Changing 50% Avios Flights

Old Feb 20, 2021, 4:54 pm
  #196  
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Originally Posted by Harchy
BA have just cancelled my South Africa flights - 241, 50% - scheduled for end of April.

Just been online and looks like it's going to let me change without a fee or extra avios for flights in December, longer than both the June cut-off for these sale tickets, as some have mentioned here, and the year from ticket booking (Oct '20).

Unsure whether to rebook or refund - any thoughts?
I was able to change flights to Bangkok online to November/December for 5 people inc 241 all 50% - original tickets booked Oct 9th for Feb (now) so also outside the 1 year validity. On the phone was told it wasnt possible, but as it was a straight date swap I just went ahead and tried it online - tickets issued immediately (2 separate bookings) -
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Old Feb 20, 2021, 6:42 pm
  #197  
 
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I've not even confirmed / cancelled my previously rebooked flights in April and they've (both) just been cancelled / rebooked again. Madness.
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Old Feb 20, 2021, 10:52 pm
  #198  
 
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I'm having the issue that my flight from MEX to LHR was cancelled yesterday and moved to precisely 24 hours earlier.

I'm given the options to accept the flight change, find another flight or get the voucher - I of course want to keep the 50% and so pick a new flight.

However every date I've tried in december/January tell me that no flights are available - dummy cash booking says there is something available.

Edit: I have checked the redemptionfinder and it does not even let me rebook on dates where there is reward availability (in August for example).

Any advice, guess I have to call, but wanted to check that I should be able to rebook for free in these circumstances?

Last edited by MillionMileMarker; Feb 20, 2021 at 11:51 pm
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Old Feb 21, 2021, 2:20 am
  #199  
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Originally Posted by MillionMileMarker
Any advice, guess I have to call, but wanted to check that I should be able to rebook for free in these circumstances?
Yes, as mentioned up thread, MMB will often fail for many reasons, but any complexity will do. But you should be OK for a free rebook, some people are asked for small changes in taxes, fees and surcharges usually caused by exchange rate changes, but often for no charge. You just need cabin availiability if your flight is cancelled, redemption availlability is not needed. That would be up to 1 year from the original ticket issue. But read up thread to see more experiences.
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Old Feb 22, 2021, 1:53 am
  #200  
 
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Just wanted to flag my experience here.

Booked 12th November in Y 50% off LGW-POS for 18th June
We now cannot go 18th June (having a baby). Flight hadn't been cancelled yet but in MMB I was able to move to any other offpeak date for free (and there was a small credit of t&f) and moved to 15th-27th April, which has now been cancelled
Disruption recovery online wasn't letting me rebook anything (no availability) so called. Was advised any change within 14 days ok but outside of this needed Avios availability. I know a few people saying this incorrect but the dates I wanted in August were available for Avios anyhow so just moved to that - believe this is a peak date now. Confirmed with agent that normal cancellation rules apply so I could get avios + taxes - 35GBP per person back if decide not to go in August (and it's operating).

MMB is showing old style and a POUG to WTP which I would take (290GBP return) but it keeps failing on ticketing (after credit card details). Called and they denied all aspects of the offer. Gave up trying to give them more $...
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Old Feb 22, 2021, 7:32 am
  #201  
 
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Odd how MMB seems to work better if you change your own flights vs if BA has cancelled them.
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Old Feb 22, 2021, 7:35 am
  #202  
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Yeah, it has been mentioned several times in various BA threads that MMB will not allow you to rebook online if case of cancelled flights.
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Old Feb 22, 2021, 7:47 am
  #203  
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Originally Posted by RG1X
Odd how MMB seems to work better if you change your own flights vs if BA has cancelled them.
I have found it is variable. Sometimes for cancelled flights it will allow me to accept or select an alternative, sometimes it won't.
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Old Feb 22, 2021, 10:58 am
  #204  
 
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Originally Posted by Harchy
BA have just cancelled my South Africa flights - 241, 50% - scheduled for end of April.

Just been online and looks like it's going to let me change without a fee or extra avios for flights in December, longer than both the June cut-off for these sale tickets, as some have mentioned here, and the year from ticket booking (Oct '20).

Unsure whether to rebook or refund - any thoughts?
Went online and have changed the dates of these to Dec 30 - Jan 12 - no pushback at all and no extra avios charge.
Result.
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Old Feb 22, 2021, 11:02 pm
  #205  
 
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Originally Posted by GBT
I was able to change flights to Bangkok online to November/December for 5 people inc 241 all 50% - original tickets booked Oct 9th for Feb (now) so also outside the 1 year validity. On the phone was told it wasn’t possible, but as it was a straight date swap I just went ahead and tried it online - tickets issued immediately (2 separate bookings) -
Originally Posted by Harchy
Went online and have changed the dates of these to Dec 30 - Jan 12 - no pushback at all and no extra avios charge.
Result.
Anyone know if there are potential issues with this? I thought even on reissue that tickets were only valid for 1yr from the original issue date. Has BA stated that outstanding unused tickets have just been extended to some future date due to COVID?
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Old Feb 23, 2021, 2:34 am
  #206  
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Originally Posted by nexusCFX
Anyone know if there are potential issues with this? I thought even on reissue that tickets were only valid for 1yr from the original issue date. Has BA stated that outstanding unused tickets have just been extended to some future date due to COVID?
From what we can make out, there has been no change to BA's policies, which is to stick to the IATA 1 year protocols in this area. However there isn't a system block on this and so inconsistently some people have got agents to go beyond the one year period or MMB has allowed it. We also don't know the deep details of these cases, we may find there are other factors not mentioned here.

You can rely on the 1 year period, at least for BA cancellations, since HUACA is bound to work. You cannot rely on going beyond 1 year, hence the advice in this forum since August last year to be wary of maybe bookings.
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Old Feb 23, 2021, 2:52 am
  #207  
 
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
From what we can make out, there has been no change to BA's policies, which is to stick to the IATA 1 year protocols in this area. However there isn't a system block on this and so inconsistently some people have got agents to go beyond the one year period or MMB has allowed it. We also don't know the deep details of these cases, we may find there are other factors not mentioned here.

You can rely on the 1 year period, at least for BA cancellations, since HUACA is bound to work. You cannot rely on going beyond 1 year, hence the advice in this forum since August last year to be wary of maybe bookings.
So do you think there's a chance BA could rescind this down the line/charge the full avios price?
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Old Feb 23, 2021, 3:05 am
  #208  
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Originally Posted by Harchy
So do you think there's a chance BA could rescind this down the line/charge the full avios price?
No, I don't (OK, it depends by what you mean by "this"). They would have given yet more flexibility by now if so. Lufthansa has (kind of) been flexible about this, but have been fairly open about doing so. BA have actually flexed their usual rules massively by BA's usually very tight standards, so my guess is that it is what it is, with a maximum 1 year flexibility from date of issue.
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Old Feb 23, 2021, 3:19 am
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
No, I don't (OK, it depends by what you mean by "this"). They would have given yet more flexibility by now if so. Lufthansa has (kind of) been flexible about this, but have been fairly open about doing so. BA have actually flexed their usual rules massively by BA's usually very tight standards, so my guess is that it is what it is, with a maximum 1 year flexibility from date of issue.
I originally booked October 5, 2020 for flights departing April 28, 2021.
It allowed me to rebook (after involuntary cancelation) on new flights departing Dec 30, 2021, suggesting they are even more flexible than first thought.
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Old Feb 23, 2021, 3:34 am
  #210  
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Originally Posted by Harchy
I originally booked October 5, 2020 for flights departing April 28, 2021.
It allowed me to rebook (after involuntary cancelation) on new flights departing Dec 30, 2021, suggesting they are even more flexible than first thought.
I think it is more that BA IT does not have restrictions on rebooking sufficiently integrated rather than a deliberate policy of BA to be flexible to be fair.

If you can get MMB to work and change it beyond the 1 year period, then absolutely do so and take advantage
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