British Airways

[Jumbo1968]

Myself and my partner are due to travel from the UK on the 12th of May with B.A. to Bangkok,we have just received an email to say we can cancel the flight and receive travel vouchers valid for 12 months, no indication of the value though or if we can claim a refund.

The other option is to reschedule the flights but what it doesn’t tell you in the email there is a fee to do this, surely in this time of a pandemic outbreak fees should be waived. It says on their website don’t try to contact them until 3 days before you are due to travel understandably they are very busy but it doesn’t give you much time to consider your options. 

Edited March 28, 2020 by Jumbo1968
Mistake

[Captain Monday]

My best bet is no travel to Thailand will be possible until June 1. I cant return home on April 1 as planned 

and that is my guess. I would take the voucher and reschedule your "Holiday" later.

[Kadilo]

I would go with the refund. They are not going back anytime soon. 

[Enoon]

 

"It says on their website don’t try to contact them until 3 days before you are due to travel understandably they are very busy but it doesn’t give you much time to consider your options." 

 

You have 45 days to consider your options.

 

Followed by 3 days in which to action whichever you choose.

 

You are fortunate to have been contacted and so comprehensively advised.

 

My airline says (on their website, I have not been contacted) because I booked through an agent the agent has to deal with it.

 

The agent says:

 

1.       In the first instance, please try to contact your airline. In this unprecedented situation, airlines are each taking an individual approach so it’s best to go direct and see how they can provide immediate help.

2.       Check the airline’s website. We are finding that we are not always being given immediate visibility of some airline’s repatriation flight plans, and details may first be available online.

3.       If you still need assistance our emergency email address is (deleted)  but as stated we have very limited availability and the airlines are not always loading seats into their system for Travel Agents to see

4.       It may also be necessary for you to contact the British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate in the area you are in. Please click here for all the local contact details: https://www.gov.uk/world/embassies

 

Happily I am not "Lost in Thailand" (having a regular snowbird routine) and am in no hurry to get back to "Britain Under Siege".

 

I feel very sorry for those "short time" tourists who are stuck here.

 

 

 

.

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by Enoon

[Jumbo1968]

2 hours ago, Kadilo said:

I would go with the refund. They are not going back anytime soon. 

Ok I take a refund, it would be for 2 single flights and 1 return flight, I would then have to book 2 single fares when we can return to Thailand which can the same as a return. As far as a return is concerned I was told the full fare won’t be refunded, similar they won’t refund 50% of the full fare ?

i think a voucher is the better option but again as I can’t contact B.A. I don’t know the value of it.

[cardinalblue]

Take the vouchers and run for the hills....

[marin]

Even if you made it in there are no air flights, buses and most likely no trains at all by then domestically. Take the vouchers and make new plans. We cancelled our plans to go see the children in America. Luckily had not purchased yet..

[mike787]

Nope it does not give enough time....the world is in pandemic mode AKA, APOCALYPSE NOW!  Otherwise known as the second coming of Christ...life is over for many...

[sammieuk1]

There is a big fat empty hole on my prepaid credit card where Finair said could take more than a month BA said you can have a voucher eventually when we feel like it and bangkok airways won't respond at all coupled with undelivered goods and services that no one wants to pay back I'm down near £2000 and stranded????

[Lacessit]

My guess is the airlines are using pandemic forecasts to determine whether they will be flying at any point in time, and May 12 is still well within the window of border shutdowns.

Take the vouchers. If they can't predict when they will be back to normal service, what makes you think you can?

[Chivas]

3 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

There is a big fat empty hole on my prepaid credit card where Finair said could take more than a month BA said you can have a voucher eventually when we feel like it and bangkok airways won't respond at all coupled with undelivered goods and services that no one wants to pay back I'm down near £2000 and stranded????

So it didnt occur at the start of March when everyone else was bailing that you might do the same ?

Or even only 2 weeks ago ??  Zero sympathy for people claiming they're stranded. If you are you'll be there till next year thats becoming very clear

[scubascuba3]

Voucher is worth zero if the airline goes bust

[Lacessit]

31 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Voucher is worth zero if the airline goes bust

True enough. What other option would you suggest?

[natway09]

Wait a month before making any decisions if possible

[scubascuba3]

9 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

True enough. What other option would you suggest?

What others have suggested, go for a refund

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

What others have suggested, go for a refund

I would imagine in this time of financial stress no airline would be offering refunds, even the OP is far from certain he would get one.

Possibly the bigger airlines such as BA will be bailed out, on the too big to fail philosophy.

[Jip99]

I had flights canceled for 23 April.

 

The website options are only for vouchers or rescheduling (despite the link being refund/change).

 

 

I had to call the number quoted, took 20 mins wait, but got through and refund processed.

[scorecard]

Perhaps the 'wait until 3 days before..' item means BA are not yet 100% sure whether flights currently into the near future will actually depart, very likely they want enough passengers to at least cover all the costs of operating the flight?

Edited March 29, 2020 by scorecard

[japanese]

Do you have a date by when you can cancel and claim vouchers?

 

From what I can see, BA have canceled flights through the end of April.  But have not canceled May flights.  So you cannot claim a refund.

 

If you can delay a decision until BA does the canceling, then I would claim a refund then:

https://www.headforpoints.com/2020/03/19/how-to-trigger-an-online-avios-flight-refund-using-google-chrome/

 

My guess is BA are not going to be flying into Thailand until the restrictions on entry are lifted.  So if they are flying there is a good chance you can come in. 

 

But yes, there does seem to be a mess up with the voucher system:

https://www.headforpoints.com/2020/03/27/how-do-british-airways-evoucher-work/

[gearbox]

On 3/28/2020 at 5:17 PM, Kadilo said:

I would go with the refund. They are not going back anytime soon. 

Second that. Don't be unsecured creditor to airlines if you can avoid it. Wait until they officially cancel it, and get a refund.

[Jumbo1968]

3 minutes ago, japanese said:

Do you have a date by when you can cancel and claim vouchers?

 

From what I can see, BA have canceled flights through the end of April.  But have not canceled May flights.  So you cannot claim a refund.

 

If you can delay a decision until BA does the canceling, then I would claim a refund then:

https://www.headforpoints.com/2020/03/19/how-to-trigger-an-online-avios-flight-refund-using-google-chrome/

 

My guess is BA are not going to be flying into Thailand until the restrictions on entry are lifted.  So if they are flying there is a good chance you can come in. 

 

But yes, there does seem to be a mess up with the voucher system:

https://www.headforpoints.com/2020/03/27/how-do-british-airways-evoucher-work/

Exactly as my G.F. and son will only have a single trip back to Thailand will the voucher cover the cost of 2 single fares.

i have a return again how much in monetary terms would my voucher be for ?

[Jumbo1968]

2 minutes ago, gearbox said:

Second that. Don't be unsecured creditor to airlines if you can avoid it. Wait until they officially cancel it, and get a refund.

As I said in a previous post my G.F. and sons flights are for their return to Thailand, how much refund would we receive for a single trip. To rebook them at a later date normally single fares are similar prices to returns and I imagine there will be a huge demand for flights and prices will soar ?

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

On 3/28/2020 at 1:17 AM, Kadilo said:

I would go with the refund. They are not going back anytime soon. 

He can't get a refund from BA unless/until BA cancels the flight.  As noted currently he can get vouchers or reschedule.

[CeeGee]

The value of the vouchers is exactly the same as the price you paid for the original ticket and this will be offset against any future purchase.It It is as simple as that.If you paid £500 for your ticket,thats the value of the ticket.

[japanese]

8 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

As I said in a previous post my G.F. and sons flights are for their return to Thailand, how much refund would we receive for a single trip. To rebook them at a later date normally single fares are similar prices to returns and I imagine there will be a huge demand for flights and prices will soar ?

Presumably the GF and son are Thai?  In all likelihood if there is a flight the they will be allowed back in.  And as you say, flights may be much more expensive when things do get moving again. So if you can I would wait and see on the possible cancelation.  And in the meantime maybe information on the vouchers will become clearer too.

 

Here it says the voucher will be to the value of your booking and has to be used in 12 months from the original departure date.  If the new flight is more expensive you have to pay the difference. If lower in price then you will get another voucher for the difference.

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/flights-and-holidays/flights/book-with-confidence

 

So I think at this stage waiting makes more sense, unless there is some inconvenient deadline.

[DFPhuket]

While you could get a voucher now, I'd also suggest you wait to see if the flight you're on is actually canceled. If so, you should then be able to get a refund. There is no real advantage of making your choice now - which locks you into a voucher - rather than waiting to see if you could get a refund. 

[dlclark97]

You say you have plans to travel to Thailand 12 May.  There is no guarantee at this time that the country will even be open for foreigners to enter Thailand.  And, there is also the probably need for a $100,000 USD medical insurance policy covering COVID 19 as well as a probable medical certificate stating you are free from any infection.  Mush of Asia has closed their borders to foreigners entering unless you are an Ambassador or in certain other categories.  If this is a holiday I would make other plans, most likely in your home country as other options may not be available for some time.

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Possibly the bigger airlines such as BA will be bailed out, on the too big to fail philosophy.

Bailed out by who?

British Airways is wholly owned by IAG a Spanish company that has 25% of it's shares owned by Qatar Airlines.

Airlines have been looking to the UK government for support but quite rightly the government is reluctant to put taxpayers money into companies that have significant foreign investment.

[Archie Baker]

Crystal ball. 

[drbeach]

On 3/28/2020 at 1:02 PM, Captain Monday said:

My best bet is no travel to Thailand will be possible until June 1. I cant return home on April 1 as planned 

and that is my guess. I would take the voucher and reschedule your "Holiday" later.

At this point, the state of emergency is said to end on April 30, but you could be right. I wouldn't schedule any travel before June 1, that being said it would be better to rebook for the end of the year or get a travel voucher for when the situation becomes clearer.