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Last month I was planning a route to HKG via the Middle East. I was having trouble getting Amex MR transferred to Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (turns out my name and surname were swapped in my CX FF account), so I tried to book Cathay pacific flights via BA but not availability was showing. I checked Iberia since that sometimes has different reward inventory and was able to book DOH -> HKG in Economy flying Qatar & Cathay Pacific via Singapore, paying 32k Avios + £100. However the next day my plans changed a bit, and I booked another flight on Cathay (on Iberia again) flying DXB -> HKG.
I called Iberia to cancel the first flight (this was within 24 hours of booking although I don’t think this affects things). On the phone I was told I’d get the expected refund of Avios + taxes lest 25 EUR cancellation fee. Then crickets for a month.
I followed up via Facebook and got the following from Iberia:
According to our colleagues, the full refund isn’t an option, because your booking has flights operated by partner airlines. For this reason, we can only refund the airport taxes. Please let us know if you want to cancel the booking and receive only a refund for the airport taxes.
I thought that was wrong, but after looking more closely at the refund conditions on Iberia’s website when you book similar tickets, they say:
[Refund] “Permitted with a surcharge of €25 up to 24 hours before the departure of the first flight on the ticket, as long as this does not include any IB5XXX flight. Refunds only permitted on flights with codes IB, YW, I2 and BA, unless the code for one leg is IB and the code for another leg belongs to another partner in the programme.”
Am I stuffed? Did I just flush 32k Avios down the drain?
I’m afraid so . Iberia Avios tickets are non refundable on partners
Can you change the ticket perhaps to something you would use?
Partner tickets can’t neither be changed.
Your best chance is to leave the ticket alive and hope for a flight change. Last year I was in the same situation with a Latam ticket, the time changed (like 5 min) and that allowed me to cancel for free and receive all my avios and money back.Partner tickets can’t neither be changed.
Your best chance is to leave the ticket alive and hope for a flight change. Last year I was in the same situation with a Latam ticket, the time changed (like 5 min) and that allowed me to cancel for free and receive all my avios and money back.Yeah, that would’ve been helpful… Regrettably the day of the flight has already come and gone. I’m assuming you can’t change the date on a ticket like that even if it hadn’t been refunded yet.
The 24 hour rule still applies, even for iberia bookings I believe. And if they agreed to refund the booking when you spoke to them, the rest should be unconsequential tbh. I’d try and escalate it and see if you get anywhere.
The 24 hour rule still applies, even for iberia bookings I believe. And if they agreed to refund the booking when you spoke to them, the rest should be unconsequential tbh. I’d try and escalate it and see if you get anywhere.
The 24hr rule is for tickets booked on BA’s website.
In this case the OP used the IB website to book an Avios flight.
I suppose the lesson is not to book partner airlines on IB’s website.
Yes, this has been discussed here and on the main site for ages now.
Only BA flights are refundable via Iberia. No cooling off period either.
Update: I tried pushing for getting Avios back by mentioning that when I called I was initially told I’d get them back, but Iberia staff manning their Facebook messenger triple-confirmed that no, I would just get the taxes.
Today ALL the Avios landed in my account, with most of the cash portion of the flight lest 25 EUR.So in the end they made the refund that was initially promised, either accidentally or intentionally. I’m pretty happy and surprised!
I’d move them to BA just in case they claw them back later.
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