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
#3586
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Surrey
Programs: BA Gold, VS Gold, Eurostar CB, IHG Spire, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz President Circle
Posts: 435
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.
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.
Last edited by s1362083; May 3, 2022 at 3:19 pm
#3587
Join Date: May 2022
Location: NYC
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12
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.
#3588
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA 1K; Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Gold
Posts: 828
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.
#3589
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,021
In case it helps anyone, had one call to BA and they are prepared to change day within a few days either way to a BA flight or move us to Qatar via Doho if necessary. Have to work out changes to itinerary to match new flights first.
#3590
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 57
Well, it's finally happened to me - return leg of a long New York weekend holiday cancelled. Email just says BA will be 'in contact'. Phone line impossible to get through on and just disconnects, after the automated message says I can rebook online. However, I can't see any options to rebook online - it only offers to 'contact us' on a phone line you can't get through on. Any advice?
#3591
Join Date: Feb 2022
Posts: 24
I received an email last night saying that the BA203 to BOS was cancelled on 09 August. It has rebooked me on the later flight but I wanted the earlier one. I got the usual error of ‘something went wrong’.
I then contacted You First as it’s 24/7 and in fairness to BA, they answered immediately and I got the earlier flight. This was a 241 booking as well.
I was on the phone for no more than ten minutes in total, so my experience was, well, excellent.
I then contacted You First as it’s 24/7 and in fairness to BA, they answered immediately and I got the earlier flight. This was a 241 booking as well.
I was on the phone for no more than ten minutes in total, so my experience was, well, excellent.
#3592
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: 63,828
Well, it's finally happened to me - return leg of a long New York weekend holiday cancelled. Email just says BA will be 'in contact'. Phone line impossible to get through on and just disconnects, after the automated message says I can rebook online. However, I can't see any options to rebook online - it only offers to 'contact us' on a phone line you can't get through on. Any advice?
#3593
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 57
Judging from the other posts on this topic, if it's a BAH booking then BAH will indeed send an email after a few days - I guess prioritising those who are travelling in the near future - and in that email will be a suggested new flight arrangement. Unless you are travelling this week then I would just leave it until then. Indeed if it is a while off there are obvious benefits in waiting a while before fixing the new travel dates. Other people have reported the email arrives in 3 to 5 days. Personally I wouldn't bother calling.
#3594
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA 1K; Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Gold
Posts: 828
How did you get BA on the phone? I still get the "call volume too high" or it disconnects. The flight on Qatar via Doha is actually what I am looking at.
#3595
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA 1K; Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Gold
Posts: 828
I received an email last night saying that the BA203 to BOS was cancelled on 09 August. It has rebooked me on the later flight but I wanted the earlier one. I got the usual error of ‘something went wrong’.
I then contacted You First as it’s 24/7 and in fairness to BA, they answered immediately and I got the earlier flight. This was a 241 booking as well.
I was on the phone for no more than ten minutes in total, so my experience was, well, excellent.
I then contacted You First as it’s 24/7 and in fairness to BA, they answered immediately and I got the earlier flight. This was a 241 booking as well.
I was on the phone for no more than ten minutes in total, so my experience was, well, excellent.
#3596
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Near the bottom of this page: https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...es/first/first
Dedicated to You First
We’re here to help, whenever you need us. That’s why we have You First, a dedicated helpdesk for First customers – whatever the query.
Speak to You First
We’re here to help, whenever you need us. That’s why we have You First, a dedicated helpdesk for First customers – whatever the query.
Speak to You First
#3597
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA 1K; Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Gold
Posts: 828
Near the bottom of this page: https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...es/first/first
#3598
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 94
Seriously?
Why all the BA cancellations? Diminished crew? I wonder is the passenger load is a factor also. But how do they know that for your flights in August and September of this year.
#3600
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 94
Crazy
I hate to think of all the leg work you will have to do. I checked Qatar and their flights are no good for me. 23 hours to get from Houston to Nairobi!!! I flew Qatar once back in 2016 and I did have to spend the night in Doha airport hotel. Don't want to do that again.