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BA Covid-19 Flight cancellations, rebooking, and refunds | Help and advice thread

Old Jan 1, 2021, 8:29 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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
  • 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.
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BA Covid-19 Flight cancellations, rebooking, and refunds | Help and advice thread

Old May 2, 2022, 6:18 pm
  #3571  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,653
Originally Posted by anabolism
Once split, can a PNR be put back together? I didn't think that was possible, but maybe it can be done in Amadeus (pretty sure Sabre can't do it).

In addition, I often see YQ/YR (fuel surcharges or "carrier-imposed fees") that are much higher on the outbound than the inbound.
you cant recombine bookings that have been split.
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Old May 3, 2022, 1:10 am
  #3572  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
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My early morning LHR-FRA has been cancelled and rebooked onto 7pm departure same day. I need to be there for the morning so will have to travel on the 7pm departure the day before.

In a similar situation last time, BA reimbursed me for the hotel stay for my booking but my family member in same situation was denied reimbursement. Is this an area where we're reliant on BA's goodwill or is it a clear cut duty of care issue? (Keeping in mind they're rebooked us on evening flight which is +12h from original departure and I'm asking for -12h departure, which then triggers need for hotel.

Secondly, I'm travelling with 2 friends on this booking and ideally we wouldn't want to share rooms. Are we ok to book 3x rooms at up to 200/night or is the expectation that we would share a room?
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Old May 3, 2022, 2:44 am
  #3573  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Oxford (&Western Isles )
Programs: BA GGL, CCR; RyanAir MillionMiler :( ;
Posts: 750
Another LHR-GLA has been cancelled, this one for my sis in law and 92yo aunt, in June. However, the booking says, “ we’ve booked you on the next available flight” and they have booked a flight at about 10pm. The original flight booked was about 4pm. When I decide to look for alternatives, rather than just confirm the flight, there is plenty availability on the flight at about 4.30pm?!

why didn’t BA (IT systems) book this flight? So many other infrequent travellers must just press the “accept” button?
wanderingjock is offline  
Old May 3, 2022, 5:31 am
  #3574  
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Originally Posted by s1362083
My early morning LHR-FRA has been cancelled and rebooked onto 7pm departure same day. I need to be there for the morning so will have to travel on the 7pm departure the day before.

In a similar situation last time, BA reimbursed me for the hotel stay for my booking but my family member in same situation was denied reimbursement. Is this an area where we're reliant on BA's goodwill or is it a clear cut duty of care issue? (Keeping in mind they're rebooked us on evening flight which is +12h from original departure and I'm asking for -12h departure, which then triggers need for hotel.

Secondly, I'm travelling with 2 friends on this booking and ideally we wouldn't want to share rooms. Are we ok to book 3x rooms at up to 200/night or is the expectation that we would share a room?
You have been rebooked to another same day flight. If you wish to travel the day before, I don't see this has anything to do with BA, i.e. it is your costs. Maybe you will be able to get BA to reimburse the hotel, but I wouldn't count on it.

If the 3 persons are in the same booking it will be easier to get imbursement of 1-2x 200 GBP than 3x 200 GBP. I don't think it is reasonable to claim 3x GBP 200 in this situation.

There is no cheaper hotel option than GBP 200 /night? At FRA GBP 200/nt is a lot for a hotel room and can be found cheaper elsewhere, even in the city centre.
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Old May 3, 2022, 6:17 am
  #3575  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
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Originally Posted by s1362083
My early morning LHR-FRA has been cancelled and rebooked onto 7pm departure same day. I need to be there for the morning so will have to travel on the 7pm departure the day before.

In a similar situation last time, BA reimbursed me for the hotel stay for my booking but my family member in same situation was denied reimbursement. Is this an area where we're reliant on BA's goodwill or is it a clear cut duty of care issue? (Keeping in mind they're rebooked us on evening flight which is +12h from original departure and I'm asking for -12h departure, which then triggers need for hotel.

Secondly, I'm travelling with 2 friends on this booking and ideally we wouldn't want to share rooms. Are we ok to book 3x rooms at up to 200/night or is the expectation that we would share a room?
The Right to Care is broad brush, the factor that may apply is why the delayed departure, avoiding the overnight, doesn't work. So let's say you are going for a business meeting and that the delayed option would miss the start of the meeting. You would not have booked the travel originally if that was the outcome. If you therefore have to travel earlier for the purposes of the trip AND that requires an overnight stay, then Right to Care applies.

The expectation is that it's two to a room, but if that's not viable then it can be per person. Two work colleagues would not be expected to share, for example. Even if the 200 is the guideline, you would be best to keep it sensible, not least because BA may initially decline to pay it and you then have to escalate it to see the reimbursement.
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Old May 3, 2022, 8:00 am
  #3576  
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC: Bronze
Posts: 136
So I have managed to speak to someone via twitter, so far my 12o'clock flight has been cancelled, the 15:00 and 08:40 flight are now full, and agreed to the 7am flight yesterday, but not heard anything back (currently the price for one way on this flight is >500), seems to take a couple of days between each interaction, a little concerned all the flights will have gone by the time its sorted!
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Old May 3, 2022, 9:19 am
  #3577  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,018
My CW return LHR-Nairobi 31/ 8 to 11/9 has been cancelled, with the message well do everything we can to get you where you need to be. Any suggestions what to ask for? Booked on reward flights with a soon to expire 241.
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Old May 3, 2022, 9:39 am
  #3578  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Surrey
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Posts: 435
Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
The Right to Care is broad brush, the factor that may apply is why the delayed departure, avoiding the overnight, doesn't work. So let's say you are going for a business meeting and that the delayed option would miss the start of the meeting. You would not have booked the travel originally if that was the outcome. If you therefore have to travel earlier for the purposes of the trip AND that requires an overnight stay, then Right to Care applies.

The expectation is that it's two to a room, but if that's not viable then it can be per person. Two work colleagues would not be expected to share, for example. Even if the 200 is the guideline, you would be best to keep it sensible, not least because BA may initially decline to pay it and you then have to escalate it to see the reimbursement.
We're catching an afternoon LH flight from FRA so the evening flight on the original day of travel is simply not an option. We can send BA the LH tickets to prove why we have no other viable option than overnighting. I realise the same day connection had some risk but obviously this isn't irrops on the day of travel (which was the risk I calculated I was happy to take).

The airport Hilton is pricing up just under 200 on our dates with marriott quite a bit higher. We are travelling with 3x bikes so it's extremely awkward luggage and we would need multiple large taxis to transfer to a non terminal hotel. So again, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that to be reimbursed. We could share rooms, it's not ideal but I think 2x rooms between the 3 of us is probably a reasonable compromise.
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Old May 3, 2022, 10:03 am
  #3579  
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Originally Posted by s1362083
We're catching an afternoon LH flight from FRA so the evening flight on the original day of travel is simply not an option. We can send BA the LH tickets to prove why we have no other viable option than overnighting. I realise the same day connection had some risk but obviously this isn't irrops on the day of travel (which was the risk I calculated I was happy to take).

The airport Hilton is pricing up just under 200 on our dates with marriott quite a bit higher. We are travelling with 3x bikes so it's extremely awkward luggage and we would need multiple large taxis to transfer to a non terminal hotel. So again, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that to be reimbursed. We could share rooms, it's not ideal but I think 2x rooms between the 3 of us is probably a reasonable compromise.
You having a separate ticket on LH is hardly a concern of BA/has anything to do with BA.

As I recall it there are several other hotel options in the vicinity of FRA airport. GBP 200/nt is quite expensive for FRA. For your own sake you should look for something cheaper. Again, you having "extremely awkward luggage" is hardly of relevance here/is of no concern to BA.
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Old May 3, 2022, 10:10 am
  #3580  
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 49
Just had an Avios redemption for LHR-YYZ on Thursday 30th June cancelled. Originally I was on the 13:10, and the other flight for the day (17:05) has also been cancelled - The Wednesday & Friday flights were still running. Thankfully I've been able to get on a flight a day earlier, but it appears that BA might be trimming back their LH flights now
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Old May 3, 2022, 10:18 am
  #3581  
 
Join Date: May 2022
Location: NYC
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12
Hello everyone. First post after a long time enjoying the usefulness of this forum, I'm looking forward to being a part of the community.

I've tried to find the answer to this but could not after a few searches. I've had the LAX-LHR leg cancelled in a CW itinerary in late September LAX-LHR-MAD. I could benefit from the added flexibility and as it's still over 4 months away, don't want to pick a new flight just yet. Is there any time limit before which I need to select my new flights? Or I could theoretically wait until a few days before the outbound leg to select my preferred flight?

Thanks for your advice.

​​
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Old May 3, 2022, 10:44 am
  #3582  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Oxford (&Western Isles )
Programs: BA GGL, CCR; RyanAir MillionMiler :( ;
Posts: 750
Originally Posted by wanderingjock
Another LHR-GLA has been cancelled, this one for my sis in law and 92yo aunt, in June. However, the booking says, weve booked you on the next available flight and they have booked a flight at about 10pm. The original flight booked was about 4pm. When I decide to look for alternatives, rather than just confirm the flight, there is plenty availability on the flight at about 4.30pm?!

why didnt BA (IT systems) book this flight? So many other infrequent travellers must just press the accept button?

Is this normal? do the algorithims not take into consideration that there is a "requires assistance" flag? Or dont take into consideration that there are 14 free bus class seats free on the flight 35 mins later??? Feels like being offered the middle seat in row 37 when the plane is empty!
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Old May 3, 2022, 12:36 pm
  #3583  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
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So completely new to BA and have a multi city itinerary booked in First/Business in August. 8/12 SFO-AMS returning 8/27 NBO-SFO through LHR. BA just cancelled the NBO-LHR leg and I can not find any alternative. There were 8 of us booked in business class. This is the end of a Safari so we don't have a lot of flexibility. I tried to call but BA is not taking phone calls right now. Any advice?
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Old May 3, 2022, 12:56 pm
  #3584  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Originally Posted by cmurphy2005
Hello everyone. First post after a long time enjoying the usefulness of this forum, I'm looking forward to being a part of the community.

I've tried to find the answer to this but could not after a few searches. I've had the LAX-LHR leg cancelled in a CW itinerary in late September LAX-LHR-MAD. I could benefit from the added flexibility and as it's still over 4 months away, don't want to pick a new flight just yet. Is there any time limit before which I need to select my new flights? Or I could theoretically wait until a few days before the outbound leg to select my preferred flight?
​​
Welcome to Flyertalk. I wouldn't leave it too long just in case flights fill up, but late September is quite a way off and as you only get one bite of the cherry there is often merit in leaving it until nearer the time. I often advocate people do not rush to do things the second a flight is changed. To give on example you may in th end decide not to travel and thus want a cash refund - if you have already rebooked then that option goes off the table. But maybe early August have another look at this.
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Old May 3, 2022, 12:59 pm
  #3585  
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 63,470
Originally Posted by sierranevada
So completely new to BA and have a multi city itinerary booked in First/Business in August. 8/12 SFO-AMS returning 8/27 NBO-SFO through LHR. BA just cancelled the NBO-LHR leg and I can not find any alternative. There were 8 of us booked in business class. This is the end of a Safari so we don't have a lot of flexibility. I tried to call but BA is not taking phone calls right now. Any advice?
BA will be looking to offer services in the days before or after the cancellation. Using other oneworld airlines is another option so Qatar is one option for example. So if that works, ring up with that suggestion lined up, so QR1342 to DOH then QR737 to SFO.
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