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Was due to fly out to the USA tomorrow with BA, and have had to cancel my trip as I tested positive this morning. I already removed my companion from the booking without penalty two days ago for the same reason and hoped I would stay negative to make the trip alone, but it was not to be.
I booked using Avios – Club going out, Premium Economy coming back. I’m told by BA that as I’m within “24 hours” of the flight I lose all the Avios but will receive a refund of the taxes. (Although 24 hours is slightly subjective, I rang at 8.30 this morning, the flight is 10.00am tomorrow).
I guess if those are the rules, those are the rules. So the flight has been cancelled and I’m due back the taxes paid, which is something.
My question is, is there anything I can do here about the lost Avios? I have Covid cover on my travel insurance, but wondered if anyone had any success claiming a £ amount for losing a significant number of Avios as a result of cancellation?
You’ll need to speak with the insurer to ask if they cover loss of loyalty points.
However, 24 hours is absolutely not subjective, if you cancelled more than 24 hours before departure, you are entitled to the avios back, as well as any cash element minus £35 pp cancellation fee. Why did you not just cancel online?It wouldn’t let me for some reason. It said to contact BA.
I think you need to take this further with BA, not least because they may only refund the APD if they are classing this as a cancellation within 24 hours, and not the rest of their hefty surcharges. Did they mention the amount of cash you would be getting back?
Definitely need to take this up with BA. Same thing happened to us when my mum was sick in Dublin. Had to change my pregnant daughter’s flight, and they tried to claim we were within the 24 hours. Luckily l had the call on my phone, so they caved. But it was a battle. Pointless from BA point of view, as l had the evidence. Bagged a compo 10k avios for waste of my time. And the stress, we were going straight to the Mater hospital in Dublin, so didn’t need double stress…
Think we need to charge these companies for wasting our time these days. I once was onto to BT call centre for 1hr40m, not joking, held an entire conference call, whilst on hold, and demanded they compensate me for my wasted time!. Ok, only 20 off my bill, but it was a gesture.
The white wine they’re serving here on the Edison lounge is really quite good btw…excuse my typos….@NunoBettencourtsPinky there is a provision at 17.2 in the Avios rules to return Avios in the event of a cancellation inside 24 hours in certain circumstances. On insurance, it will depend on your policy, whether it covers covid (many don’t) and whether they will compensate you for the loss of Avios if you can’t use 17.2.
But if @Nuno cancelled at 8.30 am for a 10 am departure the following day, he must have been outside 24 hours. It sounds like it’s the same scenario as Polly experienced – it boggles the mind to think this might be a deliberate strategy by BA but the alternative is that their agents can’t tell the time … !
But if @Nuno cancelled at 8.30 am for a 10 am departure the following day, he must have been outside 24 hours. It sounds like it’s the same scenario as Polly experienced – it boggles the mind to think this might be a deliberate strategy by BA but the alternative is that their agents can’t tell the time … !
I imagine agents go by days rather than hours, which of course, in this case, is not less than 24hrs.
Screenshot the time of the call made today before you ring back so you have proof.
Thanks all. My insurance policy does cover loss of points, trying to establish how that’s calculated.
Nuno,
Quite simple, log onto BA, just as if you intend to buy that amount. Screen shot it, and email it. We had that scenario years ago coming back from Asia, when myoh had to flyj, as he ended up in a wheelchair. So we had to buy the replacement avios, and got them priced up v easily. Insurance paid up, no problem.@Anna, love your comment! Next lesson at the BA training centre, let’s learn how to tell the time….
BA must be getting quite desperate if their instructions to their agents are telling them to lie to passengers about what time of day it is when cancelling and passenger is entitled to a refund.
Or perhaps indeed this is another case of the passenger’s call being routed by BA systems to a BA outsourced call centre that literally doesn’t know what day it is.
On the other hand, I take all hour calculations as related to the local time of where the flight’s due to depart from and on some routings this might mean passenger needs to cancel earlier than he thought.
Thanks all. My insurance policy does cover loss of points, trying to establish how that’s calculated.
Out of interest, which policy/provider is that? Thanks.
Nuno,
Quite simple, log onto BA, just as if you intend to buy that amount. Screen shot it, and email it. We had that scenario years ago coming back from Asia, when myoh had to flyj, as he ended up in a wheelchair. So we had to buy the replacement avios, and got them priced up v easily. Insurance paid up, no problem.Don’t know why I didn’t think of that – good call.
Thanks all – very helpful. I’ll report back on how I get on.
I get that Extreme song stuck in my head whenever you post, btw!
Thanks all. My insurance policy does cover loss of points, trying to establish how that’s calculated.
Out of interest, which policy/provider is that? Thanks.
Nationwide Flex Plus travel insurance.
I get that Extreme song stuck in my head whenever you post, btw!
Which one? Lots to choose from! 🙂
24h is absolute, therefore as I see this it is quite simple. If anyone is unable to cancel ONLINE 24h+1s before departure because BA system will not let them for whatever reason, then there remains grounds for full refund less £35 for cancellation within 24h. Possibly covered under section 17 highlighted by @JDB perhaps? If unable to get anywhere with BA CSA on that, then I would be sending a letter to BA Legal.
Thanks all. My insurance policy does cover loss of points, trying to establish how that’s .
Out of interest, which policy/provider is that? Thanks.
Nationwide Flex Plus travel insurance.
Thanks – good to know. Might revisit having a Nationwide account 😉
Well well well. I was about to ring BA to clarify the situation. Just logged into my BA account and the 95K Avios have somehow redeposited into my account overnight. This is definitely not what I was told yesterday.
*shrugs shoulders*
They talk nonsense a lot of the time! Glad you got the avios back, just check all your cash (minus £35 pp) comes back as well. Might take a few weeks or might be straight away like a couple of my recent cancellations (there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to it).
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