British Airways Cancellation Policy

Flight cancellations can be complicated and costly, especially if you don’t know how they work. This page helps address this concern. If you’ve booked a flight on British Airways and need to cancel your ticket, you’ve landed on the right page. You will learn how the British Airways cancellation policy works, when and how you can cancel your flight for free, the cancellation fees charged, and how to avoid paying them. 

British Airways Cancelled Flight Refunds

According to British Airways cancellation policy, you are entitled to a full refund of your fare if:

• You cancel a ticket within 24 hours of purchasing it, as long as your travel date is at least 7 days later.
• British Airways cancels your flight.
• British Airways changes your flight schedule significantly and it doesn’t suit you. 
• British Airways delays your flight by 5 hours or more. 
• British Airways reschedules a flight that does not stop at your destination. 
• British Airways causes you to miss a connecting flight you were booked on.
• British Airways involuntarily denies boarding due to overbooking (in which case you may be entitled to compensation also).

Hot Tip: If your flight is delayed by more than 5 hours, you can choose not to take the new flight offered to you. You can ask for an alternative mode of transport (train) or—if you’ve flown a part of your trip—ask the airline to fly you back to your original point of departure free of charge.

British Airways (BA) Refund Policy

The major highlights of British Airways refund policy are as follows:

• Involuntary refunds (if BA cancels your flight): British Airways refund policy for flights cancelled by the airline itself is as follows: 
  • You will receive a refund for the unused part of your ticket. The amount of refund will be whatever you paid to British Airways in terms of fees, charges, surcharges, taxes, etc. 
  • If you have partially used your ticket, the refund amount will be the difference between the total fare paid minus the used portion of the fare you consumed during your travel. 
• Voluntary refunds (if you cancel your flight): The British Airways refund policy for voluntary ticket cancellations by a passenger is as follows:
  • If you cancel your flight ticket for reasons other than those mentioned above, you will receive a refund on your ticket fare and other charges, surcharges, fees, etc., minus a cancellation charge and service charge (if applicable).
  • If you have partly used your ticket, the refund amount will be the difference between the total fare paid minus the used portion of the fare you already consumed during your travel—plus the applicable cancellation fee and service charge.
• General Refund Conditions: The general conditions of the British Airways refund policy are as follows:
  • If you arrive at your final destination more than 3 hours late and the reason for the delay is within British Airways control (and not due to extraordinary circumstances which could not be avoided), you may have the right to claim compensation.
  • Non-refundable tickets cannot be voluntarily cancelled. The refund due on non-refundable tickets will be limited to the refundable taxes or fees paid. However, an exception can be made if you can prove that you were forced to cancel your ticket due to events beyond your control, in which case you may be issued a travel voucher (voucher credit) for future travel. 
  • All refunds will be subject to the fare rules and conditions that apply to (and are mentioned in) your booking. 
  • Refunds will be made to the person who paid for the ticket unless stated otherwise. 
  • You must be able to prove that you paid for the ticket. 
  • If you’re applying for a refund, you must hand over the ticket along with any unused flight coupons. 
  • If you made a non-flight booking such as hotel accommodation, car hire, etc., you must cancel them separately. 
  • The British Airways refund policy applies to all passengers, incl, unaccompanied minors travelling alone on BA.

British Airways Cancellation Policy for COVID

The British Airways cancellation policy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic allows you to cancel the following tickets and claim a voucher (voucher credit) which will be valid for 12 months, as explained below.

• Trips with a completion date of September 30, 2022, will be extended by 1 year after you apply for the voucher.
  • Your voucher will be emailed to you. 
  • Your existing booking will be cancelled automatically. 
  • You must use your voucher to complete your trip no later than September 30, 2023. 
  • You can make changes to your flight date and/or destination.
  • You will not be charged for cancelling your existing flight or rebooking later.
  • You must, however, pay the fare difference between the old and new fares.
• Trips booked before June 7, 2022, with a completion date of September 30, 2022, can be modified once without incurring any charges, but the difference in fares must be paid. Subsequent changes (after September 30, 2022) will be charged.

Note: To cancel a ticket purchased from a travel agent, contact them directly.

Points to Remember

• You can use your travel vouchers to pay (partly or fully) to purchase your new flight ticket. 
• You must complete your trip (i.e., departure as well as return) by September 30, 2023. 
• Vouchers are typically sent by email within 7 days of applying. 
• You can cancel your trip online via Manage My Booking (only if you booked your ticket directly through BA) or call BA and ask them to cancel your booking in exchange for a travel voucher. However, if you’re changing both your travel dates and your destination, you must call British Airways and ask them to cancel and amend your booking for you.
• If you booked through a travel agent, you must contact them directly.
• You can apply for a travel voucher online by filling out this form.

British Airways 24-Hour Cancellation Policy

British Airways 24-hour cancellation policy allows you to cancel your flight booking within 24 hours of purchase and receive a full refund if: 

• You booked your flight directly with British Airways, and
• Your travel date (at the time of booking) is at least 1 week later

Note: The 24-hour risk-free cancellation policy applies to all types of fares, including non-refundable tickets.

British Airways Cancellation Policy Due to Death or Severe Illness

According to British Airways cancellation policy due to the severe illness of a passenger (or an immediate family member of the passenger), or the death of a close relative of the passenger:

• The passenger must provide documentary proof of illness (medical certificate) or death (death certificate).
• The validity period of the ticket will be extended in case of illness.
• The validity period of the ticket will be extended by no more than 45 days in case of the death of a relative.

British Airways Cancellation Policy for Lost Tickets

The cancellation policy at British Airways for lost tickets states that if you lose a ticket, you must provide satisfactory evidence of the loss and pay the applicable administration fee.  If your request is accepted, you will receive a refund only after your ticket has expired and you agree to repay British Airways if any fraud is detected on your part later. 

However, if your ticket is lost due to negligence on part of British Airways or its authorized agents, you will not be responsible for the loss.

British Airways Cancellation Fee

The cancellation fees (service charges) charged by British Airways are as follows:

• Online cancellation fee—free 
• Cancellation fee by phone—USD 25 
• Cancellation fee at the airport—USD 35 
• Cancellation fee for non-refundable tickets is USD 10 (online), USD 25 by phone, and USD 35 at the airport. 

Note: You can cancel a ticket with a travel completion date of September 30, 2022, by claiming a travel voucher as long as you complete your new journey by September 30, 2023.

British Airways Cancellation Contact Number

Facing an issue cancelling your ticket online? Call the British Airways cancellation customer service and save time and money on your ticket cancellation. 

British Airways Compensation Policy for Delayed and Cancelled Flights

€250	€400	€600
Less than 1500km	1500 – 3500km	More than 3500km

British Airways compensation policy applies to BA flights to/from an airport in the European Union or the U.K., and in some cases to flights landing outside of the European Union. 

Under this policy, if your flight has been delayed by more than 3 hours but the delay could have been prevented by the airline, or you were informed of your flight’s cancellation less than 2 weeks before your flight, you will be entitled to a compensation of: 

• EUR 250 if your flight is 1500km or less
• EUR 400 if your flight within the EU is more than 1500km
• EUR 400 if your flight to any other destination is between 1500–3500km 
• EUR 600 for flights not covered above (i.e., exceeding 3500km)

Exceptions 

You will not be allowed compensation if you are offered an alternative flight with the following departure and arrival times: 

• If BA informs you of the cancellation 7 – 13 days before departure and your new flight departs up to 2 hours before the original departure time and lands at your final destination no more than 4 hours after the original arrival time, or
• If BA informs you of the cancellation less than 7 days before departure and your new flight departs up to 1 hour before the original departure time and lands at your final destination no more than 2 hours after the original arrival time.

Note: BA will reduce your compensation by 50% if your new flight’s arrival time at the destination airport does not exceed the original flight’s arrival time by:

• 2 hours for flights within 1500km 
• 3 hours for flights exceeding 1500km within the EU 
• 3 hours for other flights between 1500–3500km
• 4 hours for flights not covered above

Claiming Expenses and Compensation 

If your British Airways flight was cancelled or delayed and you had to incur additional expenses, BA will reimburse you for the following expenses: 

• Hotel accommodation (if applicable).
• Transportation cost between the airport and the hotel (if applicable).
• Meals and refreshments.
• 2 phone calls/internet charges.

How to submit a claim for expenses 

When submitting a claim, you must provide:

• The names of the passengers claiming the reimbursement. 
• The flight details of the cancelled or delayed flights. 
• Your expense details plus receipts (scanned or original) to support your claim.
  Scanned receipts can be submitted online and hard copies can be sent by post. 
• Your bank details for processing the payment. 

Remember, you will not be entitled to any compensation if: 

• You (or your travel agent) were informed of the cancelled flight at least 14 days before your travel date. 
• Your flight is delayed by less than 3 hours.
• You want to claim expenses incurred on hiring a car, parking, etc. if you decide to travel from a different departure point or change your destination.
• Your flight was affected by extraordinary circumstances beyond BA’s control, such as:
  • Adverse weather
  • Political instability
  • Employee strikes
  • Airport closure 
  • Air traffic control decisions
  • Bird hits

British Airways Cancellation Policy for Refund—Points to Remember

If British Airways cancels your flight, it must offer you a refund of your full ticket price or re-route you on the next available flight. If the new flight doesn’t suit you, you can opt for a refund instead. If you booked your flight directly from British Airways, you can cancel your flight online. You can apply for a refund online via the customer service portal or offline by contacting British Airways. The refunded amount will not include the service fee already paid by you.

Remember, the refund option is available to you regardless of why your flight was cancelled. Even if your flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond the airline’s control (weather, employee strikes, airport closure, airspace restrictions, etc.), you’re still eligible to claim a refund. 

You’re also entitled to additional assistance while waiting at the airport, such as refreshments, hotel accommodation if required (such as for an overnight stay), and transportation from the airport to the hotel and back. 

Per British Airways cancellation policy for refunds, you may be refused a refund if:

• Your ticket is non-refundable.
• You apply for a refund after the validity period of the ticket.
• You presented your ticket to BA or a government official to prove that you will leave the country unless you can prove to BA that you have been given permission to stay in the country, or you will leave the country using a different airline or mode of transport. 

British Airways Cancellation Process

You can cancel your British Airways flight by phone, online, or through the travel agent you purchased your ticket from. Online cancellations can only be made for tickets purchased directly from British Airways (website, ticket counter, or call center). 

To cancel your British Airways flight online: 

1. Go to BritishAirways.com 
2. Click on Manage My Booking (it appears below the booking box)
3. Enter your booking reference and last name
4. Click on the Find booking button 
5. Select your flight and cancel it by following the prompts

Note: Remember, you may have to pay a service fee if you cancel your flight.   

Instead of cancelling your flight booking, you can claim a travel voucher and fly later. 

• After you apply, the voucher will be mailed to you within 7 days.
• You can use the travel voucher as part or full payment for a future booking. 
• The departure and return of your new ticket must be fully utilized before the travel voucher expires.

British Airways Refund Time

Tickets purchased directly from British Airways in the United States via credit cards are processed within 7 days of receiving the application, but it may take up to 2 billing cycles to reflect on your credit card statement. Tickets purchased with checks are refunded within 20 days of receiving the application. 

Am I Eligible for a Refund on British Airways? 

You are eligible for a full refund on your British Airways booking under the following conditions: 

• You book at least 1 week before your travel date and cancel within 24 hours.
• You cancel a fully flexible ticket (which is fully refundable). 

Note: You can also request a refund by calling British Airways. 

Flights booked with Avios points can be cancelled online through your British Airways Executive Club account.

• If you purchased your ticket from a travel agent, contact them directly for a refund.
• If your flight was canceled and you don’t want to rebook, you can claim a voucher or Avios (if you’re an Executive Club member). Call the following numbers to discuss your refund options with a flight information executive:
  • From the UK: 0800-727-800 
  • From the U.S.: 1-877-767-7970   
  • From outside UK: +44 (0)203-250-0145 

Frequently Asked Questions

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