Greedy BA [I cancelled my ticket, BA won’t refund ancillary fees]
Mar 20, 2020, 2:05 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Tempe,Az,USA
Posts: 467
Greedy BA [I cancelled my ticket, BA won’t refund ancillary fees]
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 !
Mar 20, 2020, 2:09 am
#2
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So this was a separate ticket LHR to GVA? I don’t think it’s BA’s fault that you can no longer travel, so perhaps this is something to take up with your travel insurance? Depending on when the ticket was bought, you may get a voucher for future travel. As to the money, it was spent anyway, what you are missing is the travel experience.
Mar 20, 2020, 2:21 am
#4
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Did the aircraft fly XXX-GVA as scheduled?
If the flight flew as scheduled the reason you did not fly on the ticket your purchased is nothing to do with BA.
How long before the flight did you cancel it? Any refund will be as the ticket t&c's when you bought the ticket
If the flight flew as scheduled the reason you did not fly on the ticket your purchased is nothing to do with BA.
How long before the flight did you cancel it? Any refund will be as the ticket t&c's when you bought the ticket
Mar 20, 2020, 2:25 am
#5
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I think that would depend on your policy, but I suspect you are correct. The only argument, aside from a disinclination to travel, that one could make with the insurance would be a trip in vain, which may or may not be covered. But no reason for BA to refund.
Mar 20, 2020, 2:51 am
#6
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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 !
if it's just seat fees then again they are non refundable if you cancel or change your booking
Last edited by Hawk777; Mar 20, 2020 at 2:57 am
Mar 20, 2020, 2:53 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
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 !
Mar 20, 2020, 2:55 am
#8
Community Director
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OP, presumably your proposed flight to London still operated as well?
Aside from the fact that BA would only see a LHR-GVA flight, the fact remains that you therefore could still have taken the trip as booked and just done different things in Geneva. You, quite probably perfectly sensibly in your own eyes, made the choice to cancel - it was not imposed upon you.
In those circumstances, with the position on 3rd March being much less grave than it is now, it’s difficult to see why any airline should refund you.
I think the reality is that you’re going to have to accept the taxes back, or perhaps a voucher for future travel depending on when you booked.
Aside from the fact that BA would only see a LHR-GVA flight, the fact remains that you therefore could still have taken the trip as booked and just done different things in Geneva. You, quite probably perfectly sensibly in your own eyes, made the choice to cancel - it was not imposed upon you.
In those circumstances, with the position on 3rd March being much less grave than it is now, it’s difficult to see why any airline should refund you.
I think the reality is that you’re going to have to accept the taxes back, or perhaps a voucher for future travel depending on when you booked.
Mar 20, 2020, 2:55 am
#9
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
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From the OP, this was an Award ticket using AA miles on BA flights. The complaint is that although AA allowed him to cancel and get his points back, he couldn't get the seat fees back.
Mar 20, 2020, 2:58 am
#10
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yep which basically is the same.answer unfortunately as if it was a flight. Unfortunately the flight operated they cancelled but as per t and cs seating non refundable on BA which they would have agreed to at time of booking them
Mar 20, 2020, 3:01 am
#11
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Possibly, but that doesn't change the underlying answer. OP chose not to travel on a flight that operated. I don't think you get seat fees back for that, do you?
Mar 20, 2020, 3:03 am
#12
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
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Location: Manchester, UK
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This was posted on Head for Points this morning. I don't know whether it's appropriate in this case :-
Maybe ask BA if they'll give a voucher for future seat selection fees? I guess the answer would be no, but it's worth a shout.
If you paid for seat selection, you LOSE this money if you cancel. You may prefer to take the travel voucher as I believe the seat selection value is retained, either as part of the voucher or as a credit for free seat selection when you rebook.
Mar 20, 2020, 3:04 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: London, UK
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correct ba won’t refund these fees. There are some reports that people who choose the legal route able successfully get a refund.
Mar 20, 2020, 3:08 am
#14
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From the horse's mouth:
https://www.britishairways.com/en-de...es-and-refunds
https://www.britishairways.com/en-de...es-and-refunds
When you cannot claim a refund
- If you cancel your flight.
- If you are upgraded by us.
- If you are not suitable to sit in the seat type you have selected (according to CAA safety regulations) e.g. an exit row seat.
- If you choose to change your flight, you will be entitled to choose an equivalent seat on your new flight. If you change to a lower priced seat, we will be unable to refund you the difference.
- If you booked a British Airways operated flight through another airline, e.g. Iberia, and you change your flight, you will not receive a refund for the reserved seats and you will need to reserve and pay for seats again on the new flight.
- If it is more than 30 days since the completion of the last flight.
Mar 20, 2020, 3:20 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2005
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If the OP does want to pursue this with BA, can I at least suggest they wait a couple of weeks. BA's call centre staff must still be pretty stretched at the moment, trying to repatriate people from far-flung places. I have a flight 10 days away that I do have to cancel, but am not even contemplating trying to call BA right now to sort this out. There are other people in more urgent need of their help right now.