Fees for cancelling part of a booking

[TimLyFr]

Hi All,

I have a question about cancelling part of a booking. I have flights booked with BA to go from France to Japan (via Heathrow), however due to unforeseen circumstances I wish to travel from London only. Essentially I wish to forfeit the first and last legs and just take the Heathrow-Narita return segments.

The ticket has no refunds so I expected to forfeit the legs.

I rang today and was told I would have to pay 350 euros to cancel each leg. This seems mad to me, and maybe there were some communication problems as the person on the phone was not a native English speaker.

Does this seem correct? If so, why on earth would I pay to cancel the last leg when I can just not get on?

As an aside, I have 5 return France to USA return business class flights booked with them this year. Do airlines really care so little about ill will?

 

[mannej]

If you were to no-show for your first leg, you'd forfeit the rest of your trip automatically.

Surely you'd have the cancellation fees listed as part of your ticket?

 

[TimLyFr]

Hi Mannej,

As far as I can tell there are change fees listed but not cancellation fees. I am sure it is just my inexperience, however, I thought forfeiting the flight costs would be the cancellation fee when the flight is non-refundable?

 

[serfty]

For a start, by changing it to depart from the UK, you become liable for the onerous APD - there's up to £170.

Who was it booked with, how, and what Booking class?

 

[TimLyFr]

Hi Serfty,

Booked with BA online, according to flight information the two flights I want to cancel are J and the ones I want to keep are I. The only fee information I can find on the receipt or on the "manage my booking" says, "Time/date changes permitted at any time before each flight departure for a change fee of euro;350 or an upgrade fee of euro;350 plus any difference in fare. Changes subject to availability. Fees apply per ticket."

Would I still be liable for APD if I was flying into Heathrow from USA before taking second flight on to Japan same day, rather than flying in from France?

Appreciate your advice, I'm sure I have made a rookie error and will end up paying up but it leaves a bad taste in the mouth...

 

[Mwenenzi]

Effectively you can only escape APD if the transit is in 1 ticket/PNR. The airlines will not do anything if you have seperate tickets
Air Passenger Duty - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

5 returns France to USA in a year is not much. There are peope who fly transatlantic every week

 

[serfty]

...

Would I still be liable for APD if I was flying into Heathrow from USA before taking second flight on to Japan same day, rather than flying in from France? ...

APD is on payable on departures from the UK. In this case it would be £170 since you are in Business class.

If flying into LHR from the USA then departing within 24 hours to Japan on separate tickets, to avoid paying APD, the tickets would need to be issued as "Conjunction Tickets" - and it's basically too late for that.

So €350 change fee + £170 + fare difference less "Duties no longer payable" would be your penalty. (There are some ex France duties that would no longer be needed, but nothing close to the £170.)

Can you get a flight direct to France?

Also, you could omit flying the last UK-France segment if it suits.