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
#3496
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 645
BA cancelled our September return flights to Tokyo (CW, booked with 241 and AVIOS) on 4th April, so I requested a refund via the website on 6th. No contact from BA since.
I can see the cash element was refunded to my Amex card on 13th, but I am still waiting on AVIOS & voucher return.
Am keen to get this sorted so I can look at rebooking to another destination (as annual leave is fixed). Any thoughts on the best way to contact BA about this, please? Phone or email?
I’m only Blue so assume I need to steel myself for long hold times if I call!
I can see the cash element was refunded to my Amex card on 13th, but I am still waiting on AVIOS & voucher return.
Am keen to get this sorted so I can look at rebooking to another destination (as annual leave is fixed). Any thoughts on the best way to contact BA about this, please? Phone or email?
I’m only Blue so assume I need to steel myself for long hold times if I call!
#3497
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
I tried calling AA again as it's a 001 ticket, but they still insisted that as the new schedule is within 4 hours of the original, there is nothing they can do, even though the flight was cancelled, not just retimed. Does this look like the best course of action for me now
1. Write on twitter and try and get a final answer that they wont refund
2. Refund ticket through AMEX
3. If I decide to go for EU261 compensation, it's a claim against BA, as the operating carrier, not AA.
Finally, should I proactively cancel the ticket online, or leave it as a no show?
1. Write on twitter and try and get a final answer that they wont refund
2. Refund ticket through AMEX
3. If I decide to go for EU261 compensation, it's a claim against BA, as the operating carrier, not AA.
Finally, should I proactively cancel the ticket online, or leave it as a no show?
#3498
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: BG
Programs: BAEC Silver, TK Elite, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 827
Are you able to request a refund using AA's automated system? If so, I'd try that. Either way, make sure the remaining flights are cancelled out before departure, you don't want to be a no-show.
#3499
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Bristol
Programs: BA Silver, Hilton Gold, Caesars Diamond
Posts: 923
While I have kept things on point and without emotion, or opinion, in my dealings directly with BA (regarding cancellation and EC261), I have been more vocal about it on Twitter. Is this ok/any downside?
#3500
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,977
i don’t see any downside, but equally there is little point being vocal on Twitter to ba about ec261 compensation as they can’t do anything about it. You need to deal with CR.
#3502
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 6
Was caught up in the aftermath of one of the many February meltdowns.
Have been waiting 9 weeks now for EU261 compensation upwards of 1000£ and claims for hotels and taxis.
Any advice?
Have tried calling and emailing to follow up but only get shuffled between departments.
Thanks
Have been waiting 9 weeks now for EU261 compensation upwards of 1000£ and claims for hotels and taxis.
Any advice?
Have tried calling and emailing to follow up but only get shuffled between departments.
Thanks
#3503
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: Belfast - GB
Programs: BA Exec - BA GGL/CCR, UA Premier Platinum
Posts: 79
Was caught up in the aftermath of one of the many February meltdowns.
Have been waiting 9 weeks now for EU261 compensation upwards of 1000£ and claims for hotels and taxis.
Any advice?
Have tried calling and emailing to follow up but only get shuffled between departments.
Thanks
Have been waiting 9 weeks now for EU261 compensation upwards of 1000£ and claims for hotels and taxis.
Any advice?
Have tried calling and emailing to follow up but only get shuffled between departments.
Thanks
#3505
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 756
Was caught up in the aftermath of one of the many February meltdowns.
Have been waiting 9 weeks now for EU261 compensation upwards of 1000£ and claims for hotels and taxis.
Any advice?
Have tried calling and emailing to follow up but only get shuffled between departments.
Thanks
Have been waiting 9 weeks now for EU261 compensation upwards of 1000£ and claims for hotels and taxis.
Any advice?
Have tried calling and emailing to follow up but only get shuffled between departments.
Thanks
I’d suggest it’s CEDR or MCOL to get them to pay up.
#3506
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC, Eurostar
Posts: 3,293
My positioning flight to Malaga on 17th May was canned (the afternoon BA454). I've rebooked on the Gatwick flight operated by IB Express, it'll be a new experience. I wasn't comfortable moving to the later flight from LHR which arrives at 22:55 for a 1:30am AY flight. It's the start of a long TP run to the west coast so I kept some slack. If that one goes I'll have to hope there's still availability or other flights!
#3508
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: North of the Highland line
Programs: BA Gold IHG Ambassador Spire Shangri La Diamond
Posts: 701
BA1448 LHR-EDI 15.35 cancelled. Final leg after transatlantic flight. Currently no options being offered other than cancellation. I will leave MMB to settle down for an hour or two - this trip is fated, both legs of the outbound got cancelled different points of the booking, had to rebook for a different day. Now this is leg 3 out of 4 messed around. Its getting harder to love BA
#3509
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,180
I have a question please. We are due to fly NCE-LHR-ORD/BOS-LHR-NCE in late May. For different reasons we do not wish to travel. I have been holding off cancelling to see if they cancelled anything first and ask for a refund. I had intended to cancel once the two week threshold had been reached. Am I still able to claim a FTV?
If BA cancels (this concerns another booking) 8 days before the flight is due to depart - I seem to have gained the impression that under 14 days and they have to pay compensation? Can you refer me to where this is if there is another thread.
If BA cancels (this concerns another booking) 8 days before the flight is due to depart - I seem to have gained the impression that under 14 days and they have to pay compensation? Can you refer me to where this is if there is another thread.
#3510
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: 63,830
I have a question please. We are due to fly NCE-LHR-ORD/BOS-LHR-NCE in late May. For different reasons we do not wish to travel. I have been holding off cancelling to see if they cancelled anything first and ask for a refund. I had intended to cancel once the two week threshold had been reached. Am I still able to claim a FTV?
If BA cancels (this concerns another booking) 8 days before the flight is due to depart - I seem to have gained the impression that under 14 days and they have to pay compensation? Can you refer me to where this is if there is another thread.
If BA cancels (this concerns another booking) 8 days before the flight is due to depart - I seem to have gained the impression that under 14 days and they have to pay compensation? Can you refer me to where this is if there is another thread.