Cancelling your British Airways flight results in the liability to pay the applicable ‘cancellation fee’. Yet, if anyone does not opt for it, the airline not only reserves the right to restrict him/her from travelling or booking flights in the future but can also forfeit the ticket value.
So, the question arises, is there a way that you can cancel your flight and not incur the cancellation fee? Yes, there are multiple ways to go about that.
Here’s a brief description of them.
Taking advantage of the Grace Period.
It is an international policy of all the major air carriers to offer flexibility to the customers for their flight cancellation needs. If a passenger books a flight and later on changes their mind and wants to cancel it immediately, it does not incur a cancellation fee for such a traveller.
The first 24 hours after the flight booking are usually eligible for such changes and referred to as the ‘Grace Period’. Therefore, if a passenger cancels a flight within the grace period, he/she does not have to pay any cancellation fee and can get a full refund from the airline without any extensive procedures.
Remember to consider the time zone differences as well i.e., between your departure and arrival destination of the booked flight, to avoid any inconvenience.
Changing your flight instead.
You can save on the cancellation fee if you opt to change or rebook your flight for a different;
- Dates
- Times
- Destinations
- Type
Since you are not cancelling your flight with the airline but only readjusting your travel plans, the airline does not charge a cancellation fee as a goodwill gesture. However, if there’s a fare difference between your previously booked flight and your new flight, it has to be paid.
Natural disasters.
For the flights cancelled due to natural disasters i.e., tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, etc. the airline practices a free-of-cost cancellation policy for the passengers. So, in case of a natural disaster in your region (departure and/or arrival) you can cancel your flight and get a full refund amount with a ‘No Questions Asked’ policy.
Utilizing your Executive Club Membership.
If you are a frequent flyer and remain a member of the British Airways Executive Club, you can redeem your accumulated miles/points for free flight cancellation. Members with higher tier status enjoy additional benefits in this regard as they can cancel their flight even at the last minute and not incur any cancellation fee.
Cancellations at the end of the airline.
If the flight cancellation was at the end of the airline because of technical errors, operational issues, server downtime, weather conditions, etc. passengers can either cancel their flight a get a full refund (without the need to pay any cancellation fee) or get an alternative ticket of their choice.
Informing the airline of a no-show.
Sometimes passengers feel the need to cancel their pre-booked flights because of unforeseen circumstances and incidents. In such a scenario, you can inform the airline about your no-show before the flight departure date and request for flight cancellation. The airline usually considers such passengers eligible for not paying the flight cancellation fee.
Getting travel insurance.
Lastly, you can buy travel insurance for your booked flights and relieve yourself of the worry of paying the flight cancellation fee. Remember to buy travel insurance that includes the ‘cancel for any reason’ option. Therefore, you can cancel your flight anytime and for whatever reason without the need to pay the cancellation fee.
So, that’s how you can cancel your flight without a cancellation fee for British Airways premium economy or other travel classes.