No refund of Avios for ‘partial flow journey’

[shamp00]

Hi.

I am wondering if anyone has any advice in relation to this…

I had booked a return journey UK to India in September, using the “upgrade with Avios” option to get a Club World ticket. Unfortunately while I was on holiday my father passed away, so I needed to come home early and urgently. I couldn’t find any way to get hold of anyone at BA at the time (it was 6am UK time) and there were no options available on the website for me to try and reschedule my flight, so I booked a flight with a different carrier and cancelled the BA return flight.

I have today been in touch with BA via the live chat to find out what’s happening about a refund (it’s past the “28 working days”) and their agent told me I’d get a refund of the “eligible unused taxes” only, and no refund of any other part of the ticket cost or Avios as it was a “partial flow journey”.

I appreciate this might well be the Ts & Cs of the booking but I’m wondering if there is any way to appeal this / try and escalate it to see if there is any way to get the Avios / other cash element back?

I’m claiming on my travel insurance in relation to the additional flight I paid for but I’m not sure if they’ll pay out as their Ts & Cs (which in the state I was in I didn’t read at the time) say that I had to contact them BEFORE making alternative arrangements for the return home. If they refuse I’ll be fighting that but that’s a potential different problem for now…

Thanks!

[NorthernLass]

I think they meant “partially flown”. You’re not usually entitled to more than than taxes back if you cancel a non-flexible booking anyway – reward flights offer much more flexibility, especially if you’ve booked the 2 sectors separately.

[shamp00]

Thanks Northern Lass – I’d not picked up on the difference between reward flights and the upgrade with avios option – I’ll know for next time!

[strickers]

I’m sorry to hear of your loss. Whilst BA are technically correct they have been known to show some discretion in similar cases. It’s worth pursuing more but only up to a point, you may get a better result by writing. I’d also ask them for a refund as a gesture of goodwill.

[AJA]

Sorry for your loss. Next time around persist with contacting BA as they can be flexible with cases like this. They might have allowed you to reschedule your return flight to come home early which wouldn’t have required booking on another airline

As for claiming the cost of the additiinal flight you paid from travel insurance, as you have discovered you should have contacted them first before arranging a flight on your own. I hope you get paid out.

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

strickers wrote:

I’m sorry to hear of your loss. Whilst BA are technically correct they have been known to show some discretion in similar cases. It’s worth pursuing more but only up to a point, you may get a better result by writing. I’d also ask them for a refund as a gesture of goodwill.

Not after the fact though. BA has iPhone lines open all night as there is the web chat as well.

You need to have contacted them before not taking the flight and making your own arrangements.

[shamp00]

BA Flyer IHG Stayer wrote:

Not after the fact though. BA has iPhone lines open all night as there is the web chat as well.

You need to have contacted them before not taking the flight and making your own arrangements.

That might be the case but I couldn’t get them to work from India… I tried a few numbers that just didn’t connect and the only ones I could get through to said they were open from 9am UK time. Web chat also didn’t come up as an option for me. I wasn’t in my usual calm state of mind but despite trying I genuinely couldn’t find anyone to actually speak to… I’ve just looked now and also can’t find a 24 hour number?

[executiveclubber]

BA Flyer IHG Stayer wrote:

strickers wrote:

I’m sorry to hear of your loss. Whilst BA are technically correct they have been known to show some discretion in similar cases. It’s worth pursuing more but only up to a point, you may get a better result by writing. I’d also ask them for a refund as a gesture of goodwill.

Not after the fact though. BA has iPhone lines open all night as there is the web chat as well.

You need to have contacted them before not taking the flight and making your own arrangements.

This is a bit derisory, I think more sympathy is due to OP, it can be extremely hard to find who to contact – I have been passed between many phone lines even in the UK daytime.

OP, I think if you write a succinct message and if you don’t get a satisfactory response, I would recommend emailing Sean Doyle’s office where his team may be able to provide a little more discretion. Hope it all goes well.

[shamp00]

Thanks again all for the advice. I have received a refund of just £7.70 and BA have confirmed that is all I’m entitled to.

I have written a nice email to Sean Doyle pointing out that given they effectively haven’t refunded me, it seems particularly unfair that I have also missed out on the tier points and Avios I would have earned had I been able to take the flight (and therefore effectively paid for). Had I got these it would have taken me to to Silver… I have asked if they’ll be kind enough to consider crediting me with those in the hope that this seems not unreasonable!

[Lady London]

I think it’s unreasonable of the insurance company not to take into account your state of mind in a case like this. When you came to your senses and got a chance to remember to call them you contacted them. Could easily be a number of days later with all that was going on.

BA have told you you’re getting £7 or so, so provide evidence of that and put in a claim with a note of the circumstances etc and ask in in a note if they will consider it.

Due to fare architecture there may be no actual fare due back – return pricing always seemed somewhat sneaky to me unless fully flex. So as lines were not working to get through to the airline you were forced to take other action. Personally I’d point that out to BA but I’d be surprised if they’d give you tier points for a flight you didn’t take, whatever the circumstances.

ISTR also that upgrades with avios are also stated to be impossible to unwind. But I’d be hoping they might find it possible to give you some avios back if they are sympathetic and you mention politely the difficulties in reaching them by phone.

Good luck and let us know what happens but personally I’d do whatever I could with the insurance company first.