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Covid-19 BA Rebooking/Cancellation/Refund HELP & ADVICE *No Speculation etc*

Old Mar 14, 20, 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*

Old Mar 24, 20, 4:13 am
  #901  
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 72
Our April 9th LHR-MAD was cancelled and rebooked to the flight about two hours later (go figure).

Anyway in the MMB page with the offers to accept change, rebook, or cancel and refund, the JavaScript hack worked and in theory a full cash refund is comming.

So Teamscoop, if your original flight was actually cancelled, and you have the same MMB options, try the JS trick.
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Old Mar 24, 20, 4:15 am
  #902  
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Southampton UK
Posts: 42
Originally Posted by SimonAB
Our April 9th LHR-MAD was cancelled and rebooked to the flight about two hours later (go figure).

Anyway in the MMB page with the offers to accept change, rebook, or cancel and refund, the JavaScript hack worked and in theory a full cash refund is comming.

So Teamscoop, if your original flight was actually cancelled, and you have the same MMB options, try the JS trick.
Thanks, I'll give it a punt...
T
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Old Mar 24, 20, 4:16 am
  #903  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,328
Originally Posted by lcylocal
I have managed to get a voucher for the deposit under book with confidence (even though by the time the voucher had been processed it was a week or so after the cut off date for paying the balance).
Just looked in MMB there is no voucher option.
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Old Mar 24, 20, 4:21 am
  #904  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
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Originally Posted by paulaf
Just looked in MMB there is no voucher option.
The final payment deadline has almost certainly been pushed back 3 weeks anyway, I would just wait, and I certainly wouldn't pay anything under your current deadline. Hopefully the Contact Centres will have a quieter time next week.
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Old Mar 24, 20, 4:26 am
  #905  
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Southampton UK
Posts: 42
Originally Posted by SimonAB
Our April 9th LHR-MAD was cancelled and rebooked to the flight about two hours later (go figure).

Anyway in the MMB page with the offers to accept change, rebook, or cancel and refund, the JavaScript hack worked and in theory a full cash refund is comming.

So Teamscoop, if your original flight was actually cancelled, and you have the same MMB options, try the JS trick.
So as they've moved me to a slightly later flight I can't see the cancelled flight now in My Bookings?
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Old Mar 24, 20, 4:29 am
  #906  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 452
Originally Posted by FliGuy
Trying to help out my sister and friends who had a holiday to New York booked, flights with BA and hotel all booked with a local (ABTA member) Travel Agent. My understanding is that if a flight and hotel booked together this counts as a package and if so, given the circumstances, what would happen since they now cannot fly to the US?
  • Would the TA be responsible for arranging refunds?
  • Would they be covered by Abta?
  • Should they claim via their own travel insurance?
Any more informed people here that would know which course of action to take, advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks.
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
It depends a bit on the details. The TA is certainly responsible for refunding the flight costs from BA, they may also be the ones to collect hotel costs. Usually it's best to inform the insurers that this has happened, but that you are working initially with the TA to minimise losses. ABTA only applies in extremis, such as trader failure, which may of course happen. But for the moment work with the TA to minimise losses.
https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice...iday-protected
Just checking in on this again as I am about to call the TA regarding this. BA have now cancelled the flights, and when I check on the BA site with the booking ref, I can see the details of the cancelled flights and the options available, one of which is 'You may obtain a full refund by cancelling the entire booking. To get a refund by cancelling your entire booking, please call us'. So pretty clear BA are offering a refund, however the TA have said that BA are only offering travel vouchers (and they must be used by Dec 2020 ?).
So I'm assuming either the TA is being obstructive and doesn't want to process a refund from BA and refund back the fare (although I cant think why?) or that they are just being lazy / not that good and haven't bothered to check further with BA and just using a blanket statement that its a travel voucher only option.
Having never dealt with a refund from BA via a TA, I would assume the process would be that TA obtain the refund from BA, then the TA refund the customer?
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Old Mar 24, 20, 4:34 am
  #907  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 59,457
Originally Posted by FliGuy
So I'm assuming either the TA is being obstructive and doesn't want to process a refund from BA and refund back the fare (although I cant think why?) or that they are just being lazy / not that good and haven't bothered to check further with BA and just using a blanket statement that its a travel voucher only option.
Having never dealt with a refund from BA via a TA, I would assume the process would be that TA obtain the refund from BA, then the TA refund the customer?
Yes, the TA is watching their cashflow by the looks of it, moreover there are stories of TAs giving their own vouchers to passengers, so they get the cash from the airline, hold it but not in escrow, issue a TA voucher. This is wrong in law and in principle. Politely point out to the TA the EC261 requirement to refund, and if they won't budge I think you then have a chargeback case on your hand. Ultimately you can actually pursue BA via MCOL if it comes to it, but that really would be the last resort.

It's probably no good to point this out, but even before this crisis there has always been a problem with using TAs - they create their own processes between you and the airline. Do not use TAs unless they are highly reputable. If they are cheap, you get what you pay for.
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Old Mar 24, 20, 4:35 am
  #908  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,328
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
The final payment deadline has almost certainly been pushed back 3 weeks anyway, I would just wait, and I certainly wouldn't pay anything under your current deadline. Hopefully the Contact Centres will have a quieter time next week.
OK thanks, it would be a good idea if they actioned that 3 week delay in MMB so people wouldn't call up but I guess that would be a big IT job.
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Old Mar 24, 20, 4:40 am
  #909  
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Fyvie
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 19
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
If you have had a cancellation, do a screenshot but don't pay the final payment. These are, in any case, being delayed until 3 weeks before travel. If you did actually want to travel fairly soon - perhaps to somewhere else - then that may be a reason to call up. Otherwise just sit tight. (At home).
Thanks thats very helpful CWS - I will sit tight! No desire to go anywhere else at the moment - our 2020 travel so far has been completely wiped out - China January: aborted shortly after arrival; Rome February: Cancelled; SW France March: Cancelled; now Mallorca ...Stay safe everyone.
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Old Mar 24, 20, 4:41 am
  #910  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 452
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
Yes, the TA is watching their cashflow by the looks of it, moreover there are stories of TAs giving their own vouchers to passengers, so they get the cash from the airline, hold it but not in escrow, issue a TA voucher. This is wrong in law and in principle. Politely point out to the TA the EC261 requirement to refund, and if they won't budge I think you then have a chargeback case on your hand. Ultimately you can actually pursue BA via MCOL if it comes to it, but that really would be the last resort.

It's probably no good to point this out, but even before this crisis there has always been a problem with using TAs - they create their own processes between you and the airline. Do not use TAs unless they are highly reputable. If they are cheap, you get what you pay for.
Thanks CWS, that's what I suspected. The TA are a very small local one (i'm not sure why they used them tbh...) I'll post back how I get on.
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Old Mar 24, 20, 4:59 am
  #911  
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 72
Quote:
Originally Posted by SimonAB View Post
Our April 9th LHR-MAD was cancelled and rebooked to the flight about two hours later (go figure).

Anyway in the MMB page with the offers to accept change, rebook, or cancel and refund, the JavaScript hack worked and in theory a full cash refund is comming.

So Teamscoop, if your original flight was actually cancelled, and you have the same MMB options, try the JS trick.
So as they've moved me to a slightly later flight I can't see the cancelled flight now in My Bookings?


I had to follow the 'acecpt this change' link in the email. I did not see any obvious way to navigate there through the normal MMB pages.

Last edited by SimonAB; Mar 24, 20 at 5:00 am Reason: Forgot to quote
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Old Mar 24, 20, 5:04 am
  #912  
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Southampton UK
Posts: 42
Originally Posted by SimonAB
Quote:
Originally Posted by SimonAB View Post
Our April 9th LHR-MAD was cancelled and rebooked to the flight about two hours later (go figure).

Anyway in the MMB page with the offers to accept change, rebook, or cancel and refund, the JavaScript hack worked and in theory a full cash refund is comming.

So Teamscoop, if your original flight was actually cancelled, and you have the same MMB options, try the JS trick.
So as they've moved me to a slightly later flight I can't see the cancelled flight now in My Bookings?


I had to follow the 'acecpt this change' link in the email. I did not see any obvious way to navigate there through the normal MMB pages.
I wasn't really given a choice. It just says:

Next Steps
If you're happy to travel at the new flight time, you don't need to do anything. If you want to book an alternative flight, please go to Manage My Booking to see your options.


If I go to Manage my Booking, it says that I cannot cancel but to contact BA on the 'phone. Don't think I'll bother with that at the moment.

Ho Hum

TG
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Old Mar 24, 20, 5:09 am
  #913  
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 72
Originally Posted by Teamscoop
I wasn't really given a choice. It just says:

Next Steps
If you're happy to travel at the new flight time, you don't need to do anything. If you want to book an alternative flight, please go to Manage My Booking to see your options.


If I go to Manage my Booking, it says that I cannot cancel but to contact BA on the 'phone. Don't think I'll bother with that at the moment.

Ho Hum

TG
I got

Next Steps

You need to confirm that you want to travel on the new flight. Please go onto Manage My Booking and select 'accept' if you wish to travel on your new flight. If you wish to book onto a different flight, you can also review your alternative options.

So presumably you were rescheduled rather than cancelled and rebooked. Just guessing now though, I'm far from a FF.

Last edited by SimonAB; Mar 24, 20 at 5:10 am Reason: remove link
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Old Mar 24, 20, 5:11 am
  #914  
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Southampton UK
Posts: 42
Originally Posted by SimonAB
I got

Next Steps

You need to confirm that you want to travel on the new flight. Please go onto Manage My Booking and select 'accept' if you wish to travel on your new flight. If you wish to book onto a different flight, you can also review your alternative options.

So presumably you were rescheduled rather than cancelled and rebooked. Just guessing now though, I'm far from a FF.
Yep, looks that way. I'll sit on my hands. I can't see this flight going but we'll see. Thanks

TG
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Old Mar 24, 20, 5:26 am
  #915  
IMH
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Posts: 5,231
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
[...] even before this crisis there has always been a problem with using TAs - they create their own processes between you and the airline. Do not use TAs unless they are highly reputable. If they are cheap, you get what you pay for.
I'll try and keep this brief given that it's tangential, but it's worth noting that even reputable TAs create an additional layer that can cause problems.

One of my recent bookings had been booked through the TA arm of American Express in order to take advantage of a travel credit. In the past two weeks contacting Amex Travel has been no easier than contacting BA. The person I eventually reached had little understanding of EC261, no knowledge of BA's specific COVID-19 policies and zero willingeness to look anything up.
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