Heathrow Tower

I have the following booked for July next year in business:
26th July HEL-LHR-ORD-MKE (Milwaukee)
30th July MKE-ORD-LHR-HEL//HEL-LHR.

This was booked as I was going to be in HEL anyway.

The ORD-MKE and MKE-ORD legs have both been rescheduled, and downgraded to economy, leaving me with about 6hrs in ORD in both directions. The following is at the bottom of MMB:

I now won't be in HEL (though I can position there), so it suits me to cancel and then re-book from LHR to get the double TPs offer with a car. However, the last sentence is a little confusing to me. Will the cancellation options in terms of how much I'd get back depend on the original ticket rules even with this reschedule? What's the process for 'finding a different flight' if I don't 'accept this new itinerary'? There are no alternatives presented to me in MMB.

corporate-wage-slave

Are you over 4 hours late OR are your flight numbers now different to the flight numbers on the e-ticket? If yes to either then call up for a full refund.

Heathrow Tower

Thanks CWS,

Flight numbers are the same. I misread and I get to MKE at the same time but now in economy.

On the return, I have to leave MKE 5hrs earlier than the itinerary I booked. (1144 v 1644)

corporate-wage-slave

That will do. You have grounds to ask for a full refund, but it's best you call rather than touch the online booking. It should be quibble free.

Heathrow Tower

And in case anyone finds this after searching....

I called the Silver line, got through after about ten mins on hold. No quibbles, cash refund being processed (orginial booking was paid for mostly by an eVoucher).

Heathrow Tower

Just quick update on this and another question....

I have finally (after 3x calls and 4x Twitter DM conversations!) had a refund. The original purchase was £127 card payment plus 2x eVouchers.

The refund I have received is the £127 payment only.

Should I wait for another week or so on the assumption it is coming, or chase the remainder sum ASAP on the assumption nothing will happen unless I do so?

corporate-wage-slave

For the e-vouchers? They may be re-instated already - have you tried to use them on a dummy booking. Otherwise it's possible they have been converted to offline vouchers, which can be used by calling up with your new booking.

Nephoi

can you claim a full refund in case of cabin downgrade? besides what EU261 says? do you know the T and C from BA?

corporate-wage-slave

Often that is offered, it depends a bit how BA handles it, and they have moved policies in this space several times in recent years. One approach is that BA offers to cancel your booking, and in many cases agents are only too keen to offer a refund since it's easy to do. Strictly speaking EC261 does actually allow for downgrades, rather than banning them, there is a reimbursement formula instead. But I would feel that the Consumer Rights Act would also give a remedy here - you paid for cabin X, cabin X is no longer possible, therefore an obvious remedy is a refund. Agents generally are fairly receptive to changing bookings to maintain the cabin (route and date changes), with downgrades on redemptons on non BA aircraft often being a difficult issue.

Nephoi

with the 300 mi rule BA has it can be difficult, although I know, sometimes they stretch it.

so maybe a route change is the option here...

Heathrow Tower

Thanks CWS, the contact centre when I first called up said I’d get the whole sum back as a refund, not as vouchers. Was this incorrect?

corporate-wage-slave

I think we've seen every permutation. But yes, eVouchers + cancel usually = full cash refund.

You better call up, there is an escalation process back to refunds.