Jan 1, 2021, 8:29 am
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
May 5, 2022, 10:50 am
#3616
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
El Al customer advisory - also extended
BA has extended the rebooking allowance for TLV for those whose cancellation would result in an overnight stay in London (given they have taken away the morning departure from TLV). You can now be rebooked on El Al so long as it avoids this overnight risk. This is an old allowance, but is now extended to the end of October 2022.
So we have Qatar (restricted routes), Lufhansa, Austrian, CityLine and Swiss (not restricted) and El Al (TLV connections only).
BA has extended the rebooking allowance for TLV for those whose cancellation would result in an overnight stay in London (given they have taken away the morning departure from TLV). You can now be rebooked on El Al so long as it avoids this overnight risk. This is an old allowance, but is now extended to the end of October 2022.
So we have Qatar (restricted routes), Lufhansa, Austrian, CityLine and Swiss (not restricted) and El Al (TLV connections only).
May 5, 2022, 12:42 pm
#3617
Join Date: Dec 2019
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 573
Well I've had a refund relating to the Late February "IT Meltdown" from BAH but they have completely cocked it up.
Weekend Break Flights and Hotel booked from EDI to DUS via LHR out Friday 25th February return Sunday 27th February - cost £224.
Only got as far as LHR on the 25th then Flight to Dusseldorf cancelled - the following morning one Saturday 26th was also cancelled - they had put me up overnight at LHR on Friday, I was then left to fend for myself incurring expenses to get back to Edinburgh as no one at the Airport would help and the BAH Helpline was jammed.
You'd think as I mentioned to them this was an open and shut case for a full refund of the £224 paid for the Holiday as per the PTR's.
Somehow they have concluded I am only entitled to £100 odd back ? - You couldn't make it up - wish I'd just done a chargeback.
They mentioned my details would be passed over for any compensation/expenses due, I had already given them the claim reference number. The lack of synchronicity between BAH and BA needs to be addressed. Why should a claim like mine have to be bisected in this manner ?
Weekend Break Flights and Hotel booked from EDI to DUS via LHR out Friday 25th February return Sunday 27th February - cost £224.
Only got as far as LHR on the 25th then Flight to Dusseldorf cancelled - the following morning one Saturday 26th was also cancelled - they had put me up overnight at LHR on Friday, I was then left to fend for myself incurring expenses to get back to Edinburgh as no one at the Airport would help and the BAH Helpline was jammed.
You'd think as I mentioned to them this was an open and shut case for a full refund of the £224 paid for the Holiday as per the PTR's.
Somehow they have concluded I am only entitled to £100 odd back ? - You couldn't make it up - wish I'd just done a chargeback.
They mentioned my details would be passed over for any compensation/expenses due, I had already given them the claim reference number. The lack of synchronicity between BAH and BA needs to be addressed. Why should a claim like mine have to be bisected in this manner ?
May 6, 2022, 2:57 am
#3618
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: KLM, BA Silver, Etihad
Posts: 918
We were booked to Lanzarote 11th June for our first flight since February 2020.
BA have just emailed to say they've decided to blow a hole in that plan.
They have cancelled the flight (14:40 LGW) and are offering a flight the next day at 7am with a change in Madrid that gets us to Lanzarote at 13:05.
- Odd that what I imagine is a popular flight is cancelled especially as they are once a day
- The suggested option is not good
- Will they allow us on the return leg?
- Will they subsequently cancel the return leg?
- The refund isn't a great option was I imagine alternative flights will be more expensive now
Thoughts?
Ta
BA have just emailed to say they've decided to blow a hole in that plan.
They have cancelled the flight (14:40 LGW) and are offering a flight the next day at 7am with a change in Madrid that gets us to Lanzarote at 13:05.
- Odd that what I imagine is a popular flight is cancelled especially as they are once a day
- The suggested option is not good
- Will they allow us on the return leg?
- Will they subsequently cancel the return leg?
- The refund isn't a great option was I imagine alternative flights will be more expensive now
Thoughts?
Ta
May 6, 2022, 3:10 am
#3619
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
There is a relatively easy alternative, which is on BA's LGW service to TFS and then take the local puddle jumper to ACE. Now unfortunately I doubt BA will book on to Binter (but by all means ask), but what I would probably do is ask BA to transfer you to TFS. The agent will be obliged to tell you that you that the onward travel cost is for your own expense, you should ask them to record on the PNR that you disagree and are doing this change under protest. Then make sure the return is protected. If instead you decide to go with easyJet to ACE then you need BA to protect the return sector, which they can do, you will get a part refund for the outbound and then you need to think about an MCOL case after travel is complete. BA are unlikely to defend it either way.
May 6, 2022, 3:37 am
#3620
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 57
So I'm now three days on from receiving my 'flight cancelled - we'll contact you email' and no further forwards.
Surely at this point I have to conclude this is a deliberate ploy by BA to lose customers?
Really, really disappointed by the whole experience. BA needs to invest MASSIVELY in IT and customer service.
- Tried calling the holiday line and can't get through (obviously)
- Tried calling the Gold line who gave me an email for BA holidays and another number to call
- Called the other number who couldn't help me and recommended the same email
- Emailed BA holidays with the details provided (the 'duty' email), specifying which flight I would like to be shifted to but not heard anything back
- Openly Tweeted BA three times and no response
- Direct Tweeted BA and told someone would get back to me but noone has
Surely at this point I have to conclude this is a deliberate ploy by BA to lose customers?
Really, really disappointed by the whole experience. BA needs to invest MASSIVELY in IT and customer service.
May 6, 2022, 3:46 am
#3621
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
When is / was your departure flight? If it's this week clearly you need to be getting in contact. But if it's some time off, then the usual advice - borne out by other people's experiences - is to wait for BAH's email and proposed alternatives. It's actually to your advantage to drag this out a bit, since you only have flexibility when not booked on a replacement service.
May 6, 2022, 4:07 am
#3622
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: KLM, BA Silver, Etihad
Posts: 918
There is a relatively easy alternative, which is on BA's LGW service to TFS and then take the local puddle jumper to ACE. Now unfortunately I doubt BA will book on to Binter (but by all means ask), but what I would probably do is ask BA to transfer you to TFS. The agent will be obliged to tell you that you that the onward travel cost is for your own expense, you should ask them to record on the PNR that you disagree and are doing this change under protest. Then make sure the return is protected. If instead you decide to go with easyJet to ACE then you need BA to protect the return sector, which they can do, you will get a part refund for the outbound and then you need to think about an MCOL case after travel is complete. BA are unlikely to defend it either way.
I have changed to TFS and you were correct they refused to book the Binter flights as I have changed my destination. It's OK for them to change the destination to Madrid it would seem but not for me via TFS. Love the logic.
She also got a bit choppy when I made the request for the note to be added to the PNR. She kept stating that she knew what needed to go on the notes, I asked would it contain the fact that I was changing under protest. After this circled around three times I think she is adding it but who knows.
I'm just concerned the flight is late and we are stuck in TFS, I guess we should shell out extra on the flex tickets in case (28E as apposed to 14E each) ****EDIT just noticed that was the residential costs, our costs are 56E vs 112E each! and with a lower baggage allowance, this is going South fast
She also stated that the return leg is secure (I guess as I haven't cancelled the outward leg this is fairly reliable). Subject to it being cancelled too :-)
Last edited by RockyRobin; May 6, 2022 at 4:16 am
May 6, 2022, 4:50 am
#3624
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,575
To be honest I'd have just taken the refund and gone Easyjet - their 14:35 flight is £69
Seems like BA have a bigger issue with crewing at Gatwick than they expected, they had Titan in this week but outside of half term I can't see how that is cost effective so cancellations aren't a big surprise. It's a real shame they can't transfer to Vueling or Easyjet, even if they were paying public rate it'd be a lot more simple all around
Seems like BA have a bigger issue with crewing at Gatwick than they expected, they had Titan in this week but outside of half term I can't see how that is cost effective so cancellations aren't a big surprise. It's a real shame they can't transfer to Vueling or Easyjet, even if they were paying public rate it'd be a lot more simple all around
May 6, 2022, 4:51 am
#3625
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
OK, well the PNR notes almost doesn't matter now since you have a contemporary social media post recording what you asked for! However when the trip is over, get your costs together for an MCOL claim, and also do a data protection access request for the PNR to see what actually happened. There are also ferries between the islands and if nothing else you will be in the Canaries a day sooner.
May 6, 2022, 5:02 am
#3626
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 57
When is / was your departure flight? If it's this week clearly you need to be getting in contact. But if it's some time off, then the usual advice - borne out by other people's experiences - is to wait for BAH's email and proposed alternatives. It's actually to your advantage to drag this out a bit, since you only have flexibility when not booked on a replacement service.
May 6, 2022, 5:07 am
#3627
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
You can have a full refund if BA have cancelled your flights, if there are alternatives elsewhere. However as you are going to NYC, there are going to be alternative services and hopefully the switch to another service will be communicated to you in the next day or two. I wouldn't spend time on it until they get in touch.
May 6, 2022, 5:24 am
#3628
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London
Programs: KLM, BA Silver, Etihad
Posts: 918
To be honest I'd have just taken the refund and gone Easyjet - their 14:35 flight is £69
Seems like BA have a bigger issue with crewing at Gatwick than they expected, they had Titan in this week but outside of half term I can't see how that is cost effective so cancellations aren't a big surprise. It's a real shame they can't transfer to Vueling or Easyjet, even if they were paying public rate it'd be a lot more simple all around
Seems like BA have a bigger issue with crewing at Gatwick than they expected, they had Titan in this week but outside of half term I can't see how that is cost effective so cancellations aren't a big surprise. It's a real shame they can't transfer to Vueling or Easyjet, even if they were paying public rate it'd be a lot more simple all around
Now that it is all booked I am looking forward to the Binter flight, I've often watched them over head and fancied a trip in one and I'm sure the views will be good.
May 6, 2022, 5:34 am
#3629
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ESH
Programs: BAEC Silver, Lidl Plus
Posts: 325
I've mentioned elsewhere I've had an AMS-LGW flight cancelled next month. It's booked through a corporate travel agent so I can't directly speak to BA to make alternative arrangements.
There aren't any suitable alternative flights to LGW on the day in question, but there are several options flying back to LCY or LHR which would all be perfectly acceptable (preference for LCY, as it's a more straightforward journey home from there). Am I right to assume BA wouldn't argue about rebooking onto a flight to an alternative London airport at a suitable time for me? Would be good to know before I get in touch with the travel agent to let them know how to proceed.
There aren't any suitable alternative flights to LGW on the day in question, but there are several options flying back to LCY or LHR which would all be perfectly acceptable (preference for LCY, as it's a more straightforward journey home from there). Am I right to assume BA wouldn't argue about rebooking onto a flight to an alternative London airport at a suitable time for me? Would be good to know before I get in touch with the travel agent to let them know how to proceed.
May 6, 2022, 5:41 am
#3630
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've mentioned elsewhere I've had an AMS-LGW flight cancelled next month. It's booked through a corporate travel agent so I can't directly speak to BA to make alternative arrangements.
There aren't any suitable alternative flights to LGW on the day in question, but there are several options flying back to LCY or LHR which would all be perfectly acceptable (preference for LCY, as it's a more straightforward journey home from there). Am I right to assume BA wouldn't argue about rebooking onto a flight to an alternative London airport at a suitable time for me? Would be good to know before I get in touch with the travel agent to let them know how to proceed.
There aren't any suitable alternative flights to LGW on the day in question, but there are several options flying back to LCY or LHR which would all be perfectly acceptable (preference for LCY, as it's a more straightforward journey home from there). Am I right to assume BA wouldn't argue about rebooking onto a flight to an alternative London airport at a suitable time for me? Would be good to know before I get in touch with the travel agent to let them know how to proceed.
I am a bit surprised to see LGW featuring in a number of posts in the last day or so - I was rather hoping that this was LHR specific. LCY doesn't appear to have had problems in this space, so far.