Voucher Or Request Refund

Old May 4, 2020, 1:43 pm
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by crazyarmadillo
As KARFA. states is certainly worth remembering this for AVIOS bookings with GUFs attached to them.

I now have a amex 241 and guf1x2 effectively extended for two years beyond their original expiry. Plus the avios protection from devaluation for lhr lax return. Only downside taxes may change.
I had booked a 241 LHR to BGI return in First for june - just received cancellation notification. When contacting Youfirst they said the following:

If we cancel the booking you can opt for a full refund which must be done through our call centres or you could accept the voucher by cancelling online. Once the voucher request is received this stops the option of a cash refund.

Your booking is based on Avios and AMEX 2-4-1 voucher so any new booking you make will be based on Avios availability. The tax element will be re-quoted with any difference payable. Your voucher would not permit booking of a commercially priced seat.

We have applied an expiration extension to the AMEX 2-4-1 voucher of 6 months from its current expiry date which takes it to 23 August 2021. You would have to book and fly the outbound leg before this date. No further extensions would be permitted.

Now forgive me if I am wrong i thought the 3 options were:

1. Take avios and cash refund - 241 voucher valid until 23 Aug 20201

2. Take voucher option - 241 voucher plus taxes paid valid until April 2022 (any bookings would pay differences in taxes/avios

3. Can book any flight LHR to BGI in same cabin within 1 year of my booking date (as per new updated policy) regardless of avios availability or not.

Is this the correct understanding - apologies if this has been posted in the wrong place or answered elsewhere already.
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Old May 4, 2020, 1:53 pm
  #17  
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Originally Posted by aswat300
I had booked a 241 LHR to BGI return in First for june - just received cancellation notification. When contacting Youfirst they said the following:

If we cancel the booking you can opt for a full refund which must be done through our call centres or you could accept the voucher by cancelling online. Once the voucher request is received this stops the option of a cash refund.

Your booking is based on Avios and AMEX 2-4-1 voucher so any new booking you make will be based on Avios availability. The tax element will be re-quoted with any difference payable. Your voucher would not permit booking of a commercially priced seat.

We have applied an expiration extension to the AMEX 2-4-1 voucher of 6 months from its current expiry date which takes it to 23 August 2021. You would have to book and fly the outbound leg before this date. No further extensions would be permitted.

Now forgive me if I am wrong i thought the 3 options were:

1. Take avios and cash refund - 241 voucher valid until 23 Aug 20201

2. Take voucher option - 241 voucher plus taxes paid valid until April 2022 (any bookings would pay differences in taxes/avios

3. Can book any flight LHR to BGI in same cabin within 1 year of my booking date (as per new updated policy) regardless of avios availability or not.

Is this the correct understanding - apologies if this has been posted in the wrong place or answered elsewhere already.
I think this post may help - it summarises your options https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32337156-post1899.html

One thing to note is as your flights are cancelled you can rebook for any dates within ticket validity and you do not need reward availability - this policy was changed last Tuesday - any space in the cabin will do. The bolded section is therefore wrong now.
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Old May 4, 2020, 1:54 pm
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by aswat300
I had booked a 241 LHR to BGI return in First for june - just received cancellation notification. When contacting Youfirst they said the following:

If we cancel the booking you can opt for a full refund which must be done through our call centres or you could accept the voucher by cancelling online. Once the voucher request is received this stops the option of a cash refund.

Your booking is based on Avios and AMEX 2-4-1 voucher so any new booking you make will be based on Avios availability. The tax element will be re-quoted with any difference payable. Your voucher would not permit booking of a commercially priced seat.

We have applied an expiration extension to the AMEX 2-4-1 voucher of 6 months from its current expiry date which takes it to 23 August 2021. You would have to book and fly the outbound leg before this date. No further extensions would be permitted.

Now forgive me if I am wrong i thought the 3 options were:

1. Take avios and cash refund - 241 voucher valid until 23 Aug 20201

2. Take voucher option - 241 voucher plus taxes paid valid until April 2022 (any bookings would pay differences in taxes/avios

3. Can book any flight LHR to BGI in same cabin within 1 year of my booking date (as per new updated policy) regardless of avios availability or not.

Is this the correct understanding - apologies if this has been posted in the wrong place or answered elsewhere already.

All I know is that the ba agent confirmed to me that;

My amex 241 is valid till the voucher expirey, at that time it was 2021.
My guf is also valid as long as the voucher
Also my ggl seat release/joker for my membership year 2018/2019 is also valid as long as the voucher.

The only thing I personally not 100% about, is if the new 2022 date applies, but it had been mentioned on here it does.

They also put notes in booking as I had them go to the back office to ensure that was correct. Again at the time 2021.

Regarding avios availability vs general availability, there's another thread here which stated your don't need reward availability. But I don't know about that as it didn't apply to me.
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Old May 4, 2020, 1:59 pm
  #19  
 
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Thanks for the quick responses really helpful and much appreciated.
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Old May 4, 2020, 4:50 pm
  #20  
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Originally Posted by crazyarmadillo
The only thing I personally not 100% about, is if the new 2022 date applies, but it had been mentioned on here it does.
I had an email today from a HFP reader who was told by the call centre - and this involved supervisor involvement - that a 241 inside a voucher would NOT survive if the voucher was redeemed after the 241 expiry.

If you look at the rules for the voucher, which are now online, 241 vouchers are not mentioned either way.

There is no 'formal' proof at the moment that 241s are secure. Of course, if it was going to expire before April 2022 and you can't otherwise fly before the 241 expiry date it's a no-lose bet arguably.
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Old May 4, 2020, 5:46 pm
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by Raffles
I had an email today from a HFP reader who was told by the call centre - and this involved supervisor involvement - that a 241 inside a voucher would NOT survive if the voucher was redeemed after the 241 expiry.

If you look at the rules for the voucher, which are now online, 241 vouchers are not mentioned either way.

There is no 'formal' proof at the moment that 241s are secure. Of course, if it was going to expire before April 2022 and you can't otherwise fly before the 241 expiry date it's a no-lose bet arguably.
Well I had the ggl line check with back office and manager twice and they also put notes on ticket confirming definitely extension. My 241 is already expired and I have the voucher that contains the 241 valid at least till 2021 This was before the 2022 extension.
Edit. I was assured that was formal policy btw.

Last edited by crazyarmadillo; May 4, 2020 at 5:53 pm
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Old May 4, 2020, 7:01 pm
  #22  
 
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Looking for some help and advice! I am an Australian based frequent flyer, had a euro trip planned for July this year which included two separate bookings with BA between London and Nice in Early and Mid July.

Have similarly received this e-mail about the voucher for use up to April 2022.

I have lots of flights booked with Australian airlines and have generally not opted for vouchers, as I am very confidents flights will not go ahead, and I'll be entitled to a full refund. I am not across whether BA is currently still flying to countries like France, so am unsure here.

Given the BA Voucher is pretty restrictive for me (given I am AU based, and would have to be in Europe to really get use of it), what is the general feeling around the likelihood my flights would be going ahead?

Based on the advice above, it seems like we can cancel up to the last minute, so my best bet is to wait regardless?

Thanks for any help you can give!
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Old May 4, 2020, 7:30 pm
  #23  
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Originally Posted by Raffles
I had an email today from a HFP reader who was told by the call centre - and this involved supervisor involvement - that a 241 inside a voucher would NOT survive if the voucher was redeemed after the 241 expiry.

If you look at the rules for the voucher, which are now online, 241 vouchers are not mentioned either way.

There is no 'formal' proof at the moment that 241s are secure. Of course, if it was going to expire before April 2022 and you can't otherwise fly before the 241 expiry date it's a no-lose bet arguably.
The hfp reader was told incorrect information
If you take the bwc voucher and have an amex or gufo guft etc vouchers in the booking they are secure for the rebooked date.

obviously they are subject to Avios availability but the vouchers no matter what expiry date are valid till 30 April 2022
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Old May 4, 2020, 11:20 pm
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by Hawk777
The hfp reader was told incorrect information
If you take the bwc voucher and have an amex or gufo guft etc vouchers in the booking they are secure for the rebooked date.
Can you advise if a Lloyds upgrade voucher would be included in this policy?

thanks
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Old May 5, 2020, 1:07 am
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by Hawk777
The hfp reader was told incorrect information
If you take the bwc voucher and have an amex or gufo guft etc vouchers in the booking they are secure for the rebooked date.

obviously they are subject to Avios availability but the vouchers no matter what expiry date are valid till 30 April 2022
Very helpful. If you dont mind me asking and with apologies this is probably detailed somewhere in another thread, I assume the vouchers can be used to any destination not just the destination of the originally cancelled flights?
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Old May 5, 2020, 1:30 am
  #26  
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Originally Posted by BGI Runner
Very helpful. If you dont mind me asking and with apologies this is probably detailed somewhere in another thread, I assume the vouchers can be used to any destination not just the destination of the originally cancelled flights?
Correct. And yes, see the main Rebook thread and wiki to see your options, but the eVoucher can be used to another location, several small trips or on a BA Holidays (more relevant for purely cash bookings).
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Old May 5, 2020, 1:37 am
  #27  
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Originally Posted by AustraliatoUK
Given the BA Voucher is pretty restrictive for me (given I am AU based, and would have to be in Europe to really get use of it), what is the general feeling around the likelihood my flights would be going ahead?
I think the general advice given here is
- wait until a few days before departure to see if BA cancel the flight
- always try for cash if you can, it's a very flexible financial instrument
- an eVoucher is more useful if you definitely have travel with BA coming up anyway OR you are concerned about redemption availability and/or vouchers such as 2-4-1 Companion vouchers. If all the flights on your booking operate to schedule (more or less) you have no option but to take the eVoucher.
As for London to Nice, this is a key BA route, and Air France may soon be forced to stop flying within the Hexagon, so further increasing the route's utility to BA. So it is perhaps possible the flight could operate. Moreover I can see some tectonic plates shifting that makes July a plausible time when travel will be easier than now. Given the European summer I suspect new cases of Covid-19 will be quite low by that point, antibody testing should be viable and both countries have separate track and trace systems embedded by then. But that's all crystal ball stuff and your crystal ball may vary.
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Old May 5, 2020, 6:13 am
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by Hawk777
The hfp reader was told incorrect information
If you take the bwc voucher and have an amex or gufo guft etc vouchers in the booking they are secure for the rebooked date.

obviously they are subject to Avios availability but the vouchers no matter what expiry date are valid till 30 April 2022
Glad you also confirmed what I was told by the ggl line that indeed voucher's do extend amex 241. Saved me another phone call after the post above re hfp contradicting what I had been told.
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Old May 5, 2020, 7:55 am
  #29  
 
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BA Vouchers

I Received an e-mail yesterday offering a voucher if I opted to cancel July 22 BOS-LHR flight. I am considering the voucher but am wondering if I wait till the last minute to make a decision on canceling the trip is there a possibility that this offer may be taken off the table assuming things get back to normal in the meantime ...thoughts?
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Old May 5, 2020, 8:06 am
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by Britsok1
I Received an e-mail yesterday offering a voucher if I opted to cancel July 22 BOS-LHR flight. I am considering the voucher but am wondering if I wait till the last minute to make a decision on canceling the trip is there a possibility that this offer may be taken off the table assuming things get back to normal in the meantime ...thoughts?
Things will not get back to normal so quick and especially for US.
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