BA only giving partial refund.

cupofteaneeded

Hello all, 
I purchased a ticket in August 2019 from BA plus extra luggage, at a cost of £196.88 I then realised I needed to change the flight so rebooked on a later flight at an additional cost of £120.00. BA advised me that they have cancelled the flight so I requested a full refund.  BA have only refunded me £168.88. They are advising that the change I made is non-refundable, so they will not be refunding the £120.00.  This is what they have advised me "We've received a response from our Refunds team about your booking. When you changed your booking, you were rebooked at a lower fare than what was on the original ticket. As the fare on the original ticket was non-refundable, this amount is immediately forfeited. When your flight is cancelled, you're eligible for a refund of the fare and taxes for the ticket that has been issued for travel. Change fees are a penalty fee and are not included as part of the ticket cost." 

I'm probably being stupid here, but I would have thought that if they have cancelled my flight I should get all of the money I paid back, refundable or not as it was not my choice? Also unsure why they have underpaid me by £30.00 they are not answering this question.
Sorry of it's a stupid question. Trying to deal with 4 different airlines and getting refunds from none. Tearing my hair out. 

victor2

It sounds like you initially bought a non-refundable ticket, then changed the flight to another, which cost you a £120 penalty, even though the new flight was cheaper.

So they are now refunding the price of the second, now cancelled, flight, which was £168.88. It was your choice to change the original flight and pay the penalty fee, not a decision by BA. Unfortunate, but at least they're giving you something back rather than a voucher for future use, which many airlines seem to be doing.

cupofteaneeded

Thank you so much for replying. I just can't get my head around the fact that they won't refund the penalty fare, even though they have cancelled the flight. I think it is grossly unfair.  Yes I am currently battling with the other airlines about vouchers. Has really put me off flying. 

[Deleted User]

Cup of tea needed here too .   Their comments don't make sense to me either!   You paid more for your flight so you get less back?   Even non refundable tickets are being refunded in the circumstances of the airline cancelling so I think they need to explain exactly what they mean by "you were rebooked at a lower fare than what was on the original ticket"  When in fact you paid £120 MORE than the original ticket?    Perhaps they are under the impression you got a refund and booked a new flight but even that doesn't make sense because they would then only refund you £120?      Have no idea.   Perhaps someone else will be able to make some sense out of it?    Good luck

[Deleted User]

Oh - just read it again - so the £120 was a PENALTY fee for changing the flights?    But still doesn't explain why they deducted the £30 from your refund.  Plus I still think they are wrong to keep the £120 as neither of the flights went ahead anyway (presumably).   I don't know for sure but I think people who book extra legroom seats and priority boarding are getting refunded in full.   I do hope you get it sorted and someone else is more knowledgeable about this.  I am feeling your fury 

Edited to say Victor has probably answered correctly about the £30.  Still shocking

cupofteaneeded

Tedber said:

Cup of tea needed here too .   Their comments don't make sense to me either!   You paid more for your flight so you get less back?   Even non refundable tickets are being refunded in the circumstances of the airline cancelling so I think they need to explain exactly what they mean by "you were rebooked at a lower fare than what was on the original ticket"  When in fact you paid £120 MORE than the original ticket?    Perhaps they are under the impression you got a refund and booked a new flight but even that doesn't make sense because they would then only refund you £120?      Have no idea.   Perhaps someone else will be able to make some sense out of it?    Good luck

I think I need something stronger then tea at the moment!   I have no idea either. I keep asking them to show me the exact T&C which advises that they won't refund me the penalty charge when they have cancelled the flight. But they won't.  

And they have refunded me most of the cost of the first flight which I wasnt going on anyway! But not all of it and not explained why.  I'm more  confused the more I look at it. 😬

victor2

cupofteaneeded said:

Tedber said:

Cup of tea needed here too .   Their comments don't make sense to me either!   You paid more for your flight so you get less back?   Even non refundable tickets are being refunded in the circumstances of the airline cancelling so I think they need to explain exactly what they mean by "you were rebooked at a lower fare than what was on the original ticket"  When in fact you paid £120 MORE than the original ticket?    Perhaps they are under the impression you got a refund and booked a new flight but even that doesn't make sense because they would then only refund you £120?      Have no idea.   Perhaps someone else will be able to make some sense out of it?    Good luck

I think I need something stronger then tea at the moment!   I have no idea either. I keep asking them to show me the exact T&C which advises that they won't refund me the penalty charge when they have cancelled the flight. But they won't.  

And they have refunded me most of the cost of the first flight which I wasnt going on anyway! But not all of it and not explained why.  I'm more  confused the more I look at it. 😬

I'm not going to wade through their T&Cs, but I think you'll find that the first flight had a £120 penalty for changing it plus an extra cost for the new flight compared to the original, but not a refund if it cost less. So, you effectively cancelled the first flight, losing the £120, not getting a refund for the difference, and BA cancelled the second flight, for which the are refunding you the ticket price they charged.

I've been in similar circumstances (not with BA), where I was charged £200 to change a return flight plus about £75 because the new flight cost more than the deal I got on the original. That was a non-refundable flight and cancelling it then booking a one way flight would have cost even more.

Took a good strong drink with that decision too!

cupofteaneeded

victor2 said:

cupofteaneeded said:

Tedber said:

Cup of tea needed here too .   Their comments don't make sense to me either!   You paid more for your flight so you get less back?   Even non refundable tickets are being refunded in the circumstances of the airline cancelling so I think they need to explain exactly what they mean by "you were rebooked at a lower fare than what was on the original ticket"  When in fact you paid £120 MORE than the original ticket?    Perhaps they are under the impression you got a refund and booked a new flight but even that doesn't make sense because they would then only refund you £120?      Have no idea.   Perhaps someone else will be able to make some sense out of it?    Good luck

I think I need something stronger then tea at the moment!   I have no idea either. I keep asking them to show me the exact T&C which advises that they won't refund me the penalty charge when they have cancelled the flight. But they won't.  

And they have refunded me most of the cost of the first flight which I wasnt going on anyway! But not all of it and not explained why.  I'm more  confused the more I look at it. 😬

I'm not going to wade through their T&Cs, but I think you'll find that the first flight had a £120 penalty for changing it plus an extra cost for the new flight compared to the original, but not a refund if it cost less. So, you effectively cancelled the first flight, losing the £120, not getting a refund for the difference, and BA cancelled the second flight, for which the are refunding you the ticket price they charged.

I've been in similar circumstances (not with BA), where I was charged £200 to change a return flight plus about £75 because the new flight cost more than the deal I got on the original. That was a non-refundable flight and cancelling it then booking a one way flight would have cost even more.

Took a good strong drink with that decision too!

Right got it I think.....thank you!!!  Well that it rather galling. Oh well. 1 airline down. 3 more to battle with!  At this rate I'll need to have a bottle bank outside my door. 
Cheers again.