Help BA balance due 9th june no idea what to do?

[Copper]

We booked with BA for the 40th birthday trip 5 nights NY and 9 nights Orlando due to fly from glasgow to london then NY on 30th June.

So far we have paid only the £500 deposit to BA booked our disney days with tickets we had already and deposit on discovery cove.
We have no estas and insurance yet as staysure said policy would be void whilst usa remains closed to us travelling and didnt want to pay any more out than we have already.

Our balance is due 9th June and we obviously still really want to go if possible I just don't know about paying the remainder and then losing it.
Moving it is not really an option due to work, kids, school and my eldest starting uni my brain is frazzled. I was hoping they would have cancelled on us by now and taken the decision making away... any thoughts what would you do?

[twogoto]

I think I’d pay it as BA seem pretty good at refunding!

[Shooby doo]

I wouldn't pay it, latest is that they are going to push back the 21st June update by at least 2 weeks & I haven't really read anything pointing to USA opening up until mid July. But until they cancel you won't get a refund, if you cancel then it will be a voucher to be used before Apr 2023. I'd contact them on Twitter as I'd expect them to now be cancelling flights into July, after the announcement on no new "green" countries.
SD

[baggies]

I would talk/online chat with BA, they may delay the final payment and/or offer you a change or cancellation

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by Copper

We booked with BA for the 40th birthday trip 5 nights NY and 9 nights Orlando due to fly from glasgow to london then NY on 30th June. I was hoping they would have cancelled on us by now and taken the decision making away... any thoughts what would you do?

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Speak to BA soonest, whilst non essential travel to the US is advised, I believe Gla to LHR and LHR to JFK are operating which may explain why you haven't received a cancellation notification.

[Mandij39]

Don't cancel! I've had 2 holidays cancelled last year due to covid and both were with BA, they are incredibly good at contacting you when deposit was due. If you cancel it you could lose your deposit. If they haven't contacted you by the 9th June, then call them up and explain your balance is due and they'll probably tell you it's being cancelled and offer you a refund.

[Copper]

Thanks all for your replies I contacted BA through the chat window and they weren't particularly helpful tbh. Said the flight could be cancelled at the last minute, payment date can't be moved as its normally 7 weeks before departure and now its only 3.
If we pay and its on amber we would only get 40% refund as technically we could still go. If we pay and its on red or not open to uk visitors still then we would get a refund.
If we just cancel now its our £500 voucher we get but just tried Easter 2022 and its more than double the price.

[Softy]

Originally Posted by Mandij39

Don't cancel! I've had 2 holidays cancelled last year due to covid and both were with BA, they are incredibly good at contacting you when deposit was due. If you cancel it you could lose your deposit. If they haven't contacted you by the 9th June, then call them up and explain your balance is due and they'll probably tell you it's being cancelled and offer you a refund.

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You don’t lose your deposit.
If you cancel you get a future travel voucher for any monies paid if the flights are before 30/04/22.

[ChrisS]

Originally Posted by Copper

Thanks all for your replies I contacted BA through the chat window and they weren't particularly helpful tbh. Said the flight could be cancelled at the last minute, payment date can't be moved as its normally 7 weeks before departure and now its only 3.
If we pay and its on amber we would only get 40% refund as technically we could still go. If we pay and its on red or not open to uk visitors still then we would get a refund.
If we just cancel now its our £500 voucher we get but just tried Easter 2022 and its more than double the price.

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Hi Copper, I assumed you're flying into JFK... click HERE to see LHR to JFK flights are operating, apparently this can make refunds tricky if BA insist on operating flights balance payment, even tho you can't go! Gla flights also operating, see HERE. If your return route is one that BA is currently cancelling they may be more understanding of your predicament.

I know it isn't easy, but you need to pin BA down and find out how they'll view non balance/cancellation.

Good luck

[thatdavieguy]

Unfortunately (seems stramge to say that about a US trip) New York is an open port of entry and with BA operating then at this stage the flight is more than likely going.

If you're coming back the same way you're going out then your flight back will more than likely go too.

You've a very difficult decision to make but you should make it no later than 3 weeks + 1 day to minimise your payout to BA.

If you're happy to go, then go - I doubt you'll be questioned on how essential the trip is here, but you might be quizzed by US immigration which is another story.

Personally I would take the voucher now, your insurance won't cover you as despite being an amber country the foreign office advise against non essential travel to the US so you're not getting any cover from them on this... plus covid tests to get into the US and then again coming back, that all adds up - that's money towards Easter 2022