BA Flights to Argentina
#16
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,574
Given that it's pretty clear now that the flight will not take place, and that clarity will increase as flight date approaches, the airline might find it difficult to claim it should not compensate passengers if it waits until the final days before the flight to cancel it.
#17
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Thanks for the info. I'm not a regular flyer, hence the first time post after just watching for general info re Covid.
I hadn't considered compensation, I'm just wanting to get an idea of how the cancellations work. Plenty of replies on here so really pleased with the info given.I'll just wait for their email and then try for a refund, as it's not possible to reschedule.
I hadn't considered compensation, I'm just wanting to get an idea of how the cancellations work. Plenty of replies on here so really pleased with the info given.I'll just wait for their email and then try for a refund, as it's not possible to reschedule.
#18
Join Date: May 2010
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, AF/KL Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 830
Thanks for the info. I'm not a regular flyer, hence the first time post after just watching for general info re Covid.
I hadn't considered compensation, I'm just wanting to get an idea of how the cancellations work. Plenty of replies on here so really pleased with the info given.I'll just wait for their email and then try for a refund, as it's not possible to reschedule.
I hadn't considered compensation, I'm just wanting to get an idea of how the cancellations work. Plenty of replies on here so really pleased with the info given.I'll just wait for their email and then try for a refund, as it's not possible to reschedule.
As annoying as it is, just sit tight and wait for the cancellation to come through. Once this does happen, if the system will still be as it is, be aware that BA will push you towards a future travel voucher on the website. If you would rather have your cash back,
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
EC regulations mandate compensation for passengers ONLY where cancellations take place within two weeks of the flight date, with the caveat:
An operating air carrier shall not be obliged to pay compensation in accordance with Article 7, if it can prove that the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.
If in May the carrier is aware that a flight is not going to operate in August, but formally cancels the service only in the two weeks before the scheduled departure date, then clearly it has not taken all reasonable measures to mitigate the impact of the cancellation on its customers.A court might decide that the "COVID as an extraordinary circumstance" kicks in only where a cancellation is forced upon the carrier in the crucial two-weeks immediately before the flight is scheduled to take place.
Outside that crucial two week period compensation would not be an issue.
Thus I would expect carriers to communicate cancellation to ticket-holders outside the two-week period if they possibly can.
#21
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,936
Is anyone going to claim then? It is clear BA would refuse any request and you would have to be prepared to take some court action probably through multiple levels. Otherwise it is just academic from those who think compensation should be due.
Last edited by KARFA; May 10, 2020 at 5:10 am Reason: change in wording of last sentence
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
It is most unlikey that this will happen in the two weeks before scheduled departure.
#23
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 629
some people are making claims which I find incredible in the last week or so I've spoken to a few people who have demanded compensation and also a friend who works in another department has told me some eu261 claims have already come in for not giving 14 days notice
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 8
Were you planning on using an internal flight once there? I have Aeroparque to Tucuman booked but it won't go ( not cancelled yet ) and though my wife is Argentinian, I'm not looking forward to dealing with Aerolineas and its refund operation.
Edit: This was a response specifically to Bar Operator's earlier comment. Apologies for cluttering up the thread!
Edit: This was a response specifically to Bar Operator's earlier comment. Apologies for cluttering up the thread!
Last edited by Kevin Armstrong; May 10, 2020 at 7:38 am Reason: Was intended as a response to a specific poster and not general.
#25
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA Exec
Posts: 647
Were you planning on using an internal flight once there? I have Aeroparque to Tucuman booked but it won't go ( not cancelled yet ) and though my wife is Argentinian, I'm not looking forward to dealing with Aerolineas and its refund operation.
Edit: This was a response specifically to Bar Operator's earlier comment. Apologies for cluttering up the thread!
Edit: This was a response specifically to Bar Operator's earlier comment. Apologies for cluttering up the thread!
It is proving a challenge, to put it mildly. Vouchers have been offered in lieu of refunds, which must be used before November 2020...given current restrictions in place banning commercial flights in Argentina until September, that offer doesn’t appear to be particularly generous.
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 8
Update
Received cancellation notice this morning. Phoned BA at 2pm, 30 seconds to get through! 2 minutes to supply booking details, refund would take about 4 weeks. Operator said details would be passed to Refund Section and all would be done in about 4 weeks. Is that the correct process? I wanted to ask about whether both outward and inward journeys would be cancelled ( I think an earlier answer indicated yes ). From the way she spoke, I was assuming she was about to transfer me to that section but then it was a swift and pleasant goodbye!
Not being at all familiar with BA cancellations, I'm just a tad nervous that I've missed something glaringly obvious!
Not being at all familiar with BA cancellations, I'm just a tad nervous that I've missed something glaringly obvious!
#27
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: 63,769
Received cancellation notice this morning. Phoned BA at 2pm, 30 seconds to get through! 2 minutes to supply booking details, refund would take about 4 weeks. Operator said details would be passed to Refund Section and all would be done in about 4 weeks. Is that the correct process? I wanted to ask about whether both outward and inward journeys would be cancelled ( I think an earlier answer indicated yes ). From the way she spoke, I was assuming she was about to transfer me to that section but then it was a swift and pleasant goodbye!
Not being at all familiar with BA cancellations, I'm just a tad nervous that I've missed something glaringly obvious!
Not being at all familiar with BA cancellations, I'm just a tad nervous that I've missed something glaringly obvious!
For anyone else going to Argentina seeing cancellation emails,, in addition to the full refund you can instead be rebooked free of charge up to one year after you originally booked, or accept a FTV for travel to April 2022. FTVs only make sense if you have an expiring companion voucher you want to use or something similar.
#28
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: London. Or a plane.
Programs: "Only" 50,000 TPs until BA GGLfL
Posts: 2,774
For anyone else going to Argentina seeing cancellation emails,, in addition to the full refund you can instead be rebooked free of charge up to one year after you originally booked, or accept a FTV for travel to April 2022. FTVs only make sense if you have an expiring companion voucher you want to use or something similar.
#29
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,936
Previously for a cancelled flight you could move -3/+14 days and didn't need same selling class, but if you wanted to move beyond that range you paid any fare difference if the same selling class was not available.
Now they have removed the -3/+14 day restriction, so if your flight is cancelled you can change to the same route for any date up to a year from when you ticket was originally booked and you just need any space in the same cabin, you do not need same selling class availability. So if you do want to change any cancelled ones to later this year you should be able to do so without any fare difference.
#30
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Wimbledon, UK
Programs: Budding BA Bronze, MPC Gold
Posts: 370
I've got a trip booked landing at EZE on 15th December.
BA flights from LHR to Buenos Aires have been running for some time now, however the Argentinian border remains closed for foreign nationals (unless you have family there or from a nearby country Brazil etc.).
Keep reading conflicting reports about borders opening to foreign tourists on 15th December (with a test on arrival), now some say 20th December.
The BA flights have been going to EZE for some time now so it won't be cancelled, until something concrete is written on the Gov website not sure we have any choice but to cancel and take the hit or try and move the dates. Not sure if a voucher is available if the flight is still going?
BA flights from LHR to Buenos Aires have been running for some time now, however the Argentinian border remains closed for foreign nationals (unless you have family there or from a nearby country Brazil etc.).
Keep reading conflicting reports about borders opening to foreign tourists on 15th December (with a test on arrival), now some say 20th December.
The BA flights have been going to EZE for some time now so it won't be cancelled, until something concrete is written on the Gov website not sure we have any choice but to cancel and take the hit or try and move the dates. Not sure if a voucher is available if the flight is still going?