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British Airways cancels all Maldives flights until 13th August

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In an aggressive move, following the Maldives being placed on the UK Government ‘Red List’ of travel restrictions, British Airways appears to have cancelled all flights to Male until 13th August.

It was only back in February that BA decided to run a Summer service to the Maldives this year. This was initially for one flight per week, later upgraded to two.

Radisson Blu Maldives

ba.com will still sell you a flight to the Maldives, but this will be on Qatar Airways with an aircraft change in Doha. This is clearly risky, because you would need both Qatar and the Maldives to be removed from the ‘Red List’ if you were to avoid hotel quarantine on your return.

I would also expect that Iberia will now cancel its plans to launch Maldives services in July.

BA flights are currently scheduled to return at a low level from 13th August, with a full Winter season (five per week) due to operate from the timetable switch in late October.

This is the second time this week – coming on the back of the launch of multiple Greek routes for routes – that British Airways has placed a big bet on the timing of restrictions being lifted. With infection data now widely available and the criteria for restrictions being published, it may be that the airline feels it can make such moves with greater confidence.


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Comments (30)

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

  • Benilyn says:

    If you have PE booked with Avios, and no more PE available with BA for the day you want to fly, what happens then when you try rebook?

    • Jonathan says:

      You get put in Economy. They’ll offer a fare difference refund rather than the EU261 75% refund though so will have to fight for the latter.

      • Lady London says:

        It’s less than 75% for downgrade PY to Y anyway, I am afraid

        • pauldb says:

          Why?

        • ChrisC says:

          Not like you to get this stuff wrong LL

          A downgrade is a straight 75% reimbursement (for a flight of this length)

          There is no cabin differential.

          Benilyn will also be reimbursed the difference in the APD rates if the downgrade is in the ex UK leg

  • mr_jetlag says:

    Whew. Glad we pulled the trigger on six nights in the Maldives for our anniversary last month.

  • Stu N says:

    If BA have cancelled your flight, you don’t need Avios availability for the new dates to rebook so as long as seats are available for sale on your new dates you should be fine.

    If there are no PE seats at all (i.e. they are not even selling seats for cash) then you’re out of luck and will, I guess, either have to (i) find new dates with seats available; (ii) downgrade to economy or (iii) push for an indirect routing from someone who does PE on that route, if anyone offers it.

  • Alison says:

    We were due to fly 6th August, outbound journey cancelled by BA yesterday. Took the decision away from us as have been concerned that Maldives COVID cases have increased to around 1400 a day. We had managed to get Business using Avios and 241. Hoping we can therefore request cash seats later in the year.

    • Sam G says:

      Yes you can – any time as long as you travel outbound within 1 year of the date you booked

    • Rachel says:

      Hi Alison – do you know what time on Thursday 13th BA cancelled your flights? I appreciate it seems a strange question but we cancelled our flights on the same day, only to receive a voucher. I am hoping we may be able to request a cash refund. Thanks

  • Martin says:

    I also have 2 business class flight cancelled that we’re booked using avios with 241 voucher. When I go to the rebooking link from the email it allows me to select new dates online however not all dates are available. Some dates in November shows as no flights available even though I’m able to book a cash ticket in J on exactly those dates. What exact availability do I need to be able to rebook into?

    • Lady London says:

      any seat being sold in your cabin class is yours by right under EU261 if BA cancelled your flight but you will have to call as online only avios possibly showable if that is how you booked.

      I would advise you give it 5-7 days for systems to update and try again online then call if you still cant do the rebook yourself

      • Sam G says:

        Easiest thing is to send a twitter DM with what you want – you just need any availability – outbound to be flown within 1 year of the date you booked

        • Sam G says:

          worth saying though that you only get one shot – you currently have a flexible ticket in your hand, so unless it’s a peak peak date and you’re worried the flight will sell out or you want to reserve certain seats then I wouldn’t be in a rush to rebook

          • Mike says:

            Do you have to rebook the flight before it was due to go? Ie my 26th May flight has been cancelled, do I have to rebook before the 26th?

            Also, how true is the 12 months of booking issue? I booked a flight in the 50% Avios sale (on 6/10/20) for March 2021 and called to rebook for 30/10/21 without issue.

      • Sam G says:

        @Mike you don’t have to rebook before departure.

        I’m surprised you managed to call and rebook 12 months post issuance & I wouldn’t rely on this, from what I know/see mentioned here and Flyertalk the phone line is usually pretty strict about this (the website / app apparently often lets you go past) .

  • Paul says:

    This is hardly a surprise and one I would describe as prudent rather than aggressive. Any country currently on the red list is not going to Green any time soon.
    It may not be common knowledge but schools have had guidance issued which states no international travel before the 5th September. This is probably more in line with government thinking and any route out of Amber and Red for some nations

    • Char Char says:

      No international travel for who?

      • Anna says:

        It’s no international school trips (which isn’t going to bother many people), not no international travel. How could they possibly enforce that?!

    • Bob says:

      Misleading as that is not what has been said. What has been advised is for teachers not to take international travel in the 2 weeks prior to the commencement of term in September, i.e. don’t book holiday after mid August. Before then, there is no restriction. This has been communicated in the interests of prudence so as to not have teachers potentially trapped overseas in the event of another lockdown / travel embargo late in August.

    • rtflyer says:

      nonsense – perhaps some schools have suggested/asked/made a point that staff need to make sure they’re available to work on the first day of the relevant term. i.e. travel early enough to be able to quarantine if necessary. This was the case in my partner’s school last summer

  • Jon says:

    Crikey that was lucky. BA did this to our May St Lucia flights but outbound to MLE is the 13th. Crossing fingers the Maldivian government can get on top of their surge

  • Kevin says:

    This afternoon BA emailed to say my return flight to Malta on the 24th was cancelled. My flight to U.K. on Monday appears to be still on however I’ve now cancelled the whole trip home. Another outcome of U.K. government moronic green list.

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.