Coronavirus refund policies: British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, easyJet, Hilton, Marriott

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• Rachael Bhella says:

  2 Apr2 April 12:01

  Getting through to Easyjet was a joke. After 400 calls and at various times of the day I eventually manage to get through.
  Why oh why can they not activate the refund cash option, it would save the staff so much stress. Incidentally I changed my Easter flight to Malaga for a paid flight at Xmas and saved £400 pounds .For Xmas DON’T TAKE the voucher, it is probably cheaper to rebook and get a refund on the cancelled flight.

  • Kev 85 says:

    2 Apr2 April 13:10

    “ Why oh why can they not activate the refund cash option”

    Because they’re hoping that people take the voucher and they can therefore get away with trying to break the law

    • Lady London says:

      2 Apr2 April 18:57

      Easyjet’s removal of the previously normal ability to click for a refund in the case of
      easyjet’s cancellation of the passengers flight was not as blatant as British Airways adding Java code twice to their website to do the same.

      Mainly as British Airways first version of code they added to block refunds could be curvumvented by switching off JavaScript at key points. So they went back and did it twice and BAs denial of refunds online is now practically 100% blockage.

      Easyjet’s deliberate adjustment to their website to deny refunds – worked first time.

      Given that both BA and easyJet removed previously longstanding easily clickable access to request refunds when due under EC261, so it was clearly intended to remove customers access to their legal entitlement, I hope the regulators will.fine both heavily when there is a revenue stream to fine.

      Both airlines were well aware that the their phone systems and staffing at the time they took these deliberate steps were not able to accept the additional demand of refunds through this channel at the time and for a very.considerable time after. So these actions by British Airways and easyJet were done specifically to frustrate the ability of their customers to choose the refund option provided to them by EC261.

      It’s abuse as BA has access to 9 billion or so cash. How many customers needed their refund back more than BA needed to hold on to their customers money that was paid for the service BA didn’t provide? Who’s more needy here?

      • Alex Sm says:

        3 Apr3 April 01:27

        has anyone created a petition at Change.org or brought the carriers to small claims court? people shoud have so much time on their hands now…

• Caroline Wood says:

  2 Apr2 April 12:23

  Any thoughts on how I cancel two hilton hotel stays booked through ba.com booking confirmation says non refundable but Hilton now saying all refundable but contact travel agent if not booked direct. Nothing on ba.com about this scenario

  • chris says:

    2 Apr2 April 13:25

    I phoned the 0800 727 800 number on Monday and cancelled hotel nights which were non refundable by BA and they processed a refund to my BA Amex. Maybe I was just lucky but I assumed if Hilton changed their cancellation policy them BA, as the agent, should follow suit. Worth a try.

• Steve says:

  2 Apr2 April 12:39

  Aer Club offering a 10% uplift if you take the voucher rather than a cash refund. Plus 25 Tier points about to be dropped into everyone’s account

  • Alex Sm says:

    3 Apr3 April 01:28

    It needs to be some kind of incentive attached

• Optimus Prime says:

  2 Apr2 April 12:44

  Looks like some Marriott resort hotels can have exclusions on the new cancellation policy. I have a points booking at Dome Miramare Corfu and they told me that instead of free cancellation until 14 days before check-in date (their regular policy), it would be 7 days.

  Their website now says that cash bookings are refunded as credit vouchers usable on any Domes resort.

  • E says:

    2 Apr2 April 13:50

    I think Marriott did say something like “most hotels and resorts” so it was unclear who would and who wouldn’t refund OK when they announced their new cancellation policy.

• Andy H says:

  2 Apr2 April 13:33

  Rob,
  Is there any information coming from Amex re the £10k spend amount to obtain the 2-4-1 voucher. If this goes on for months, which is predicted, then I’m doubtful if I will hit the 10k within the 12 months. I’m over half way but my monthly spend on the cards is now well down.

  • Rhys says:

    2 Apr2 April 13:37

    Nope, we still haven’t heard anything

    • Rob says:

      2 Apr2 April 14:05

      I have also been pushing them to reduce the £3k sign-up bonus spend on new cards, with no success. I doubt we’re spending £3k in the next 90 days and we’re feeding four.

  • marcw says:

    2 Apr2 April 14:26

    If this carries on for months, you won’t be able to travel either.

  • Alex Sm says:

    3 Apr3 April 01:29

    I was close but then a number of refunds came in and now I am almost 4K away…

    And I OWE Avios to BA now – so expecting a deduction at the next statement

    • Genghis says:

      3 Apr3 April 03:59

      The negative balance doesn’t sweep across to BAEC.

• EwanG says:

  2 Apr2 April 14:18

  On topic but OT in terms of brand, Accor have emailed out today to advise what they are doing with status.

  Here is an except for me, as Gold:
  “We consider it a privilege to have you as a guest in our hotels and an honour to count you as one of our loyal members of ALL – Accor Live Limitless. We want to show our appreciation by crediting your account with 50% of the necessary Status points and Status nights required to maintain your elite status.

  As a Gold member, we will be crediting your account over the next three weeks with 3,500 Status points and 15 Status nights. Your points balance will reflect this once completed.”

• Robbo says:

  2 Apr2 April 14:20

  Has anyone had success in changing the payment date on a BA holiday? I am due to pay a large lump sum on 15th April for a holiday leaving on 20th May. I have already paid the deposit plus 25% of the lump to BA, but I guess BA will just try and push a voucher on to me for that amount. I don’t really want to pay the full balance on the 15th with a hope that it is cancelled and I get a full refund, and actually end up with a large voucher against BA for a holiday in the next 12 months.

  • Robbo says:

    2 Apr2 April 15:21

    Just for info, BA have moved the balance due date to be 3 weeks from departure as opposed the 5 weeks. It will not show up online in your booking as it is done manually.

    • Oli says:

      2 Apr2 April 16:38

      Bookings made from midday, 10 March 2020 will require the full balance three weeks before departure. See Manage my Booking for the exact date. Offer is subject to change.

• David Gillan says:

  2 Apr2 April 14:23

  The outward flight to Malaga on 30 April for our short holiday in Torremolinos was cancelled by BA by email on 18 March but the return flight on 5 May was not. I regularly checked on Manage my Booking but it was still there on 30 March but I followed BA’s advice not to telephone until nearer the date. On 31 March I received another email from BA saying that the whole booking (Club Europe flights and 5 nights at the Hotel Amaragua) was cancelled and that a refund to my card would be processed within 7-10 working days. To my surprise and delight the total paid was sitting in my BA AMEX account when I checked this morning. Perfect service.

  • Lady London says:

    4 Apr4 April 15:11

    You got this refund so easily only because you booked as a BA Holiday. Penalties are very severe on them if they do not provide a prompt refund in full when they cancel. This is the only reason people with BA Holidays are mostly not having to struggle at all with BA to get the refunds they are fully entitled to.

    With flights as you will see from every comment section on here BA must think the likelihood of them getting any penalty for systematically denying customers’ rights is low or may not happen. I would like the regulator to change that as soon as BA regains inward cashflow in future. To the extent that I want the penalties to be a block on dividends and a multi-year drag on BA’s profits.

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