End date for Book With Confidence vouchers ….?

[Mikeact]

Do we assume, now that travel restrictions are getting back to some sort of normality, that BA will soon amend the Sept 2023 cut off date, and bring it forward, say six months or whatever?

[NorthernLass]

I’m pretty sure not even BA would do something which would make them so (and even more) reviled. Also it would be a blatant breach of their own Ts and Cs.

[ChrisC]

No because as NL says it would be a breach of their own policies.

What I can see them doing is not extending BWC for bookings for trips after 31st August 2022 or ending it sooner for new bookings.

[Rob]

They won’t bring it forward.

It may even get pushed back a bit, because BA has two painful choices coming otherwise: expire all unused voucher (terrible PR) or cash them out (using cash it doesn’t have).

It is VERY likely that BWC will be pulled, with no notice, for new bookings at some point soon. This was lined up to happen last year but they got nervous at the last minute (correctly, as it turned out).

[memesweeper]

Rob Burgess wrote:

It is VERY likely that BWC will be pulled, with no notice, for new bookings at some point soon. This was lined up to happen last year but they got nervous at the last minute (correctly, as it turned out).

Understandable, but it would put _me_ off making non-redemption/non-refundable bookings other than domestics. I’m surely not alone. @Rob, any news on BA making refundable select fares available directly on the website?

[Rob]

As soon as business travel is back at any scale, BWC is likely to go because it will stop corporates booking fully flex tickets. BA simply can’t afford to offer flexibility to the leisure market long term. Those £6,000 Club Suite returns to New York literally underpin the entire airline.

[Venturelog]

Quick query re the BWC vouchers. Can I use them to book tickets for someone else from my BAEC?

[John]

I thought that most/all US airlines have had a similar cancel for airline credit policy for a long time, even before covid. Is this correct? How do they deal with corporate travel?

Venturelog wrote:

Quick query re the BWC vouchers. Can I use them to book tickets for someone else from my BAEC?

Evouchers can be used for any paid flights, avios FTVs must be used by the original passenger.

[Rui N.]

That is correct, but there were hefty fees to get that credit, something like $200 per ticket. So, for a lot of tickets in practice you ended up with nothing.
Now with Covid they abolished those fees, with one of the carriers (UA I think) even saying that they were abolished “forever”.

[Lady London]

So…I don’t do many cash bookings with BA.

If I book a flight now departing anytime up to 31st August am I sure to be able to get the full cash back if I’m unable to travel.. but only as a voucher?

[Rob]

Correct.

For clarity, you don’t need to be unable to travel – you can cancel for any reason. That’s the problem (if you’re BA).

[dougzz99]

Lady London wrote:

So…I don’t do many cash bookings with BA.

If I book a flight now departing anytime up to 31st August am I sure to be able to get the full cash back if I’m unable to travel.. but only as a voucher?

Yes.

[Lady London]

Tx Doug..and Rob