To ask WWYD - flight home cancelled

[Twoshoesnewshoes]

Posting for traffic - we are in Sri Lanka and due to fly home on Friday 13th with Qatar airlines, via Doha, to London Heathrow.
we booked through BA -
both BA and Qatar are saying that flights up to 8th March can get a refund.
we think we can fly to Singapore then direct to London- there are not many flights available, and it would cost around £1400 each (double our original flight).

WWYD - should we wait and see if airspace clears over Middle East?
or book another flight while they’re available and hope our original flight remains cancelled?
we can afford it but that will be savings cleared out.
please help
YABU - hold tight, air space may clear
YANBU - book another flight now!

Any options such as connecting (using e.g. Sri Lankan) onto a BA flight out of one their Indian destinations been suggested or offered?

Any chance of booking alternative flights fully refundable?

I'd want the reassurance that I had a solid plan B in place, and I can imagine that flights will fill up. but that's me, I'm a nervous traveller at the best of times!

I was going to say check flights into London -if all US residents of the Middle East are trying to get home London is prob blocked up.
Gladgow? Manchester?…..

The risk assessment you need to make is two fold.
Do you want to be on the flight, even if it goes ahead? If the answer is no, then book the flight you can find now, and hope they cancel the flight.
If you are indifferent then wait and watch it play out. The problem will come with how long until you can get the next flight. If it’s after your RTW on the 16 and that’s going to cause you issues, then act now to mitigate them.

I did put YABU because the situation is constantly evolving and BA need to prioritise those who are stranded and with immediate travel needs. My sense is that your flight will get cancelled, but I say that merely on a hunch.

I would be pushing BA here as they have responsibilities (but they are trying to encourage you to cancel so they have one less thing to worry about out.

It will be a bun fight to achieve but try to get them on the phone and push for creative alternatives as PP have suggested. Ultimately they are perfectly able to book and pay for that Singapore flight for you.

Edit - I misread that your flight was already cancelled. Can you get refundable flights through SIN? That way you can wait out the BA process with peace of mind that you have a backup plan.

This is what I would do

A lot can heepn until 13th. Emirates has open its airpace for limited flights.
You probably should wait until you can get a refund as they might not refund you if the flight is operational.
So, yes, I'd wait and only cancel once I know I can get a refund as otherwise I could end up paying twice. From Sri Lanka you can get to Indian cities, KL, Singapore, Bangkok or even Addis Ababa so you have options.

I would book alternative flights providing you can get fully (or nearly fully) refundable flights. Otherwise, I would wait and see if they cancel as otherwise you will be paying for both flights and won't be able to claim anything back. Although this is what I am saying, sitting safely in London. If I was potentially stranded overseas I would probably be panic buying (even though not the most sensible option)!

Or via nairobi or south africa

You have to wait until your flight is officially cancelled anyway. I wouldn't pay until it's confirmed you'll get a refund for your original flight.
But as soon as this happen then yes I'd book new flights.

I'd agree with probably waiting but as far as rerouting goes I'm not following the logic of doubling back to SIN to be honest.

I haven't checked in detail but AFAIK BA are still operating to places like Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai etc etc, so if I was looking for an effcient reroute I'd be looking at those options initially, and/or leaning on BA to do the same if they appear reluctant.

Wait for your original flight. If it get cancelled, you will be rerouted automatically.

DH is flying to Beijing today, originally through Dubai. The Dubai flight was cancelled last night, and DH got an email to say he was now going via Bangkok on a different airline. No stress at all.

Call BA back and quote UK/EU261 regulations. They have to get you home even if it is with another airline or a different route. DO NOT let them refund you as that pushes the onus on you to get yourself home. Tell them you want them to book you on the Singapore flight and be firm about it.
Having been extremely lucky to return from Dubai just before this all kicked off there is no way I would be transiting through Doha any time soon.

You can ask ba to reroute you, you will have some protection under our strict laws, ideally onto the direct flight to Heathrow from Colombo. I would also keep an eye on the fcdo site as they are updating information for people like you. Flights may (I stress may) get up and running quickly if they have as DT is claiming knocked out their airforce

Whatever you decide, are there any options via an airport in India for you?

Okay, going to call BA - but I think they will not do anything as my flight isn’t cancelled yet

Get a flight back asap even if it costs you more.The issue you have is its unlikely to get any cheaper as thats going to be the prefered route for the forseeable and any route via Dubai is going to be full within your timeframe.

I saw yesterday that Malaysia Airlines are still flying to and from KL, if you can get there? BA do a service to KL as well, actually. You might be able to push them to give you a seat on that?

Okay, will look at KL and India!

This and get it in writing.

If your flight hasn’t yet been cancelled you’ll need to hold tight.
If/when it is cancelled you will then be rerouted, your best options are likely via India as the only direct Sri Lanka-UK flights are with Sri Lankan Airlines and likely at capacity. Going via SE Asia is daft as there will be plenty of people with Middle East connection flights stranded there already.

BA and most other airlines are flat out trying to sort out people who are already stuck so at best you’ll end up in a very long queue. Your return flight is 10 days away. Focus on your holiday and have options for if your flight is cancelled.

My friends DS and her DIL are stuck in Dubsi. Were meant to be getting a flight to Manchester tomorrow which has now been cancelled. I'd suggest they sup up the cost and get out of there PDQ.

You can fly to Chennai from Sri Lanka and then BA do a direct flight to LHR from there if that was an option you wanted to look at. It's very fluid with the flights and BA have cancelled all cargo flights out of Dubai until the 5th March to try and transfer that space to repatriation instead, with other carriers who transit through the Middle East doing similar so they are trying not to cancel any further ahead than they need to do. Qatari airspace is closed so nothing moving from there but they're also looking at what they can do to repatriate asap and clear any backlog as soon as that space opens.

I work in Logistics and Supply Chain so if you want me to message you with any updates that we get from the carriers I can do. It might help you decide what to do but for now I think I would hold tight on any changes and see what BA say in a couple of days.

We have flights with Emirates via Dubai to Sri Lanka for a few weeks time. What are your cancellation charges like? Ours are around £1,000 for us including seat reservations and if they don't cancel that's what we will have to pay or take the risk on flight.

Emirates have started flying but only repatriation flights and freight, BBC has an article on todays. Emirates says flights are cancelled until 4th end but its subject to constant review. Conflict is due to last 4 weeks or more and US people have been advised to leave immediately. Its difficult as other routes are getting booked out - Sri Lankan has a direct flight, Turkish has a flight via Istanbul. The official advice which is based on finance only is don't cancel as then they have to provide you with a flight back or refund if you prefer. Flights go up massively in price too. Our cancellation fee is the same up until an hour before departure so we are holding on until then hoping they cancel. Hope you can get back safely.

check visa requirements for India, particularly if there is anything apart from a quick transit within the airport.