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!

Do you have to go back to London? Could you fly to Europe if there are flights available there and then onwards from there?

Thanks, that's really interesting as we are flying with Emirates. Was the flight back changed as well or just outgoing? Was it same departure airport? Thanks

@Twoshoesnewshoes going against the grain. I'd book the Singapore flights and take a chance on the cancellation. The situation in the Middle East could escalate rather than subside. I'd want a guaranteed route home. This is war. It is likely to increase in brutality. Frankly, £2,800 is peanuts to ensure your safe return.

@notimagain thanks, I've got lots of colleagues originally from SL but they always go via the middle east when they go home, one due to go this weekend which won't be happening now.
I know Ethiad go via Maldives as well as Abu Dhabi but thought there was also a direct flight but maybe not

I’d be booking now and coming home as soon as I could. Things could get a lot worse the way everyone is talking.

I’d hold out. It’s not expensive to stay in Sri Lanka, BA have to get you home and work will have to wait! What are they going to do in all honesty?

BA don’t have to get me home - but chatting with them now to see reroute options

Yes direct flights from India - sold out in economy now

If your flight does end up cancelled, I would try to get a direct flight with Sri Lankan Airlines. If you can’t get a flight to London, look at any other European destination, because you can much more easily get home from there (even if you end up having to travel overland).

Any connecting flights you add into the equation add a layer of risk and another potential point of failure. You could end up stuck in Singapore/KL/Mumbai instead of Colombo.

I have you spoken to BA? Won’t they reroute you?

recent storms in the US my brother was supposed to route through NY-when the NY flight was cancelled they changed him to the Atlanta flight instead.

although I suppose there aren’t going to be many flights with space as everyone will be trying to reroute/get home.

Do not cancel. Cancellation options are good for those about to embark on outbound travel, you are returning home so it’s not a good idea.

You need to be BA/Qatar’s problem whereby they book you into a rerouted flight if they cancel your return flight.

Yes they do. Don't let them tell you otherwise!

It's not that bad,.nor likely to be..

Gulf connections might be iffy for an unknown period but it is possible to avoid the area completely.

I’d also call Qatar

Pakistan are getting involved, which could then spread to India.
I’d want to get out now.

Well either BA or Qatar airlines will have to get you home, for free if your flight is cancelled. Not sure what the protocol is when you book through an airline who also uses other named airlines. If you cancel and rebook flights, then you will not be entitled to ANY refunds at all.

But BA don't have to do anything yet, as they haven't cancelled the flight. From Sri Lanka if I was the OP I think I'd wait until they are re-routed, if they do cancel the flight, and would have thought vi Delhi, Mumbai or Chennai with Sri Lankan and BA would be the logical way home

Not until they cancel the flight...which they haven't (yet!!)

I think Pakistan is busy with its own separate fight with Afghanistan, completely separate to the Iran situation.

This. They are legally obliged to help you get back if your flight is cancelled, but they won't do anything until they know it is cancelled. They won't be thinking that far ahead yet.

But they have to get them home in the long run, whether it is cancelled yet or not, they still have an obligation.

This is all very confusing. Your OP says your flight on 13th is cancelled but the updates suggest not. What is the actual current status?
If it’s just your very understandable uneasiness then you have choices.
Either wait until nearer the time and if it is cancelled the airline you are booked with must re-route you. That may take them some time and they may act grudgingly but it’s on them to do so.
Or make your own arrangements now and accept you will forfeit the cost of the original flight if it runs and you have chosen not to use it.
There are all sorts of possible outcomes in the ME in the next few weeks and we need to wait and see what happens and what FCDO advises.

Think Simon Calder (travel expert) was saying yesterday never take the refund as then you are no longer the airline's problem. If you are still booked with them, they have to get you home and look after you .

No my flight is not cancelled, they are cancelled up to the 10th March so far
okay, if BA have to get me home if it’s cancelled then I’ll just wait

Im not worried about the conflict for me, just want to get home next weekend, the flights that they have already cancelled it just says you’re entitled to a full refund- no mention of reroute