Interesting – Future Travel Voucher automatic refund

[chrishors]

Today I was told over the telephone that if I didn’t use my FTV I would lose it (about £1000 cash and 50,000 Avios), apart from the Tax of about £200.
Yet when I checked on the BA website it says all FTVs are going to be automatically refunded. No action required by the owner of the FTV. In fact, you can’t request it, just have to wait for the automatic system to catch up.
I then did an online chat, and they said they were working through the Jan to Nov 2020 vouchers and issuing refunds, and mine (Sep 2021) would be “got around to” eventually. The date is not the date the voucher was issued, but the date the booking was made.
I actually don’t know what to believe anymore. I do not intend to make a BA booking before the expiry date, so a refund is the best option for me.
They said I cannot even use the voucher for another person, which I would do if I could.
Does anyone know the real truth? Not a guess, or what should happen if life was fair. What the actual situation is? I really could do with some advice.
And if it is true that this is definitely going to happen for everyone with an FTV, maybe an HFP article is warranted to clarify the truth in this, and any limitations. What about it Rob?

[memesweeper]

Rob has done an article: https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/12/20/ba-is-cancelling-and-refunding-future-travel-vouchers-is-your-2-4-1-voucher-still-protected/

AFAIK you should expect a refund.

[chrishors]

Thank you for the link. The article was Dec 2021 and was about short haul routes. So, hopefully, an update from people who did long haul will now be confirmed and I can expect a refund of both AVIOS and the full cash element, not just the taxes.

[John]

You will be refunded everything you paid. You will have to wait for the email. Once you get it the cash element should go back to your card account within a few days, but you may need to contact BA to get the avios back as they seem to have problems with doing that automatically.

All of my long haul redemptions FTVs have now been refunded but I had to contact BA every time for the avios – there was no quibble and the avios were redeposited within a few hours after contacting BA.

A redemption FTV works like making changes to the original ticket so the names cannot be changed.

[chrishors]

Thank you John.

[chrishors]

I have just had a reply from BA saying that they will not refund the FTV as it was issued after Nov 2020???? Nothing about that on their website indicating it is date replated.
Any further help or comments from anyone?

[John]

My FTVs issued after Nov 2020 (but originally booked before Nov 2020 for travel after that date) were automatically refunded.

Perhaps message “BA refund helper” on flyertalk

[Rob]

Only FTV to Nov 2020 are being refunded as BA was acting illegally when it issued those.

If your FTV was for an Avios redemption originally just pay the £35 cancellation fee and refund it.

If it was a cash booking it will be turned into an eVoucher which you could sell, as anyone can use them.

[HighlandTB]

I’m not sure if this is relevant to this thread, however I emailed baholidays to apply 3 e vouchers to a holiday booking for early 2023. (Following advice from this forum.) I received an email the following day informing me that my e vouchers will be refunded This a copy of the email.

“
In this ever-evolving world and with changes being made to make the redemption process easier all round, we are now moving to a refund of the voucher, rather than a deduction off the balance of your BA Holidays booking. You are of course more than welcome to then use this refund towards your balance if you wish.

With that in mind, we have sent your original booking off to be refunded and these funds will go back onto your original payment card. Please allow 10-14 working days for this to show on your statement.

This is a very recent change to our process, so you did everything correctly, and I apologise for any inconvenience caused – although hopefully this will be just as well received”

Hopefully I will revive the refund ASAP!

[chrishors]

My booking was a premium economy cash booking which I later upgraded with AVIOS to Club World.

[chrishors]

I cancelled the flight to USA as they would not let me in as I was not vaccinated. I know it was my choice not to get vaccinated, but I should not be penalised for that choice.

[Tracey]

Djokovic had the same issue and missed the US open!

It’s your personal choice, but choices have consequences. It isn’t new. Many countries require yellow fever jabs before entry and no one complains about being denied personal choices.

[To dare is to do]

In todays mail.

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-11274301/Why-wont-BA-refund-flights-despite-travel-illegal-time.html