Greedy BA [I cancelled my ticket, BA won’t refund ancillary fees]
Mar 20, 2020, 4:22 pm
#46
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: New York, Paris
Programs: AA ExPlat 4MM, AA Life Plat, Lufthansa FT, Delta Basic
Posts: 1,593
I was to fly BA to Geneva on March 3 for the Geneva Auto show. The show was cancelled due to the Corona virus. I had a slight challenge getting American Airlines not to charge me the Award redeposit fee. But getting BA to refund my $390 for my bussines class seats has fallen on deaf ear. They Don't care!!! I tried talking to a supervisor twice, it's worse than talking to a brick wall. How GREEDY,
Any suggestions ? Right now $390 to me and most people on this planet is a lot of money. Plesse help !
Any suggestions ? Right now $390 to me and most people on this planet is a lot of money. Plesse help !
I am not sure about the OP's chances of getting such supplementary purchases refunded, BUT it is painfully obvious to me that BA has had an atrocious behaviour in this crisis, far worse than AY, AF/KL, DL or AA (I never thought I would ever write this about AA). They have been procrastinating on every aspect of the process and displayed the utmost ill will up to a point of obscenity. It was a complete pain to make them volunteer exchange vouchers after everyone else had shown flexibility, and even now when they HAVE TO refund passengers for their own flight cancellations, their website still takes you to a voucher page, thus forcing to contact them by phone with long waits.
If and when we survive this crisis, something one should not take for granted, my own attitude towards BA in the future will be to stay away from them as much as possible. Judging by the forums, I shall not be the only one. The US airlines, by comparison, have been surprisingly flexible and generous.
Mar 20, 2020, 4:27 pm
#47
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Am I missing something ? I had an award reservation similar to the OP's, a RT on BA from Paris to Larnaca (Cyprus) via LHR. All I did was call AA, THEY cancelled the reservation for me, (no redeposit fee, I am OW Emerald) and refunded the taxes, very easily.. What are these $ 390 ? It seems an awful lot for selecting seats in the Business cabin (how many passengers ?).
I am not sure about the OP's chances of getting such supplementary purchases refunded, BUT it is painfully obvious to me that BA has had an atrocious behaviour in this crisis, far worse than AY, AF/KL, DL or AA (I never thought I would ever write this about AA). They have been procrastinating on every aspect of the process and displayed the utmost ill will up to a point of obscenity. It was a complete pain to make them volunteer exchange vouchers after everyone else had shown flexibility, and even now when they HAVE TO refund passengers for their own flight cancellations, their website still takes you to a voucher page, thus forcing to contact them by phone with long waits.
If and when we survive this crisis, something one should not take for granted, my own attitude towards BA in the future will be to stay away from them as much as possible. Judging by the forums, I shall not be the only one. The US airlines, by comparison, have been surprisingly flexible and generous.
I am not sure about the OP's chances of getting such supplementary purchases refunded, BUT it is painfully obvious to me that BA has had an atrocious behaviour in this crisis, far worse than AY, AF/KL, DL or AA (I never thought I would ever write this about AA). They have been procrastinating on every aspect of the process and displayed the utmost ill will up to a point of obscenity. It was a complete pain to make them volunteer exchange vouchers after everyone else had shown flexibility, and even now when they HAVE TO refund passengers for their own flight cancellations, their website still takes you to a voucher page, thus forcing to contact them by phone with long waits.
If and when we survive this crisis, something one should not take for granted, my own attitude towards BA in the future will be to stay away from them as much as possible. Judging by the forums, I shall not be the only one. The US airlines, by comparison, have been surprisingly flexible and generous.
Mar 20, 2020, 4:31 pm
#48
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: New York, Paris
Programs: AA ExPlat 4MM, AA Life Plat, Lufthansa FT, Delta Basic
Posts: 1,593
Mar 20, 2020, 4:36 pm
#50
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
390$ for flights to/from Geneva is very high unless I've read the post wrong and it includes transatlantic flights seat selection if it's just Geneva LHR it's for more than 1 person, if its including transatlantic flights then that's about the going rate
Mar 20, 2020, 10:52 pm
#51
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
Bottom line :
It's called good customer service. Which airline do you think I will fly to Europe next year when this is over??? Of course American, they saw the exception and made it right for the customer, who will return the favor. BA WAS JUST FOLLOWING THE RULES. They had Zero compassion !
FYI : Even before this crisis if a similar cancellation situation came up, depending on the mind set of the Airline, Hotel , or Car, if you ask nicely , they will want your business back !
It's called good customer service. Which airline do you think I will fly to Europe next year when this is over??? Of course American, they saw the exception and made it right for the customer, who will return the favor. BA WAS JUST FOLLOWING THE RULES. They had Zero compassion !
FYI : Even before this crisis if a similar cancellation situation came up, depending on the mind set of the Airline, Hotel , or Car, if you ask nicely , they will want your business back !
Mar 21, 2020, 1:28 am
#52
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Munich, Algarve, Sussex or S.F Bay Area
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, A3*Gold, AA Plat, HH Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Marriott Plat
Posts: 4,156
Yes, but continuously reevaluated in terms of traffic share for each carrier. A drop in passengers for a single carrier within the JV would precipitate a drop in that carriers share of the revenue.
Mar 21, 2020, 2:01 am
#53
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
I appreciate that, but the OP wishes to punish BA for perceived wrong doing. Changing carrier within the Joint Venture is unlikely to achieve that aim. To punish BA the OP must change alliances.
Mar 21, 2020, 5:23 am
#54
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,191
Again, he's not asking for the refund of the ticket. It's the seat fees.
Think about it this way. As it stands, I guess the OP will never use BA again. However, if BA were to offer a voucher for the seat fees, then maybe that would be an incentive to book another BA flight in the future.
Think about it this way. As it stands, I guess the OP will never use BA again. However, if BA were to offer a voucher for the seat fees, then maybe that would be an incentive to book another BA flight in the future.
but I understand that BA has never refunded seat fees in general.. it would be nice if BA were to be understanding about this , but they are a business, and that is why they continue to change passengers booking in CW, $$$ for seats, unless
the passenger has status...
Mar 21, 2020, 6:07 am
#55
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Dundee
Programs: BA Plastic. HH Diamond. Speedwell Bar Lifetime Platinum.
Posts: 1,423
When the first tranche of cancellation options came up for Hong Kong flights, I was still just out with the window for full refunds on my reward flight. I could have cancelled, and have lost my £35 each plus the seat selection fees I had paid, (far greater than what the OP has lost).
I had to wait until the window covered my dates before I got every penny back. If that window had never came, I'd have been out of luck, and had to swallow the cost. That's life.
I had to wait until the window covered my dates before I got every penny back. If that window had never came, I'd have been out of luck, and had to swallow the cost. That's life.
Mar 21, 2020, 6:26 am
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
Mar 23, 2020, 12:46 am
#59
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,367
Wow, can’t believe I’m reading this. Whilst this was 3 weeks ago the advice now is stay at home save lives and the world has come to a gridlock.
Whilst hindsight is a wonderful thing quoting t&c whilst is technically right at this time but doesn’t seem within the spirit of this situation.
I personally would tweet BA and say disappoinTed that I decided to #stayathome (use that hashtag as that’s the one with this advice) and whilst AA cancelled your ticket you are disappointed to lose $390 in seat fees and see what they say.
Whilst hindsight is a wonderful thing quoting t&c whilst is technically right at this time but doesn’t seem within the spirit of this situation.
I personally would tweet BA and say disappoinTed that I decided to #stayathome (use that hashtag as that’s the one with this advice) and whilst AA cancelled your ticket you are disappointed to lose $390 in seat fees and see what they say.
Mar 23, 2020, 1:03 am
#60
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,468
Now I understand your annoyance with this, but as others have pointed out in terms of switching carriers you’re really not going to hurt BA. You don’t have the volume of oneworld traffic either that would be a concern to any airline if they lost it - because if you did you’d be at least oneworld ruby and therefore you’d qualify for free seat selection at T-7, or at point of booking for Sapphire or above.
You can’t win now - BA has absolutely zero incentive to back down, and far bigger issues to wrestle with. You may get some tea and sympathy here, but ultimately we all make choices. Yours was the right one for you at the time, but it came with consequences as well. Sometimes we don’t get dealt the hand we’d like.
