The HfP chat thread – Tuesday 8th December

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• Benilyn says:

  8 Dec8 December 11:38

  Apologies if this has discussed before. BA 2-4-1, had it booked for May-2020 but flights cancelled by BA. Original expiry of the voucher was Dec 20, now Jun 21. Is there any way to extend it or use it on an outbound flight for Nov 21? Any appeal system going around?

  • Anna says:

    8 Dec8 December 11:53

    Do you have the option of taking a Furture Travel Voucher for your cancelled flights (not sure what the options are now)? If so they were valid until April 2022. This might be your only way of using the voucher beyond the current expiry date, though there are some restrictions on what you can re-book.

    • Benilyn says:

      8 Dec8 December 13:42

      BA cancelled and just gave me Avios and voucher back so not sure if eligible for the Future Travel Voucher. Annoying!

      • Anna says:

        8 Dec8 December 14:57

        That’s annoying – is this their new way of trying to wriggle out of EU261 obligations? It’s your decision if you get a refund, not theirs!

  • AJA says:

    8 Dec8 December 14:18

    Just book a cheap European trip using the 2-4-1 and then cancel it in exchange for the FTV. That will extend the voucher to use by 30 Apr 2022. Then book the flights in Nov 2021 paying the extra taxes and fees and Avios remembering you will have to phone up to do that.

    • Benilyn says:

      8 Dec8 December 15:06

      @AJA – interesting. What if I have already booked my Nov-21 flights (all Avios + taxes). I don’t want to risk them going back onto the system.

      • AJA says:

        8 Dec8 December 16:59

        @ Benilyn , that’s tricky as you will have to cancel the existing Nov-21 booking and then hope they get put back into inventory and are still available for you when you come to book. I think I would keep the booking as is but still book and cancel a cheap European trip using the 2-4-1 to extend it to use by Apr 2022 unless you think you will use the 2-4-1 before Jun 2021.

  • Lady London says:

    8 Dec8 December 16:44

    no @Anna is right. Phone them and tell them you havent decided if you want to exercise your right to a reroute yet and it’s your choice whether you choose that or a refund so request them to undo that, reinstate the booking and you will let thrm know which of the various options provided to youby EC261 as what you want to do with that flight, you will be choosing in due course.

    Document that conversation as technically you could buy a replacement flight on whichevrr airline you choose at whatevet price prevails in the market at the time you choose to do this in fulfilment of your routing rights, and BA would be liable for its (as would your UK credit card under Section 75 if you used one to pay).

• Tw33ty says:

  8 Dec8 December 11:41

  Just received the wine for the virgin money switch. Two boxes, me and other half.
  Really quick to be honest!

  • mark2 says:

    8 Dec8 December 15:13

    Mine too, but they sent it with just my name and postcode on bvox. Fortunately the DPD driver remembered me.

• Mco says:

  8 Dec8 December 12:09

  Have had a flight cancellation for a Avios flight next week. I read here about EU261 and that I can pick another new date. Thing is I don’t know when I will be travelling as the country is still closed. Is it possible to leave the ticket pending with the flexibility of knowing I can call and pick any date I want rather than only when they have Avios seats.

  The return is still operating so I need to let them know or it will be a no show.

  • Anna says:

    8 Dec8 December 12:31

    If BA has cancelled your flight, there doesn’t need to be avios availability to re-book. I don’t think there’s any option to leave it pending though, it will be change, cancel or accept a FTV.

  • Oli says:

    8 Dec8 December 13:00

    Yes, just do nothing and call to rebook when you know when to travel. I’ve had flights due to depart in August 2020 that we cancelled, I did nothing until last week when I requested a refund. I wanted to keep my options open and request to be moved to another flight for Christmas but BA are not flying my route any more.

    • Mco says:

      8 Dec8 December 13:48

      But what about the return that they have rebooked me on? Won’t I be a no show on that?

      • Lady London says:

        8 Dec8 December 16:51

        Just call and inform them you will be rerouting your entire booking to a different later date that is convenient to you according to your rights under EC261 when you have such a date and will contact them again in due course to arrange. Document this with time, date, who you spoke to

        • Nick says:

          8 Dec8 December 21:21

          If your outbound is cancelled you’re fine – you won’t be marked as no show for the return (makes sense, as you couldn’t have got out there!) Only need to worry if it’s the other way round.

• R says:

  8 Dec8 December 12:24

  Has anyone had much luck getting a 2-4-1 extended a 2nd time? Have one expiring in September but with all the schedule changes on FC cabins (which I’d like to use it for) and increasingly lessening availability worried I won’t get to use it.

  • Anna says:

    8 Dec8 December 12:29

    See my reply to Benylin above re FTVs.

  • Jonathan says:

    8 Dec8 December 13:14

    First class Avios availability is going to dry up. BA had already realised pre-COVID it was too full of upgrades & Avios etc to justify spending enough money on it to make it attractive to those paying full price. Hence the downsizing to 8 seats on refurbed 777’s & A350’s with no F cabins. This process has been sped up by the retirement of 747’s & hibernation of A380’s.

    Realistically you should just book Club World to somewhere you want to go while availability is good & forget hanging on for First. I’d also not expect a further extension, especially if your current voucher doesn’t expire till September.

• AndyGWP says:

  8 Dec8 December 12:32

  My (direct) British Airways IBZ to MAN flight for June 2021 has just been cancelled.

  I assume that all the MAN directs for summer are being pulled??

  • AndyGWP says:

    8 Dec8 December 12:33

    (outbound was direct from LHR – so no cancellation received for that)

  • Mco says:

    8 Dec8 December 13:50

    I wonder why they are cancelling flights so far ahead? With the vaccine coming out and anyway the Virus quietens down in the summer I would have thought IBZ would be a good bet for them to run?

    Would anyone know BA’s thoughts behind cancelling these type of flights?

    • memesweeper says:

      8 Dec8 December 15:54

      They’ve binned all the summer BA City Flyer flights from not-London City

• Anna says:

  8 Dec8 December 12:35

  If London goes into Tier 3 on the 16th it will prove that I’m having a similar effect on destinations as Harry T, though in my case whenever I book a break the place goes into lockdown about a week before my travel date 🤣

  • Michael C says:

    8 Dec8 December 13:03

    Do NOT say that, Anna! We had Grosvenor House booked for 15 Dec. but due to OH meeting, I’ve just changed it to 19th!!!

    • Anna says:

      8 Dec8 December 15:02

      Michael C – I need us to move into Tier 2 and London to stay in Tier 2 but my track record with Manchester, Co. Durham and Scotland over the past 2 months isn’t filling me with confidence!

  • Pete says:

    8 Dec8 December 13:16

    That would be most unhelpful – we are due to see Six (the musical) on the 17th – rescheduled about thrice now! 😛

  • Harry T says:

    8 Dec8 December 20:03

    You’re just not quick enough on the draw 🤪

• Mo says:

  8 Dec8 December 13:17

  Hi all, would be good to get to your advice.

  I booked a return flight during the recent 50% off avios sale using a companion voucher. I’ve just received an email that the flight times have been changed (but only very slightly, 10/20 mins on inbound and outbound respectively).

  I would ideally want to make this trip later in the year so was wondering is it possible to use this as an excuse to change the dates without repricing in avios or does it have to be 2hrs+?

  • Pete says:

    8 Dec8 December 13:23

    I believe it’s actually 4hrs+ now, so unlikely.

  • Jonathan says:

    8 Dec8 December 13:57

    No chance! Check if the flight number has changed though as that would count as a cancellation giving you ability to reschedule/refund.

    • Mo says:

      8 Dec8 December 22:36

      Thanks both – thought as much, just wanted to ask and see if I could try my luck. sme flight number but the flights are in June so anything could happen – Hopefully a cancellation or something!

• Andrew says:

  8 Dec8 December 13:32

  High Life magazine lives on! Just arrived in the post – apparently the new approach to its distribution. I can kick back with my mini champagne glasses from the crockery sale and flick through.

  • Michael C says:

    8 Dec8 December 13:50

    Just as Ikea have stopped theirs!

    • Nick says:

      8 Dec8 December 21:25

      IKEA have obviously decided theirs is now cash negative. Weirdly, BA’s was always cash positive, thanks to the hefty advertising revenue and a captive (and by definition relatively wealthy) onboard audience, even despite the fuel bill of carrying it around. I guess Cedar and the EC are trying this out to see if it stays that way. Makes sense – I’m much more likely to read a print copy than an e-version.

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