BA balance due this week for October. Who’s paying?

[Pupbelly]

Originally Posted by guinness_79

My understanding was even if i pay my balance, if the borders are closed BA will refund regardless if the flight is going or not?

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This is a key area that needs clarification I will agree.

Again, in our experience, our Boston flights are still operating and will likely be going on the 9th of October which is (was) our flight date. At no point had BA informed us that our holiday was cancelled and we had to pay our balance. This is where it gets fuzzy, because our understanding is (from some Dibb folk and others) that if the flights are still running they will not cancel the holiday (note we were a package not flight only).

As I had it put to us, BA do not know whether we are Americans looking to return home or dual nationality etc. so on that basis if the flight is going they have no reason to cancel.

There must be someone who can provide a definitive reply to this I'm sure.

[Softy]

Originally Posted by Pupbelly

I feel there are risks here which are very important. If you have a package booked and the flights are still running, BA (based on our experience) are not cancelling the holiday. Therefore you either have to run the gauntlet and assume they will cancel, but you will have paid your full balance by this point or you opt to contact them which as has been explained is no easy task, or you grasp the nettle and take a voucher.

The point is if you sit and wait for BA to cancel you could end up loosing out remembering I am talking about package holidays and in our particular case the destination was Boston. Flight only and MCO are potentially different but I believe the risk is a genuine one if you choose to rely on BA cancelling your holiday especially if there is a chance your flight could still go.

I am no expert and I am expressing opinion based on our experiences, if a BA person or holiday expert wants to clarify or correct my observations I am happy to be advised but I feel that our experience may help someone who is in the same boat that we were.

We don't have time to be committing hours and hours, day in day out being on hold waiting for BA. This is the biggest part of the frustration in all of this.

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But this scenario isn’t based on BA cancelling anything? This was based on getting to the balance due date and people concerned about having to pay the balance or losing the deposit, neither of which has happened to anyone.

This is about you being proactive by either attempting to get hold of BA (be on live chat at 7.55am or call) to get the refund. If you give up, just cancel yourself online for a voucher.

[Softy]

Originally Posted by Pupbelly

This is a key area that needs clarification I will agree.

Again, in our experience, our Boston flights are still operating and will likely be going on the 9th of October which is (was) our flight date. At no point had BA informed us that our holiday was cancelled and we had to pay our balance. This is where it gets fuzzy, because our understanding is (from some Dibb folk and others) that if the flights are still running they will not cancel the holiday (note we were a package not flight only).

As I had it put to us, BA do not know whether we are Americans looking to return home or dual nationality etc. so on that basis if the flight is going they have no reason to cancel.

There must be someone who can provide a definitive reply to this I'm sure.

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I have but you’re just not listening. Now you’re confusing more people.

It’s coming up more because BA haven’t cancelled the MCO flights yet for the week of 11th Oct. So more people are asking about their options. The options I’ve said a few times in my last few posts:

if BA haven’t cancelled the flight and your balance is due, you do not need to pay the balance.

You can either get hold of them and get a refund of your deposit.

Or cancel yourself online by claiming a voucher.

[guinness_79]

Originally Posted by Softy

I have but you’re just not listening. Now you’re confusing more people.

It’s coming up more because BA haven’t cancelled the MCO flights yet for the week of 11th Oct. So more people are asking about their options. The options I’ve said a few times in my last few posts:

if BA haven’t cancelled the flight and your balance is due, you do not need to pay the balance.

You can either get hold of them and get a refund of your deposit.

Or cancel yourself online by claiming a voucher.

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I think we all get this, however i don't want to cancel and get a refund as flight prices for next year are so high - I want to hang on until the last minute to see if flights are cancelled so i can move to next year at no additional cost (for my flights) as many others have done over the many weeks of cancellations

I am happy to pay the balance next week to buy me another couple of weeks for BA to cancel - the point i need clarifying is if we do this and then decide to pull the plug a couple of days out due to borders remaining closed will BA refund us - I believe they will - however currently on hold to the BA dream team - 28 minutes and counting to clarify!


ps... also a teeny tiny small hope that the borders may open and we will get to go !

[Softy]

Originally Posted by guinness_79

I think we all get this, however i don't want to cancel and get a refund as flight prices for next year are so high - I want to hang on until the last minute to see if flights are cancelled so i can move to next year at no additional cost (for my flights) as many others have done over the many weeks of cancellations

I am happy to pay the balance next week to buy me another couple of weeks for BA to cancel - the point i need clarifying is if we do this and then decide to pull the plug a couple of days out due to borders remaining closed will BA refund us - I believe they will - however currently on hold to the BA dream team - 28 minutes and counting to clarify!


ps... also a teeny tiny small hope that the borders may open and we will get to go !

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Yeah it’s the same principle. I get why you’re doing that and I would do it myself too.

Don’t always take what the first agent tells you though. They’re often wrong 😬.

If you want reassurance head over to the BA forum on flyertalk. It’s all there in the cancellations threads.

[Pupbelly]

Originally Posted by Softy

I have but you’re just not listening. Now you’re confusing more people.

It’s coming up more because BA haven’t cancelled the MCO flights yet for the week of 11th Oct. So more people are asking about their options. The options I’ve said a few times in my last few posts:

if BA haven’t cancelled the flight and your balance is due, you do not need to pay the balance.

You can either get hold of them and get a refund of your deposit.

Or cancel yourself online by claiming a voucher.

See more...

Surely if they haven't cancelled the flight, it suggests the holiday is still on, therefore you have to pay the balance otherwise are you not in breach of their terms? You cannot just not pay and you decide when to pay the balance because it suits you? What is deemed an acceptable time to not pay/wait for your light to be cancelled? If you are in breach of terms they will cancel your booking won't they? The whole mystery of this scenario is, at what point does a person bail out? By their own decisions hoping the the USA will suddenly reopen or trust BA will cancel the booking and get their money back, but if you haven't paid in full you're in breach of contract.

[guinness_79]

So update from BA...

If you progress and pay the balance and borders remain closed you would be entitled to a full refund...

However the risk is that borders may open with certain criteria, if you didn't meet that criteria then BA potentially wont refund as this isn't their issue

Given we have a 12 year old I think the risk is too great -as i am predicting the US when they open up will open to fully vaccinated and for them that will be 12 years and up ...

So that gives us until Saturday to stupidly keep our hopes up then alas we will be pulling the plug

so gutted ...

[Softy]

Originally Posted by Pupbelly

Surely if they haven't cancelled the flight, it suggests the holiday is still on, therefore you have to pay the balance otherwise are you not in breach of their terms? You cannot just not pay and you decide when to pay the balance because it suits you? What is deemed an acceptable time to not pay/wait for your light to be cancelled? If you are in breach of terms they will cancel your booking won't they? The whole mystery of this scenario is, at what point does a person bail out? By their own decisions hoping the the USA will suddenly reopen or trust BA will cancel the booking and get their money back, but if you haven't paid in full you're in breach of contract.

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What I have said is what they’re allowing in these Covid times.

The flights may very well be going ahead like in Pupbelly’s situation or on other threads the Miami flights but BA are well aware of the border restrictions and are allowing refunds, as I have laid out, based on that.

They won’t shout breach of contract at you.

If you’re due date comes up either pay the balance and wait it out longer as Guinness has suggested, or call up and get a refund. They’re also well aware of the issues in getting ahold of them, so if you call a week later they won’t bat an eyelid.

[keely21]

Just got sent this! Payment due next week for my October 21st holiday

[MsSparkles]

Just got this text. However, my flights are to/from Miami so will be going regardless.