Reward Flight Cancellation – What rebooking options do we have?

[timmyg]

I have a return reward flight booking from NCL to GIG (Rio de Janeiro) via LHR in early June made using a 2-4-1 voucher. All legs are in Club World/Europe, except for the final LHR to NCL leg which is in Euro Traveller (due to availability at time of booking)

The return Euro Traveler leg from LHR to NCL has unfortunately been cancelled. We have been rebooked onto the next available flight but unfortunately this now involves a 9hr wait in T5. We haven’t ‘Accepted’ this yet.

What options do we have regarding rebooking?

For example, if we asked BA to rebook the entire GIG to NCL return flight a day later (where there are more LHR to NCL flight options), are BA obliged to do that regardless of Avios seat availability? Or could/would they only rebook us onto flights where there is current Avios seats availability?

[Richie]

They’re more likely to book you on flights with Avios availability.

[SteveJ]

If BA cancelled you have the right to rebooking on a flight that is most convenient for your travel plans, the fact that it’s a reward booking makes no difference.

[NorthernLass]

Will MMB allow you to select other flights? For my last 2 cancellations BA re-booked me but I could also change the time/date in MMB where there was availability.

[timmyg]

Thanks for the replies, even if they are a little mixed/contradictory! 🙂

MMB does not show any other GIG –> NCL options available for selection on either the day before or the day after.

There are, however, preferable options available for purchase the following day which we would be interested in taking if BA could/would change the Avios booking to those dates.

Does anyone have a definitive answer on what BA can/will do under these circumstances. I.e. Can we rebook the entire GIG –> NCL return leg even if only the LHR –> NCL portion was cancelled? And if so, can we rebook on any GIG –> NCL flight combo or only those with Avios availability in the class of the original booking?

[Richie]

Commercially, BA are unlikely to offer you a GIG-LHR flight that isn’t from an Avios booking class. Call and ask and see what they say.

[ChrisC]

To reiterate (I’m doing a lot of that lately) if your avios flight has been cancelled there DOES NOT have to be avios availability on your new dates just seats available in the cabin.

If the flight was cancelled in the last 24-48 hours it’s possible the full range of rebooking options hasn’t kicked in yet so it might be worth waiting a day or two

[timmyg]

Thanks @ChrisC – Even though I’ve been to MMB several times, I thought I’d take a final look before biting the bullet and calling BA to establish our options. This time I was presented with 3 X GIG –> NCL options on the following day. One of which having only a 2 hour layover so we’ve snapped it up.

I can live with an extra day in Rio over a 9hr wait in T5!. Happy days! 🙂

[timmyg]

… Oh, and just to confirm for anyone else viewing this thread, there was no Avios availability on the alternative flights we selected.

[Richie]

That’s great news! Have a great trip.

[NorthernLass]

@ChrisC is right though, there wouldn’t have needed to be avios seats available for you to be rebooked, although sometimes even BA agents don’t seem to know this! It’s always worth waiting a bit and having a trawl through MMB, BA’s cancellation emails aren’t particularly clear that even if they’ve rebooked you it’s often possible to choose a different option.

[Matt]

For BA bookings with Avios they will move you to any flight with seats available for purchase – you don’t need Avios availability at all if your flight has been cancelled. It becomes trickier on other airlines booked using Avios, especially non-European ones.

[meta]

If you are staying an extra day in Rio, BA is now also liable for accommodation, meals and two phone calls/internet under duty of care as per UK261.

[NorthernLass]

meta wrote:

If you are staying an extra day in Rio, BA is now also liable for accommodation, meals and two phone calls/internet under duty of care as per UK261.

Are you sure about this? I know you’re super hot on this stuff @meta, but OP could have got home on the original travel date and has elected to stay an extra day as the flight times are more convenient. Happy to be corrected though!

[meta]

I had this several times. Doesn’t matter when the flight is or on the original date, if the flight is not within 2/3/4hr time limit then duty of care kicks in along with re-route rights. Now that I think about it, OP is also due £520 euros delay compensation (although they might reduced it by 50% as he’s been put on an alternative flight). The higher amount because the intermediary stop (LHR) is disregarded in case of delay compensation.

[Richie]

meta wrote:

….Now that I think about it, OP is also due £520 euros delay compensation…

Early June seems to be more than 14 days from now.

[Tracey]

timmyg wrote:

… Oh, and just to confirm for anyone else viewing this thread, there was no Avios availability on the alternative flights we selected.

If the gods really are shining down on you, you may find that you also earn tier points and avios!

[meta]

Richie wrote:

meta wrote:

….Now that I think about it, OP is also due £520 euros delay compensation…

Early June seems to be more than 14 days from now.

Doesn’t matter. There is a cancellation compensation and delay compensation. OP will most definitely be arriving more than 4hrs after his originally booked flights.