SK AAR

For voluntary changes you are extremely unlikely to be able to rebook beyond 30 June without collection of add. Avios. Why don't you wait and see if your flight gets cancelled? - then it is a completely different game when it comes to rebooking.

Vlntn

My flight in May just got downgraded to CW. Quick call to YouFirst and was able to move my flight to September without any additional payment in Avios or cash. Very friendly and helpful agent. Entire process just took 6 minutes, including 2 minutes of small talk. Fingers cross I'll be able to fly in September!

Definitas

I was doing just that until I read that some people had been able to make changes within BWC without incurring extra charges. If all else fails I will have to look at cancellation and paying the £35pp fee - not the end of the world. However, getting two seats return in F for 50% Avios doubled up with a CV was a dream come true and so I would like to maintain the dream if I can

RG1X

So it looks like I'll be joining the party. Just had the inbound of my April CW flight to EWR cancelled. Original booking was made with the 50% sale and a 241 voucher. Additional complication, I booked a third ticket at the same time using Avios. Based on what I've read here... I'm probably screwed if I want to go past June? Third ticket was bought as a present for a teacher so I'm very limited as to dates (April, August or December are all that work).

Is there anything I can try using MMB first to see my options there? I don't want to go in and accidentally confirm the replacement flight they've offered as it very much wont work for us.

Thanks for any suggestions.

babyg_wc

I assume there was reward availalbity? I wasn't able to move LHR-DXB that got downgraded unless there was reward availability,

goonerflyer

My wife and I had spring 2021 flights cancelled this week by BA that were in first class to DXB, booked with a 241 vch in the 50% Avios sale last October. It was the second cancellation we’ve had on this ticket.

After the first cancellation by BA in Jan, I called YouFirst who moved us onto a revenue ticket for the alternative dates as there was no Avios availability - with no extra charge. I called then as MMB in the app wasn’t showing all available dates, yet I knew we had full pick of ANY date for months as it was an involuntary change.

When I got the second cancellation this week I noticed MMB was giving me free rein on EVERY date I tested up to Jan 2022. We wanted to move it beyond the 1yr validity to go in late autumn to miss the long Dubai summer and give us more chance of being able to go.

I wondered if MMB would not allow us to go through with the change when we pressed confirm, but it worked and we are booked to fly F both ways leaving well AFTER the 1yr validity period. It’s all there in my app and we’ve booked seats and special meals.

I don’t know if being in F and the fact it was already switched to a revenue ticket helped, but it’s worth trying MMB to see if you can change yours too in the same way.

UPDATE: some friends have just done exactly the same as me, as we booked the same dates back in October and again in Jan after the first cancellation. Only difference to my story is they are in business class, but the same method worked for them, though they didn’t quite have free rein on every date, but they still booked beyond the 1yr validity.

routeone

So by the sounds of it, it makes sense to wait for BA to make the decision for you (ie cancel your flights), then head over into MMB and see what options are available?

I was tempted to make a voluntary change to our planned flights to Japan (April 2021), but I suspect that waiting for BA to make the first move (ie cancel them) would give us more flexibility with regards to rebooking said flights for later date.

only issue we have is that our CV that we used to book with expires in Sep-21 😖

goonerflyer

<p>ERROR</p>

goonerflyer

It makes sense to wait for BA to cancel, and if that doesn’t happen with a couple of days to go, you’ll need to take action. Remember, getting a voucher will extend your 241 validity.

Yet there appears a total lack of consistency in people’s options judging by replies here.

For example, this morning I’ve been issued with a new e-ticket receipt for my booking change I documented above saying I ‘paid’ yesterday when I didn’t pay a penny, I just switched dates. It doesn’t even mention it’s an avios booking on the receipt.

When I tested if I could change the booking (I don’t want to, it was just to know my options) it says I’m beyond the 365 day validity, even when I chose dates that were within the 365 days.

I can’t make sense of BA’s IT! I work in a tech business and if we had inconsistency like that we’d be in trouble!

RG1X

Just risked going into MMB... I'm getting absolutely no availability on any date I try past the 18th of April (17th was my original return date). I assume that means I'm going to have to call them.

I'm really not optimistic this is going to end well.

Murraymint

Just tried to change my LCA-LHR-BOS Return CW flights from June to September in MMB - flights had not been cancelled. Got to the final step but couldn’t complete it and was advised to call BA. I did so and was told they could change the date but I would need to pay the full Avios amount. Oh well, guess I’m not one of the lucky ones.

routeone

same for me too.

SK AAR

Guys, for voluntary changes, obviously the additional Avios will be collected. We are discussing invol. rebooking in this thread.

routeone

Noted. But it must be said that some have had success in voluntary rebookings; securing flights beyond the original 50% avios offer deadline of June 2021.

Genius1

We're discussing both. Involuntary changes seem to be more straightforward (ie. flexible in moving beyond the end-June sale travel period) than voluntary changes (which report varying degrees of success in moving beyond end-June for no additional Avios).