Last edit by: corporate-wage-slave
01 - 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 2023 (now extended from April 2022 including existing FTVs), 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. If you us,ed an FTV to pay for this now cancelled service then you can have a refund back to the FTV's original booking.
Online forms: manual process which may take many weeks
link to webform to claim a refund (UK) or link to webform to claim a refund (US)
Paid Seating Refund:
link to webform to claim a refund (UK)
02 - If your flight is not cancelled but you no longer wish to travel
Commercial booking: If you are eligible for Buy with Confidence, you can have an FTV valid until 31 August 2022 (this has been extended several times). Rebooking may lead to a fare recalculation but no change fee. Travel must be fully completed by this date.
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 30 April 2022, 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: https://ba.com/confidence
Bookings made using Lloyds Upgrade Voucher
You should expect to receive:
A full refund of Avios and money paid plus 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
03 - How to find out the status of your voucher and the amount it contains
Use the Qantas website and look back to your original PNR. Step by step guide by corporate-wage-slave
04 - Future Travel Vouchers versus eVouchers
FTVs cannot be used online (and are not really vouchers), whereas eVouchers, issued for simple bookings, can be used online.
BA are now issuing eVouchers directly in simple cases, and also proactively replacing existing FTVs with new eVouchers. These are usable online. Complex cases still get FTVs, which require a phone call to book. In both cases, you need to apply online through the Cancellation Options in MMB, and both will generate an email typically within a few minutes. This is how to tell the difference
1) eVouchers will get an email entitled "Your British Airways eVoucher"
This will then have a line like this and the online ability is mentioned in the email text:
Your eVoucher details
125-1234567890 / GBP48.87 / WAGE-SLAVE /
2) FTVs will get an email entitled "Your British Airways Future Travel Voucher"
The relevant line then shows:
Voucher code(s)
125-1234567890
It doesn't take much, by FT standards, to turn a booking too complicated for the automated eVoucher. POUGs, flight changes, TCP, seat payment, pay payment with Avios, UuA. 48 and 72 hour Hold bookings all stop it. But if you made a simple single or return booking, point to point, on BA.com and didn't change it, then you should get an eVoucher.
If you obtain an FTV, deploy it on a new booking which BA then cancels, then you can get a refund of the cash from the first booking that led to the FTV. Or an Avios refund without redeposit fees if it was a redemption.
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 2023 (now extended from April 2022 including existing FTVs), 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. If you us,ed an FTV to pay for this now cancelled service then you can have a refund back to the FTV's original booking.
Online forms: manual process which may take many weeks
link to webform to claim a refund (UK) or link to webform to claim a refund (US)
Paid Seating Refund:
link to webform to claim a refund (UK)
02 - If your flight is not cancelled but you no longer wish to travel
Commercial booking: If you are eligible for Buy with Confidence, you can have an FTV valid until 31 August 2022 (this has been extended several times). Rebooking may lead to a fare recalculation but no change fee. Travel must be fully completed by this date.
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 30 April 2022, 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: https://ba.com/confidence
Bookings made using Lloyds Upgrade Voucher
You should expect to receive:
A full refund of Avios and money paid plus 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.
03 - How to find out the status of your voucher and the amount it contains
Use the Qantas website and look back to your original PNR. Step by step guide by corporate-wage-slave
04 - Future Travel Vouchers versus eVouchers
FTVs cannot be used online (and are not really vouchers), whereas eVouchers, issued for simple bookings, can be used online.
BA are now issuing eVouchers directly in simple cases, and also proactively replacing existing FTVs with new eVouchers. These are usable online. Complex cases still get FTVs, which require a phone call to book. In both cases, you need to apply online through the Cancellation Options in MMB, and both will generate an email typically within a few minutes. This is how to tell the difference
1) eVouchers will get an email entitled "Your British Airways eVoucher"
This will then have a line like this and the online ability is mentioned in the email text:
Your eVoucher details
125-1234567890 / GBP48.87 / WAGE-SLAVE /
2) FTVs will get an email entitled "Your British Airways Future Travel Voucher"
The relevant line then shows:
Voucher code(s)
125-1234567890
It doesn't take much, by FT standards, to turn a booking too complicated for the automated eVoucher. POUGs, flight changes, TCP, seat payment, pay payment with Avios, UuA. 48 and 72 hour Hold bookings all stop it. But if you made a simple single or return booking, point to point, on BA.com and didn't change it, then you should get an eVoucher.
If you obtain an FTV, deploy it on a new booking which BA then cancels, then you can get a refund of the cash from the first booking that led to the FTV. Or an Avios refund without redeposit fees if it was a redemption.
BA Covid-19 Flight cancellations, rebooking, and refunds | Help and advice thread
#1861
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: GLA
Programs: Chevalier de la Gallentrie - Knight of the Platinum Hair Brush, BA Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,389
When a cancellation occurs on a flight where the customer has booked with Avios, BA are allowing the customer to rebook to a flight on the same route at a future date, but the flight does not have to have Avios seats available - they will allow the passenger to rebook as long as there are seats in the same cabin, regardless of fare class.
#1862
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: BAEC, VS Flying Club
Posts: 797
When a cancellation occurs on a flight where the customer has booked with Avios, BA are allowing the customer to rebook to a flight on the same route at a future date, but the flight does not have to have Avios seats available - they will allow the passenger to rebook as long as there are seats in the same cabin, regardless of fare class.
#1863
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: GLA
Programs: Chevalier de la Gallentrie - Knight of the Platinum Hair Brush, BA Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,389
My post wasn't intended as a commentary on whether BA are doing the right thing or not (or doing us a favour, rather than what they are legally bound to do anyway) - simply answering the OP's question about what the options were for a cancelled Avios flight.
#1864
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: GLA
Programs: Chevalier de la Gallentrie - Knight of the Platinum Hair Brush, BA Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,389
I've a question of my own (as I've a feeling it's something that has a high likelihood of happening in the coming weeks, if the US border situation for vaccinated UK residents doesn't change.
I've currently got an Ex-EU (Dublin) trip booked to the US in October. Hoping it goes ahead, but fully prepared for it to be cancelled and have to rebook. If one (or more) of the current DUB-LHR-JFK-SFO-LAX legs are cancelled, will I be within the scope of the rebooking system to change my point of origin from DUB to GLA for the future date? It's within the 300 mile radius from the original departure point. but given the impact to APD this would have, I wasn't sure if this was something they HAVE to accept, or if it's a case of a ticketing decision that isn't guaranteed.
Not trying to "game the system" and still hoping the original flights are able to go ahead - but if they DO have to be rebooked, I'd rather use the opportunity to remove a positioning flight and hotel stay the night before (not to mention an extra half day travel at each side) if I'm within the rebooking rights to do so.
Additionally - if (for example) AA cancelled one of my US flights (for example the LAX-SFO flight) and i had to rebook to a different flight on the same dates - would a change of departure airport still be permitted?
I've currently got an Ex-EU (Dublin) trip booked to the US in October. Hoping it goes ahead, but fully prepared for it to be cancelled and have to rebook. If one (or more) of the current DUB-LHR-JFK-SFO-LAX legs are cancelled, will I be within the scope of the rebooking system to change my point of origin from DUB to GLA for the future date? It's within the 300 mile radius from the original departure point. but given the impact to APD this would have, I wasn't sure if this was something they HAVE to accept, or if it's a case of a ticketing decision that isn't guaranteed.
Not trying to "game the system" and still hoping the original flights are able to go ahead - but if they DO have to be rebooked, I'd rather use the opportunity to remove a positioning flight and hotel stay the night before (not to mention an extra half day travel at each side) if I'm within the rebooking rights to do so.
Additionally - if (for example) AA cancelled one of my US flights (for example the LAX-SFO flight) and i had to rebook to a different flight on the same dates - would a change of departure airport still be permitted?
#1865
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: 63,804
I've currently got an Ex-EU (Dublin) trip booked to the US in October. Hoping it goes ahead, but fully prepared for it to be cancelled and have to rebook. If one (or more) of the current DUB-LHR-JFK-SFO-LAX legs are cancelled, will I be within the scope of the rebooking system to change my point of origin from DUB to GLA for the future date? It's within the 300 mile radius from the original departure point. but given the impact to APD this would have, I wasn't sure if this was something they HAVE to accept, or if it's a case of a ticketing decision that isn't guaranteed.
[snip]
Additionally - if (for example) AA cancelled one of my US flights (for example the LAX-SFO flight) and i had to rebook to a different flight on the same dates - would a change of departure airport still be permitted?
[snip]
Additionally - if (for example) AA cancelled one of my US flights (for example the LAX-SFO flight) and i had to rebook to a different flight on the same dates - would a change of departure airport still be permitted?
For the AA flights on a 125 ticket, then normally you can move to alternative routings within the Maximum Permitted Mileage. It depends a bit on exactly what you want to do, but if you switched LHR-JFK-SFO-LAX to LHR-CLT-LAX then that would be normally OK. If the AA flights are still viable on the booked timings then an agent will normally query why you would want to change things.
As ever, leave it as late as you can and be very wary of maybe bookings.
#1866
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
I have a flight IAD-LHR-ARN in September where the LHR-ARN flights keep getting progressively canceled to where there is one at 7:10 am or 7:05 pm. No flights from the US will get in by 6:10 and I'm not super excited about spending my whole first day of the trip at LHR. I presume since the cancelations are so early, I have no shot at them putting me on a decently timed SK flight in the middle of the day?
#1867
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Programs: TK Elite Plus,BAEC GGL,ITA Executive, AFKL Gold,QR Gold,HH Diamond,Bonvoy Gold,ALL Gold
Posts: 14,186
I have a flight IAD-LHR-ARN in September where the LHR-ARN flights keep getting progressively canceled to where there is one at 7:10 am or 7:05 pm. No flights from the US will get in by 6:10 and I'm not super excited about spending my whole first day of the trip at LHR. I presume since the cancelations are so early, I have no shot at them putting me on a decently timed SK flight in the middle of the day?
If you have booked your ticket before 22 June, they would rebook you on LH/LX/OS with a routing like IAD-LHR-FRA/MUC/VIE/ZRH-ARN if you don't want an overnight in London.
If you push a bit, BA should also be able to rebook you directly on IAD-FRA/MUC/VIE-ARN on all LH or OS.
#1868
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
They wouldn't rebook you on SK.
If you have booked your ticket before 22 June, they would rebook you on LH/LX/OS with a routing like IAD-LHR-FRA/MUC/VIE/ZRH-ARN if you don't want an overnight in London.
If you push a bit, BA should also be able to rebook you directly on IAD-FRA/MUC/VIE-ARN on all LH or OS.
If you have booked your ticket before 22 June, they would rebook you on LH/LX/OS with a routing like IAD-LHR-FRA/MUC/VIE/ZRH-ARN if you don't want an overnight in London.
If you push a bit, BA should also be able to rebook you directly on IAD-FRA/MUC/VIE-ARN on all LH or OS.
#1869
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Phuket
Programs: SQ *Gold, BA, QR, EY, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 5,269
BA just cancelled our flights to RUH (a 2-4-1 Avios/booked in Business). How close can I leave it to my originally booked date to accept/decline BA's rebooked option? Will they consider rebooking us on Saudia Airlines on our original date? Thanks.
#1870
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Silver
Posts: 7
Not sure if I should post here or in the August thread, but BA just cancelled all the flights in August between London LHR and Bucharest OTP. That includes my flights that were outbound on Aug 23 and inbound Aug 31. When I booked, the usual 2 flights a day inbound and another 2 flights outbound were all available. I'm not sure what happened, since there are no Covid related news about Romania. I asked a person at the call centre, but they had no idea. I'm going to give it 24 hours, but I think I'll have to rebook with a different airline.
#1871
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 256
Accepted flight move, now need to cancel
Hello all,
Advice gratefully received. About a week ago i was informed that my return TLV-LHR flight was cancelled (the afternoon one) so I moved myself to the morning one. Since then the Israel border controls have changed (now mandatory 7 day quarantine for Brits) so it means I can no longer travel. Am I right in thinking that there are no 'take backs' to accepting a change and I will need to cancel it myself and accept the voucher? I suppose with only one flight a day now its is unlikely to to be cancelled for me.
Thanks!
Advice gratefully received. About a week ago i was informed that my return TLV-LHR flight was cancelled (the afternoon one) so I moved myself to the morning one. Since then the Israel border controls have changed (now mandatory 7 day quarantine for Brits) so it means I can no longer travel. Am I right in thinking that there are no 'take backs' to accepting a change and I will need to cancel it myself and accept the voucher? I suppose with only one flight a day now its is unlikely to to be cancelled for me.
Thanks!
#1872
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,964
Hello all,
Advice gratefully received. About a week ago i was informed that my return TLV-LHR flight was cancelled (the afternoon one) so I moved myself to the morning one. Since then the Israel border controls have changed (now mandatory 7 day quarantine for Brits) so it means I can no longer travel. Am I right in thinking that there are no 'take backs' to accepting a change and I will need to cancel it myself and accept the voucher? I suppose with only one flight a day now its is unlikely to to be cancelled for me.
Thanks!
Advice gratefully received. About a week ago i was informed that my return TLV-LHR flight was cancelled (the afternoon one) so I moved myself to the morning one. Since then the Israel border controls have changed (now mandatory 7 day quarantine for Brits) so it means I can no longer travel. Am I right in thinking that there are no 'take backs' to accepting a change and I will need to cancel it myself and accept the voucher? I suppose with only one flight a day now its is unlikely to to be cancelled for me.
Thanks!
#1874
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Phuket
Programs: SQ *Gold, BA, QR, EY, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Marriott Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 5,269
Can anyone kindly assist? Thanks!
#1875
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: A3*G,BA Silver
Posts: 2,012
Romania has put the UK in their Red list. Only vaccinated people can travel without quarantine.