Does BA usually make a “fake” flight booking to keep a refund open?

[benstravels]

Hi all

Is it normal for BA themselves to insert a fake (but real) flight into a PNR to keep it open until a refund has been done?

Longer story – I cancelled an Avios redemp and they gave me a voucher by mistake. Called and got a refund done instead which has gone through but since noticed this fake flight sat in my past flights. The agent on the phone assures me that their system only allows real flights to be added to keep PNRs open and that my account has not been hacked or used fraudulently. I also used to work in travel a long time ago and we freq added passive segments to keep PNRs open and would never ever use a real flight as you’d be charged by the airline!

Cheers

[JDB]

Yes, it’s quite normal. I have two ‘bookings’ on flight BA8699 LHR-YYY. You will find these ghost segments in ordinary cancelled bookings as well as FTV ones.

[benstravels]

Phew, that’s a relief to hear. Thanks!