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 9, 2022, 7:27 am
#3646
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
A very belated thank you for the good advice, Anabolism! I'll get on to AA and try the magic Twitter facility which I've heard so much about - this is a paid booking, so should be very straight forward to change. It's part of a tier point run, so I want to keep the same routing. One more question, does AA also allow changes to other flights in the same booking even if they haven't changed without re-calculating the overall fare? I know I can do this on BA but not sure about AA? Apologies if I should post this in the AA forum!
May 9, 2022, 7:53 pm
#3647
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 77
Hi I was hoping someone could provide some guidance and advice on my particular eVoucher situation.
I was booked on EI128 on Mar 9, 2020 and EI 129 on Mar 22, 2020, on C for 100000 Avios.
I flew EI128 on Mar 9, but didn't use EI129. I flew back to Canada on a separate ticket due to the shutting down of borders. I requested an eVoucher and got it in the end. Can't tell the value of the voucher, but I am assuming it is 50000 Avios.
So here is what I am not sure.
I want to book 2 C one-way reward seats on JL. The cost is 77000 Avios per person so will be 154000 Avios. I have about 90k. I was thinking to buy 15k Avios to make this work but before I do.
1) BA website on eVouchers states you can only use it on BA flights. From what I can see, I do not see a flight number on JL18 that is BA (AA and MH), so would this route not be available, or is it available for this eVoucher because it is Avios and Avios can be used for any flight?
2) For refunding the eVoucher back to Avios, I assume that only occurs if the original flight was cancelled? If so, can anyone tell me if EI 129 on March 22, 2020 flew?
TIA
I was booked on EI128 on Mar 9, 2020 and EI 129 on Mar 22, 2020, on C for 100000 Avios.
I flew EI128 on Mar 9, but didn't use EI129. I flew back to Canada on a separate ticket due to the shutting down of borders. I requested an eVoucher and got it in the end. Can't tell the value of the voucher, but I am assuming it is 50000 Avios.
So here is what I am not sure.
I want to book 2 C one-way reward seats on JL. The cost is 77000 Avios per person so will be 154000 Avios. I have about 90k. I was thinking to buy 15k Avios to make this work but before I do.
1) BA website on eVouchers states you can only use it on BA flights. From what I can see, I do not see a flight number on JL18 that is BA (AA and MH), so would this route not be available, or is it available for this eVoucher because it is Avios and Avios can be used for any flight?
2) For refunding the eVoucher back to Avios, I assume that only occurs if the original flight was cancelled? If so, can anyone tell me if EI 129 on March 22, 2020 flew?
TIA
May 9, 2022, 11:21 pm
#3648
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 68
Clarifying rules on 241 when BA cancels fight
My OH and I have a 2 week roadtrip planned in Mexico in September using the BA Amex 241 voucher. BA have just cancelled our flights and volunteered a rebooking departing a day later and returning a day earlier. This doesn't actually allow the trip to work although extending a day either side would.
Am I right in remembering that I don't actually need to do anything right now ie I can ignore the email and not accept the new flights yet seeing as the trip is nearly 4 months away?
If I were to cancel the trip (for personal reasons other than the change of flight) would I get an extension on my voucher and not have to pay the 'cancellation fee' on an avios booking as BA had cancelled the flights?
Many thanks.
Am I right in remembering that I don't actually need to do anything right now ie I can ignore the email and not accept the new flights yet seeing as the trip is nearly 4 months away?
If I were to cancel the trip (for personal reasons other than the change of flight) would I get an extension on my voucher and not have to pay the 'cancellation fee' on an avios booking as BA had cancelled the flights?
Many thanks.
May 10, 2022, 1:43 am
#3649
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,959
Hi I was hoping someone could provide some guidance and advice on my particular eVoucher situation.
I was booked on EI128 on Mar 9, 2020 and EI 129 on Mar 22, 2020, on C for 100000 Avios.
I flew EI128 on Mar 9, but didn't use EI129. I flew back to Canada on a separate ticket due to the shutting down of borders. I requested an eVoucher and got it in the end. Can't tell the value of the voucher, but I am assuming it is 50000 Avios.
So here is what I am not sure.
I want to book 2 C one-way reward seats on JL. The cost is 77000 Avios per person so will be 154000 Avios. I have about 90k. I was thinking to buy 15k Avios to make this work but before I do.
1) BA website on eVouchers states you can only use it on BA flights. From what I can see, I do not see a flight number on JL18 that is BA (AA and MH), so would this route not be available, or is it available for this eVoucher because it is Avios and Avios can be used for any flight?
2) For refunding the eVoucher back to Avios, I assume that only occurs if the original flight was cancelled? If so, can anyone tell me if EI 129 on March 22, 2020 flew?
TIA
I was booked on EI128 on Mar 9, 2020 and EI 129 on Mar 22, 2020, on C for 100000 Avios.
I flew EI128 on Mar 9, but didn't use EI129. I flew back to Canada on a separate ticket due to the shutting down of borders. I requested an eVoucher and got it in the end. Can't tell the value of the voucher, but I am assuming it is 50000 Avios.
So here is what I am not sure.
I want to book 2 C one-way reward seats on JL. The cost is 77000 Avios per person so will be 154000 Avios. I have about 90k. I was thinking to buy 15k Avios to make this work but before I do.
1) BA website on eVouchers states you can only use it on BA flights. From what I can see, I do not see a flight number on JL18 that is BA (AA and MH), so would this route not be available, or is it available for this eVoucher because it is Avios and Avios can be used for any flight?
2) For refunding the eVoucher back to Avios, I assume that only occurs if the original flight was cancelled? If so, can anyone tell me if EI 129 on March 22, 2020 flew?
TIA
2) Once you have chosen to take a FTV, the fate of the flight is irrelevant. However, I understand BA is now going through and refunding all reward based FTVs anyway. So if you waited it would probably be refunded over the next few weeks/months.
May 10, 2022, 1:45 am
#3650
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,959
My OH and I have a 2 week roadtrip planned in Mexico in September using the BA Amex 241 voucher. BA have just cancelled our flights and volunteered a rebooking departing a day later and returning a day earlier. This doesn't actually allow the trip to work although extending a day either side would.
Am I right in remembering that I don't actually need to do anything right now ie I can ignore the email and not accept the new flights yet seeing as the trip is nearly 4 months away?
If I were to cancel the trip (for personal reasons other than the change of flight) would I get an extension on my voucher and not have to pay the 'cancellation fee' on an avios booking as BA had cancelled the flights?
Many thanks.
Am I right in remembering that I don't actually need to do anything right now ie I can ignore the email and not accept the new flights yet seeing as the trip is nearly 4 months away?
If I were to cancel the trip (for personal reasons other than the change of flight) would I get an extension on my voucher and not have to pay the 'cancellation fee' on an avios booking as BA had cancelled the flights?
Many thanks.
You certainly wouldn't get charged any cancellation fee if you choose the refund option. Any vouchers get refunded with the original expiry date.
May 10, 2022, 1:58 am
#3651
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.
- Received a text from BA on Friday that takes me to a webpage offering three options - 1) accept the alternate proposed flight offered to me 2) accept the nearest alternate flight or 3) get a refund. As no alternate flight has at any time been offered to me, I clicked on option (2) and am still waiting....
- Still no option to change my flight in MMB (just shows a page with the flights and the return flight cancelled)
- Still being ignored on Twitter, despite seeing BA respond to others (I guess because I only have about 130 Twitter followers they think I'm not worth bothering with)....even tried DM'ing them and got to the stage of confirming my details via the bot (last week) but noone responded since then
- Not bothered trying to call the holidays line as I've more chance of winning the lottery than getting through
Any ideas what happens from here? Next step for me (probably today) is to post on LinkedIn (where I have thousands of followers) tagging various BA folks to see if I can get anyone to break cover. Given I'm connected to various very senior people in my industry there this would not be good PR for BA.
This trip is now only a couple of weeks away and I can't plan anything until I know what's happening so am getting increasingly concerned.
May 10, 2022, 2:08 am
#3652
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: 63,803
From other reports the telephone line queues are starting to improve, including BAH. But unless you are travelling in the next week, as previously advised, you actually have more flexibility if you wait until nearer departure. So personally I would leave it, but if you are not of that mindset then think about calling BAH just before 08:00. Your belief in the power of LinkedIn is admirable but surely misplaced, there are plenty of damaging press articles looming down on airlines, including BA.
May 10, 2022, 2:30 am
#3654
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: 63,803
There's about an 8 weeks backlog with Customer Relations at the moment, some people are submitting claims to CEDR before getting any replies from BA.
May 10, 2022, 3:20 am
#3655
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 281
I have just received my EU261 compensation and refunds for an overnight hotel, taxi and the purchase of new flights on Swiss after BA cancelled our flights back on 30th March. At least that is what I think has shown up in my bank account as it is slightly different to what I claimed. The EU261 works out at £210.53 and the expenses are about £15 short.
Is the £15 worth arguing about? Is it because BA uses a poor exchange rate, I can see what was charged by the credit card. Also, should I be grateful that BA did not query me buying new flights on another carrier after they cancelled and did not offer any re-booking options or any help with regard to finding overnight accommodation.
Is the £15 worth arguing about? Is it because BA uses a poor exchange rate, I can see what was charged by the credit card. Also, should I be grateful that BA did not query me buying new flights on another carrier after they cancelled and did not offer any re-booking options or any help with regard to finding overnight accommodation.
May 10, 2022, 5:30 am
#3656
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: 63,803
I have just received my EU261 compensation and refunds for an overnight hotel, taxi and the purchase of new flights on Swiss after BA cancelled our flights back on 30th March. At least that is what I think has shown up in my bank account as it is slightly different to what I claimed. The EU261 works out at £210.53 and the expenses are about £15 short.
Is the £15 worth arguing about? Is it because BA uses a poor exchange rate, I can see what was charged by the credit card. Also, should I be grateful that BA did not query me buying new flights on another carrier after they cancelled and did not offer any re-booking options or any help with regard to finding overnight accommodation.
Is the £15 worth arguing about? Is it because BA uses a poor exchange rate, I can see what was charged by the credit card. Also, should I be grateful that BA did not query me buying new flights on another carrier after they cancelled and did not offer any re-booking options or any help with regard to finding overnight accommodation.
May 10, 2022, 7:31 am
#3657
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 33
Still not received the funds in my account though as of today - the email just said 'it will be with you soon'!
So getting your claim approved is one hurdle - then you need to wait for the funds.
Just my experience - others have had claims paid much sooner as some customers seem to get prioritised over others!
May 10, 2022, 8:06 am
#3658
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YYC
Posts: 2,073
I am sure this has been answered before, but I read the last 15 pages of the thread and couldn't come up with a conclusive answer :-)
I have a complicated multi-carrier Avios redemption booking. The first two flights are on BA operated services: IAH-LHR-PRG preceding a one month stopover. The LHR-PRG segment has been cancelled (replaced with new flight number). Should I be able to move this portion of the journey (IAH-LHR-PRG) within a few days of the original regardless of redemption availability ? I feel like I need to be delicate with this one without messing up the rest of the downstream segments on the ticket as I continue round the world... Thanks in advance!
I have a complicated multi-carrier Avios redemption booking. The first two flights are on BA operated services: IAH-LHR-PRG preceding a one month stopover. The LHR-PRG segment has been cancelled (replaced with new flight number). Should I be able to move this portion of the journey (IAH-LHR-PRG) within a few days of the original regardless of redemption availability ? I feel like I need to be delicate with this one without messing up the rest of the downstream segments on the ticket as I continue round the world... Thanks in advance!
May 10, 2022, 8:48 am
#3659
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 281
They are allowed to use the exchange rate that applied at the time of the incident. BA uses the IATA exchange rate which is almost mid market rate. We would need a breakdown to work out what has happened, but as one illustration of many, BA caps taxi spending at £50.
May 10, 2022, 8:53 am
#3660
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: 63,803
I have a complicated multi-carrier Avios redemption booking. The first two flights are on BA operated services: IAH-LHR-PRG preceding a one month stopover. The LHR-PRG segment has been cancelled (replaced with new flight number). Should I be able to move this portion of the journey (IAH-LHR-PRG) within a few days of the original regardless of redemption availability ?