Help on changing BA fly drive flights

lme30005 · 15 Oct 19, 08:53 PM

We are in an unfortunate position where a close relative is terminally ill and we have flights booked through a BA fly drive at Christmas. We have to pay for the flights in a few weeks but wondered if anyone has been successful with changing flights at late notice with BA? We wouldn't get a refund so changing them to next year would be our only hope. It may not be an issue but I am planning just in case. We will probably get caught up in future strikes aswell!

munmun · 15 Oct 19, 09:10 PM

Sorry, I have never tried to change flights but at least you have a BA fly drive so payment isn't due till 35 days before your holiday and if you need to cancel you will only lose your deposit until that time.

Perhaps you could try phoning them now and asking what you will need in terms of evidence of your relatives illness to enable a change.

scooby99 · 15 Oct 19, 09:59 PM

I would advise making sure you speak to BA Holidays (who you�ve booked with); they�re UK based and may be more inclined or able to use discretion to help you rather than speaking to the BA Call Centre who are India based & in my experience, unlikely or unable to go off-script.

Be aware that when calling BA Holidays, you may get a message that they�re extremely busy and to call later & the call will be hung up on you; ringing back again may get the same response but keep trying; I hung up and called straight back, on around the 3rd or 4th attempt I was placed in the queue and answered 10 minutes later.

I hope they can work it out for you.

lme30005 · 15 Oct 19, 10:08 PM

Thanks, we don't know what will happen and when, so we will have to pay the balance and wait until nearer to Christmas to see what the situation is. It may be as late as a week or two before we go that we have to decide. Thanks for the tip about phoning BA holidays

scooby99 · 15 Oct 19, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by lme30005

Thanks, we don't know what will happen and when, so we will have to pay the balance and wait until nearer to Christmas to see what the situation is. It may be as late as a week or two before we go that we have to decide. Thanks for the tip about phoning BA holidays

Please ensure you know the situation with your travel insurance before paying the balance to BA.

Insurers ask at the onset if you�re aware of any close family members with health issues or illnesses that may cause you to cancel a holiday; if the answer is yes, most would exclude that situation from your cover; if you were aware & didn�t declare it, they may reject a claim for a cancelled holiday.

Wishing you the best.

lme30005 · 15 Oct 19, 10:32 PM

Insurance won't cover it, we already know that. So we may lose the flights and villa. If there's the possibility of getting the flights changed at a late stage, then that's something. We don't want to cancel now though as we are all really looking forward to it and hopefully it may still be ok

ziggyzag · 16 Oct 19, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by lme30005

Insurance won't cover it, we already know that. So we may lose the flights and villa. If there's the possibility of getting the flights changed at a late stage, then that's something. We don't want to cancel now though as we are all really looking forward to it and hopefully it may still be ok

You may be able to amend it, I think it costs �150 per person to do it. When I wanted to amend it was cheaper to cancel and rebook, the BA holidays call centre person actually told me this herself

15 Oct 19, 09:10 PM	#2
	15 Oct 19, 09:10 PM munmun Imagineer
munmun Imagineer Join Date: May 10	Sorry, I have never tried to change flights but at least you have a BA fly drive so payment isn't due till 35 days before your holiday and if you need to cancel you will only lose your deposit until that time. Perhaps you could try phoning them now and asking what you will need in terms of evidence of your relatives illness to enable a change.