Changing 50% Avios Flights
Mar 12, 2021, 7:42 am
#286
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Devon, UK
Programs: VS Silver; Matmid Silver, BA Bronze; Accor Plat.
Posts: 957
Quick question, I have a 50% avios 241 booking that has been cancelled and alternative flight offered. Flight is for 17/05, original flight cancelled yesterday. The alternative flight is fine, if and only if, Israel lets me in. I anticipate the green passport will dictate 2 x vaccine plus 7 days and possible test 48 hours before. That indeed is also fine. But of course everything is up in the air. Can anyone tell me how long one has to accept the change in itinerary or cash in for refund? I already have an FTV for another cancellation to TLV.
Many thanks
Many thanks
Last edited by davidcamp6; Mar 12, 2021 at 7:43 am Reason: Punctuation
Mar 12, 2021, 3:58 pm
#287
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: London / Essex
Programs: BAEC: Gold Guest List
Posts: 66
I asked the Twitter team to apply the GUF2 to the booking on 28/10 (just after the 50% sale ended as seat availability opened up for my existing dates in First) - they did this no problem and sent it off to be processed.
07/11 BA then took the extra 68,750 Avios. I have made contact several times via DM on Twitter but any Avios refund correction hasn’t appeared or “we have taken it correctly and our Twitter team and YouFirst are mistaken” hasn’t been forthcoming either, I’m kinda just sitting waiting in limbo - fully aware that the phone lines are still very busy for people with greater needs than mine.
I have DM’d Twitter multiple times, and called YouFirst once as well - who gave the same answer of we have sent it off to be fixed but it’s still not been dealt with.
Interestingly, the Twitter team didn’t tell me that the Avios amount would be recalculated for the booking as a result of the GUF2 being applied and that there would be an additional Avios liability - which would have been a reasonable thing to point out to me - but perhaps my error for not asking.
Fingers crossed for that Avios refund then! - I get that there are other people way ahead of me in line though. Perhaps 2.5 months of waiting is me not being patient enough?
07/11 BA then took the extra 68,750 Avios. I have made contact several times via DM on Twitter but any Avios refund correction hasn’t appeared or “we have taken it correctly and our Twitter team and YouFirst are mistaken” hasn’t been forthcoming either, I’m kinda just sitting waiting in limbo - fully aware that the phone lines are still very busy for people with greater needs than mine.
I have DM’d Twitter multiple times, and called YouFirst once as well - who gave the same answer of we have sent it off to be fixed but it’s still not been dealt with.
Interestingly, the Twitter team didn’t tell me that the Avios amount would be recalculated for the booking as a result of the GUF2 being applied and that there would be an additional Avios liability - which would have been a reasonable thing to point out to me - but perhaps my error for not asking.
Fingers crossed for that Avios refund then! - I get that there are other people way ahead of me in line though. Perhaps 2.5 months of waiting is me not being patient enough?
Mar 13, 2021, 12:32 am
#288
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: BA Silver / Aegean
Posts: 287
Well I had originally booked flights to Athens for March, and then later changed to April and combined this payment with AVIOS previously to reduce the overall Cash Price. Rebooking all doable but now with the UK non essential travel restrictions impossible to go until 17 May.
The revised prices in September when we wnted to rebook were thru the roof so we decided to rebook Budapest. BA allow you to get a Voucher which we did and then you can rebook a new flight.
What they don't tell you is they do not refund the AVIOS you have previously part used. This does feel a little underhand. The Refund Credit Note is only the Cash Value of the ticket price and essentially you forgo the AVIOS miles previously used.
The revised prices in September when we wnted to rebook were thru the roof so we decided to rebook Budapest. BA allow you to get a Voucher which we did and then you can rebook a new flight.
What they don't tell you is they do not refund the AVIOS you have previously part used. This does feel a little underhand. The Refund Credit Note is only the Cash Value of the ticket price and essentially you forgo the AVIOS miles previously used.
Mar 13, 2021, 1:59 am
#289
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: KSA
Programs: BA LTG, UA Gold, EK Silver, Hilton LT Diamond, Marriott LT Titanium, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,242
Well I had originally booked flights to Athens for March, and then later changed to April and combined this payment with AVIOS previously to reduce the overall Cash Price. Rebooking all doable but now with the UK non essential travel restrictions impossible to go until 17 May.
The revised prices in September when we wnted to rebook were thru the roof so we decided to rebook Budapest. BA allow you to get a Voucher which we did and then you can rebook a new flight.
What they don't tell you is they do not refund the AVIOS you have previously part used. This does feel a little underhand. The Refund Credit Note is only the Cash Value of the ticket price and essentially you forgo the AVIOS miles previously used.
The revised prices in September when we wnted to rebook were thru the roof so we decided to rebook Budapest. BA allow you to get a Voucher which we did and then you can rebook a new flight.
What they don't tell you is they do not refund the AVIOS you have previously part used. This does feel a little underhand. The Refund Credit Note is only the Cash Value of the ticket price and essentially you forgo the AVIOS miles previously used.
I had the same question when I got a voucher for a cancelled flight to Cyprus. The voucher stated the cash value and I had no Avios refunded. I rang in to ask where my Avios went and was told it was in the Voucher. So when I want to re-use the voucher, which must also be for another Avios booking, I will get the Cash part appplied as well as the stored value of the Avios from before.
Mar 13, 2021, 2:10 am
#290
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,378
Well I had originally booked flights to Athens for March, and then later changed to April and combined this payment with AVIOS previously to reduce the overall Cash Price. Rebooking all doable but now with the UK non essential travel restrictions impossible to go until 17 May.
The revised prices in September when we wnted to rebook were thru the roof so we decided to rebook Budapest. BA allow you to get a Voucher which we did and then you can rebook a new flight.
What they don't tell you is they do not refund the AVIOS you have previously part used. This does feel a little underhand. The Refund Credit Note is only the Cash Value of the ticket price and essentially you forgo the AVIOS miles previously used.
The revised prices in September when we wnted to rebook were thru the roof so we decided to rebook Budapest. BA allow you to get a Voucher which we did and then you can rebook a new flight.
What they don't tell you is they do not refund the AVIOS you have previously part used. This does feel a little underhand. The Refund Credit Note is only the Cash Value of the ticket price and essentially you forgo the AVIOS miles previously used.
Mar 13, 2021, 1:13 pm
#291
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 579
Quick question, I have a 50% avios 241 booking that has been cancelled and alternative flight offered. Flight is for 17/05, original flight cancelled yesterday. The alternative flight is fine, if and only if, Israel lets me in. I anticipate the green passport will dictate 2 x vaccine plus 7 days and possible test 48 hours before. That indeed is also fine. But of course everything is up in the air. Can anyone tell me how long one has to accept the change in itinerary or cash in for refund? I already have an FTV for another cancellation to TLV.
Many thanks
Many thanks
Mar 13, 2021, 1:21 pm
#292
Join Date: May 2018
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 320
Contact the team on Twitter and they should sort this for you, they tell me they simply remove the rebooked flight which you can decline and they insert a ‘dummy segment’ which keeps the booking active beyond the date of your original flight. That should buy you time, but remember your ticket is only valid for travel for a year from the original reservation date. I don’t know how the dummy segment thing works, or what date that segment has.. as I haven’t tried it; but I plan to soon on one of my cancelled reservations. Maybe someone has gone through this process already on here?
Mar 13, 2021, 1:23 pm
#293
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've mentioned it a few times, but it's probably getting lost in these long threads. It works, and you can use either Saudia or Finnair MMB to see what they have done to your booking, even if it looks a bit strange. I'll also mention that you can just leave it, if the first segment was cancelled by BA. If you keep the ticket number then it can be re-enabled if the computer loses it.
Mar 13, 2021, 2:23 pm
#294
Join Date: May 2018
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 320
I've mentioned it a few times, but it's probably getting lost in these long threads. It works, and you can use either Saudia or Finnair MMB to see what they have done to your booking, even if it looks a bit strange. I'll also mention that you can just leave it, if the first segment was cancelled by BA. If you keep the ticket number then it can be re-enabled if the computer loses it.
Mar 13, 2021, 2:43 pm
#295
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
The agents can tell if you have accepted the new booking, so if you haven't accepted the replacement sector then it shouldn't make any difference. You can't be deemed to accept a flightt more than 5 hours from the originally booked service. The only problem with that, though, is that you can't do much with the booking on MMB unless you accept it, plus some people have done so accidentally via fat finger syndrome. Hence adding in a dummy booking, which simply keeps the booking alive in BA's systems is a way around these issues.
Mar 15, 2021, 1:48 am
#296
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Amex Cent, SPG Gold, IC Plat Amb, Hilton Diam(given it though I'd never stayed in a Hilton)
Posts: 333
I would welcome your thoughts, all:
In June 2020 booked LHR-HKG-LHR in First, using Amex 241 voucher to fly in Jan 2021.
BA cancelled the flights so in Nov 2020 called up BA during the 50% Avios sale and the agent changed the flights to May 2021 and rebooked using the Avios sale (he refunded half my Avios) but they issued new ticket numbers although they kept the same PNR.
BA have now cancelled the May flights so called them as wished to book Oct 20th - Oct 30th 2021. The agent said I would need Avios availability (which he found) but then said I would need to pay the additional Avios but then he spoke to a manager who said they would authorise a free change for travel up to 5th October.
I am a bit confused where 5th Oct came from as I would have thought I’d get permission to rebook any time until Nov 2021 - a year after the new tickets were issued??
I have tried MMB but I get sent to the flight disruptions page as they have changed me to the other HKG flights and want to know if will accept them.
Anyone any ideas who is right?
In June 2020 booked LHR-HKG-LHR in First, using Amex 241 voucher to fly in Jan 2021.
BA cancelled the flights so in Nov 2020 called up BA during the 50% Avios sale and the agent changed the flights to May 2021 and rebooked using the Avios sale (he refunded half my Avios) but they issued new ticket numbers although they kept the same PNR.
BA have now cancelled the May flights so called them as wished to book Oct 20th - Oct 30th 2021. The agent said I would need Avios availability (which he found) but then said I would need to pay the additional Avios but then he spoke to a manager who said they would authorise a free change for travel up to 5th October.
I am a bit confused where 5th Oct came from as I would have thought I’d get permission to rebook any time until Nov 2021 - a year after the new tickets were issued??
I have tried MMB but I get sent to the flight disruptions page as they have changed me to the other HKG flights and want to know if will accept them.
Anyone any ideas who is right?
Mar 15, 2021, 2:11 am
#297
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
BA have now cancelled the May flights so called them as wished to book Oct 20th - Oct 30th 2021. The agent said I would need Avios availability (which he found) but then said I would need to pay the additional Avios but then he spoke to a manager who said they would authorise a free change for travel up to 5th October.
Mar 15, 2021, 2:18 am
#298
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Amex Cent, SPG Gold, IC Plat Amb, Hilton Diam(given it though I'd never stayed in a Hilton)
Posts: 333
Thank you. I am inclined, given your thoughts, to just go for it in late September! Although new ticket numbers were issued in November 2020, I have just noticed the email says ‘changed e-ticket receipt’ so I suspect the underlying validity has not been changed.
Is he right I need Avios availability though?
Is he right I need Avios availability though?
Mar 15, 2021, 4:22 am
#299
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver (for now)
Posts: 1,000
Thank you. I am inclined, given your thoughts, to just go for it in late September! Although new ticket numbers were issued in November 2020, I have just noticed the email says ‘changed e-ticket receipt’ so I suspect the underlying validity has not been changed.
Is he right I need Avios availability though?
Is he right I need Avios availability though?
Mar 15, 2021, 11:53 am
#300
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Amex Cent, SPG Gold, IC Plat Amb, Hilton Diam(given it though I'd never stayed in a Hilton)
Posts: 333
Just as a follow up and data point: I spoke to a brilliantly helpful agent in Warrington today who said the Oct 2021 date came about because Oct 2020 was when the tickets were re-booked but they were not actually ticketed until Nov 20.
The agent said there were strict rules that bookings made during the 50% Avios Sale must be flown by the date of the original sale terms i.e. by June 2021 (I think it’s June - someone here will know) but because some mistakes had been made at their end with my booking and because yesterday I had been told they would honour a change up to 5th October, they allowed me to change the dates to September 2021 without using additional Avios but there had to be Avios availability (which there was).
The agent said there were strict rules that bookings made during the 50% Avios Sale must be flown by the date of the original sale terms i.e. by June 2021 (I think it’s June - someone here will know) but because some mistakes had been made at their end with my booking and because yesterday I had been told they would honour a change up to 5th October, they allowed me to change the dates to September 2021 without using additional Avios but there had to be Avios availability (which there was).