrictions to the UK and Ireland, starting Tuesday 17MAR20. Following routes is closed for reservation, as of 0600GMT 15MAR20.
London Gatwick – Las Vegas 17MAR20 – 16APR20 3-6 weekly
London Gatwick – Orlando 17MAR20 – 16APR20 7-14 weekly
London Gatwick – Tampa 17MAR20 – 16APR20 6 weekly
London Heathrow – Austin 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – Baltimore/Washington 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – Chicago O’Hare 17MAR20 – 16APR20 2 daily
London Heathrow – Denver 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – Houston 17MAR20 – 16APR20 12-14 weekly
London Heathrow – Las Vegas 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – Nashville 17MAR20 – 16APR20 5-7 weekly
London Heathrow – New Orleans 17MAR20 – 16APR20 5-6 weekly
London Heathrow – Philadelphia 17MAR20 – 16APR20 10-12 weekly
London Heathrow – Phoenix 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – Pittsburgh 17MAR20 – 16APR20 4 weekly
London Heathrow – San Diego 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – San Jose CA 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
For the moment, BA service to following cities remain open for reservation, however there may be frequency adjustment: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Newark, Seattle and Washington Dulles.
London Gatwick – Las Vegas 17MAR20 – 16APR20 3-6 weekly
London Gatwick – Orlando 17MAR20 – 16APR20 7-14 weekly
London Gatwick – Tampa 17MAR20 – 16APR20 6 weekly
London Heathrow – Austin 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – Baltimore/Washington 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – Chicago O’Hare 17MAR20 – 16APR20 2 daily
London Heathrow – Denver 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – Houston 17MAR20 – 16APR20 12-14 weekly
London Heathrow – Las Vegas 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – Nashville 17MAR20 – 16APR20 5-7 weekly
London Heathrow – New Orleans 17MAR20 – 16APR20 5-6 weekly
London Heathrow – Philadelphia 17MAR20 – 16APR20 10-12 weekly
London Heathrow – Phoenix 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – Pittsburgh 17MAR20 – 16APR20 4 weekly
London Heathrow – San Diego 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
London Heathrow – San Jose CA 17MAR20 – 16APR20 1 daily
For the moment, BA service to following cities remain open for reservation, however there may be frequency adjustment: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Newark, Seattle and Washington Dulles.
#67
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,926
Routes Online BA Route Reservation Suspensions
Although YouFirst still wouldn't refund my DEN trip on Thur...
Although YouFirst still wouldn't refund my DEN trip on Thur...
My recommendation is to hold off doing anything until the last possible moment, those flights will ultimately have to be cancelled and then you will be entitled to a full refund or free date change without additional charge.
#68
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,624
Agree, will hold off and now just let it 'auto' cancel. Incidentally, YouFirst / Gold agent was very courteous in difficult times and obviously just bound by existing guidance.
#69
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 266
Argentina have banned all flights to/from US, Schengen & UK from 16 March to 10 April. The BA services affected (and seemingly Swiss too) have not all been cancelled in the GDS booking systems (Ba have only cxl'd 16-19th so far) but the flights currently showing as operating before 10th April will not be flying absent an easing in government policy (IMHO highly unlikely). Latam via Sao Paulo/Rio and the connecting to BA is likely to be the OP's best bet.
Update. The FCO now advise against all but essential travel to Argentina and state: "The FCO strongly encourage non-resident British nationals in Argentina to consider leaving to avoid difficulties they will face if flights out of the country and the region are further restricted and they are unable to get home".
drakepassage why can't your parents come back sooner? If they are on a cruise have they considered helicopter evac?
Update. The FCO now advise against all but essential travel to Argentina and state: "The FCO strongly encourage non-resident British nationals in Argentina to consider leaving to avoid difficulties they will face if flights out of the country and the region are further restricted and they are unable to get home".
drakepassage why can't your parents come back sooner? If they are on a cruise have they considered helicopter evac?
#70
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: 63,804
Here is an example (and it really is best not to cross-post in the current circumstances):
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...ith-confidence
Last edited by corporate-wage-slave; Mar 15, 2020 at 7:35 am
#71
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: Iberia Plus
Posts: 33
Hi,
I have a 125 ticket ORD-LHR-AGP on 3-April and return on 13-April. The return transatlantic leg (LHR-ORD) is operated by AA and it is likely it will get canceled. I understand that in that circumstance BA has to refund me the ticket with cash if I desire that. Am I correct?
Thanks.
I have a 125 ticket ORD-LHR-AGP on 3-April and return on 13-April. The return transatlantic leg (LHR-ORD) is operated by AA and it is likely it will get canceled. I understand that in that circumstance BA has to refund me the ticket with cash if I desire that. Am I correct?
Thanks.
#72
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: 63,804
At this point it is unclear whether the flight will operate or not. Rather than phone to cancel and add to the mayhem, does anyone know if BA will contact me to tell me if the flight gets cancelled and, if so, how long before the intended departure? Presumable, if BA contacts me to advise that the flight is cancelled, the refund of Avios, 2-4-1 etc will happen automatically in the fulness of time.
#73
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,964
Hi,
I have a 125 ticket ORD-LHR-AGP on 3-April and return on 13-April. The return transatlantic leg (LHR-ORD) is operated by AA and it is likely it will get canceled. I understand that in that circumstance BA has to refund me the ticket with cash if I desire that. Am I correct?
Thanks.
I have a 125 ticket ORD-LHR-AGP on 3-April and return on 13-April. The return transatlantic leg (LHR-ORD) is operated by AA and it is likely it will get canceled. I understand that in that circumstance BA has to refund me the ticket with cash if I desire that. Am I correct?
Thanks.
#74
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,926
Hi,
I have a 125 ticket ORD-LHR-AGP on 3-April and return on 13-April. The return transatlantic leg (LHR-ORD) is operated by AA and it is likely it will get canceled. I understand that in that circumstance BA has to refund me the ticket with cash if I desire that. Am I correct?
Thanks.
I have a 125 ticket ORD-LHR-AGP on 3-April and return on 13-April. The return transatlantic leg (LHR-ORD) is operated by AA and it is likely it will get canceled. I understand that in that circumstance BA has to refund me the ticket with cash if I desire that. Am I correct?
Thanks.
#75
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 31
Singapore just announced stay home notice of 14 days for UK
SINGAPORE: People who enter Singapore with recent travel history to ASEAN countries, Japan, Switzerland or the United Kingdom will be issued with a 14-day stay-home notice.
This will take effect from 11.59pm on Monday (Mar 16) and applies to all travellers, including Singapore residents, long-term pass holders and short-term visitors, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Sunday.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...otice-12539952
SINGAPORE: People who enter Singapore with recent travel history to ASEAN countries, Japan, Switzerland or the United Kingdom will be issued with a 14-day stay-home notice.
This will take effect from 11.59pm on Monday (Mar 16) and applies to all travellers, including Singapore residents, long-term pass holders and short-term visitors, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Sunday.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...otice-12539952