"They said, 'I'm sorry I cannot find anything on the system which shows that you've accepted a voucher and I am going to go to a superior and ring you back in three days'. She tried to call BA immediately, but struggled to get through. Gordon and Margaret Minto accepted vouchers instead after their flights to the United States were cancelled, the airline says. British Airways customers can get a cash refund by calling its customer service, but due to high demand it may be difficult to get through. Here's how to get a refund on your BA tickets. Frustrated customers are demanding that airlines make it easier to claim a refund for flights cancelled owing to the coronavirus outbreak. You can find the form here. I’ve had a number of cancelled flights because of COVID-19 and have had no problems getting refunds. He only realised his error after pressing submit and, within the hour, managed to get through to British Airways on the telephone. Flight updates due to the evolution of Coronavirus: You can check the latest flight updates on coronavirus. A spokesperson for British Airways said: "Customers on cancelled flights can take a voucher for future travel up to a year or a refund." British Airways … British Airways passengers told the BBC they were denied cash refunds for canceled flights. However, this is only guidance, not a legal requirement. Here's how to get a refund on your BA tickets. You can only use your Future Travel Voucher by calling British Airways. If there is a difference in price from the original booking, any increase is payable by you at the time of re-booking and any decrease is refundable with a voucher. Refunds are required by law for cancelled flights from EU airports, including the UK. British Airways Amex companion vouchers have been extended for 6 months as well. British Airways has been criticised for giving customers vouchers for cancelled flights rather than cash refunds.The airline was accused of forcing some people to accept vouchers that can be redeemed "There is something unattractive, people might think, about a large commercial concern playing 'gotcha' with a customer - if you read that more carefully you would have realised what we were doing. All the more puzzling, according to Margaret, was the response they got from a BA staff member when they did manage to get through on the telephone. Video, African-American women react to Meghan Markle interview, Sharon Osbourne sorry for Piers Morgan defence, Labour's Beckett sorry for 'silly cow' remark, BBC satirical comedy The Mash Report axed, Coronavirus infections levelling off in some of UK, No reason to stop using AstraZeneca jab - WHO, PM visits Northern Ireland amid unionist tension, Police and ambulance 'failures' in restraint death, Is the music industry safe for women? They will return to scheduled flying later this year, along with other airlines. The Mintos had spent £4,748 on five tickets for them and family members to fly from Newcastle via London to Dallas and Las Vegas. This is all part of EC261 , the European guidelines for what airlines must do when travel is disrupted. Has anyone else accepted a voucher (we had no choice in early April, refunds were not being offered) and is now fighting BA to get that switched to a refund? Some passengers who have been issued with vouchers they didn’t want have been successful in getting a refund instead. The network. "I didn't complete a form asking for a voucher and, to the best of my knowledge, I didn't click anything asking for a voucher," says Terry Lloyd from Barnet in North London. they received vouchers for cancelled flights when they thought they’d applied for refunds. Will COVID-19 vaccine passports kick-start travel again? iPlayerWill they lose their appetite for love? Gordon and Margaret Minto accepted vouchers instead after their flights to the United States were cancelled, the airline says. People who clicked "cancel booking" hoping for a refund were actually taken to an application form for vouchers. British Airways has bowed to pressure from the government of Ghana and rowed back on a plan to switch Accra flights from Heathrow to Gatwick. can reveal. We haven't received one either", says Margaret. British Airways (BA) and EasyJet have gone against EU guidance in refusing to refund unused vouchers for flights cancelled during the COVID-19 … Kim Norris received a cash refund of £1,099 after taking her case of an unwanted voucher to the airline’s alternative dispute resolution service, CEDR. Other customers say they received vouchers after clicking a link sent in an email from BA to inform them their flights were cancelled. “We were stunned… we looked at each other and said, ‘we haven’t asked for a voucher’. Under EU law, when a flight is cancelled passengers are entitled to their money back within seven days. David Travers QC, a barrister specialising in trading standards and consumer protection law, believes the fact that a number of people have been misled does "rather suggest" that the British Airways website was misleading. BA has refused to show Which? In its ruling, CEDR also pointed to the recommendation from the European Commission that if vouchers haven’t been redeemed by the end of their validity period they should be automatically reimbursed within 14 days. The airlines’ organisation said: “Carriers should also be permitted to issue vouchers instead of refunds.” FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER Simon Calder’s exclusive money-saving travel email As with airlines around the world, … Kim Norris received a cash refund of £1,099 after taking her case of an unwanted voucher to the airline’s alternative dispute resolution service, CEDR. The problem was many passengers then struggled to get through on the phone lines too. Which? Some passengers who have been issued with vouchers they didn’t want have been successful in getting a refund instead. You must then claim this refund at the same time as claiming a refund for the parts of your journey you did not fly. MoneySaving Newbie. British Airways and EasyJet ignoring EU guidance on voucher refunds 9 November 2020. Is the music industry safe for women? The airline maintains they accepted vouchers, while they all say they never wanted vouchers at all. Despite repeated requests, they will not send it to me. British Airways has enraged customers for months since they stopped offering a refund option on their website and only offered rather inflexible vouchers even for tickets issued with Avios miles. If you’ve cancelled upcoming travel booked through British Airways because of coronavirus and its associated travel restrictions, you may have received a credit voucher for the amount you originally spent, which BA calls a Future Travel Voucher. They got a reply saying, as far as the airline was concerned, they had accepted vouchers already and could not exchange them for cash. This is all part of EC261, the European guidelines for what airlines must do when travel is disrupted. BA said that Kim applied for a voucher via its website, but it only provided CEDR a screenshot of the type of form it says she filled out, not her specific form. Rather than take a voucher you may wish to rebook as this gives you more flexibility now that you don’t need the original fare bucket to be available. Like British Airways, it insisted passengers phone the airline to get a refund. called several times over a two week period and never managed to get to speak to an agent. The airline says it is clear that customers must call to request cash refunds and insists that they only get a voucher if they fill out a form. The EU correctly suspended cash payments to effected passengers, but clearly stated that refunds must still be offered when the airline cancels, so long as a government did not allow the plane to fly. UK cases keep falling apart from in Scotland and NI, The young sisters standing up to call out catcalling. British Airways customers who have their flights cancelled can now take refunds in the form of Avios points, as well as cash or a voucher. While easyJet customers can claim a refund online, BA customers have to call a helpline and passengers report multiple frustrations trying to get through, with the line frequently cutting off following a recorded message saying to call back at a less busy time. Contact the travel agent or third party you booked with for refund information if you didn't book directly with us. “We were stunned… we looked at each other and said, ‘we haven’t asked for a voucher’. As the year lurched from crisis to crisis on what felt like a rolling basis, I was lucky enough to always get my cash returned to me. However, insurers will not be paying out where the tour operator/airline simply refuses a refund or offers vouchers instead. By claiming a refund, we'll cancel any remaining flights in a booking for all passengers. BA says it was because its system was not set up to deal with that volume of traffic, so passengers who wanted refunds were asked to ring the company instead. BRITISH AIRWAYS is suspending all its flights to and from Gatwick because of the pandemic and thousands of passengers are seeking refunds. The regulations — whether in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union — state clearly that you’re owed your money back if the airline cancels your flight. British Airways is no better. image caption Pam and Bill Storey, who have been left out of pocket. I've only just sat down and realised I've got quite a few €'s locked up in BA Vouchers which I could do with at the moment! While Ryanair says its vouchers can be refunded at any time,  BA and easyJet insist that once issued, their vouchers cannot be exchanged for cash. Instead of giving you your cash back, you receive a voucher from the airline which can then be applied to future travel. I can only assume it's because it doesn't exist. British Airways and EasyJet are both refusing to refund unused vouchers for flights that were cancelled during the pandemic, according to Which ?. … BRITISH Airways and Virgin Atlantic are refusing to refund Tier 4 customers for trips they can no longer take over Christmas. Some passengers who willingly accepted vouchers now can’t use them because flights haven’t restarted and or the route they planned to use has been dropped. British Airways passengers have told the BBC that they have been refused cash refunds for cancelled flights. Many airlines are encouraging people to take vouchers, instead of refunds. The link had taken them to the BA website, where they then clicked on the Refund option. When can I go on holiday in the UK? It called it "the quickest way" to get a refund. Expect long wait times if you are calling anytime soon, as thousands of other passengers cancel and defer their upcoming travel. It is a pathetic piece of obfuscation on their part.". Gordon and Margaret Minto accepted vouchers instead after their flights to the United States were cancelled, the airline says. Read about our approach to external linking. If you feel you were misled into accepting a voucher, or you were issued a voucher you never requested and the airline refuses to reimburse you, the CAA says you should seek redress via the approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for your airline – BA uses CEDR, easyJet uses CDRL. British Airways and EasyJet are going against EU guidance and refusing to refund unused vouchers for flights cancelled during the pandemic, Which? VideoWhat happens if I don't get the Covid vaccine? 15 June 2020 at 9:07AM in Coronavirus Travel Help & Info. How to claim from your airline when a flight is cancelled British Airways has been criticised for giving customers vouchers for cancelled flights rather than cash refunds.The airline was accused of forcing some people to … ... Ryanair offering voucher instead of refund … A Met officer is still being questioned on suspicion of murdering the marketing executive. They’re also starting to lean on governments to allow them to give vouchers instead of refunds, so if you’re owed a refund I’d get your claim in ASAP. What happens if I don't get the Covid vaccine? British Airways customers can get a cash refund by calling its customer service, but due to high demand it may be difficult to get through. When flights are cancelled by an EU airline or by an airline flying from an EU airport, passengers are entitled to a cash refund under EU Regulation 261, which still applies in the UK, but during the pandemic many passengers were given vouchers instead. "We were stunned... we looked at each other and said, 'we haven't asked for a voucher'. British Airways and easyJet are refusing to adhere to EU guidance and refund passengers who were issued vouchers when their flights were cancelled due to the pandemic. The European Commission issued guidance in May recommending that airlines automatically refund any unused vouchers 14 days after they expire. If the flight still operated then there is no right to a refund from the airline, voucher is best you can hope for from them (the options in your post were correct) If the flight is cancelled then you are entitled to a refund and always have been under EU261. The bad news – the vouchers are blank, and don’t specify what they’re worth. "How to get a refund instead of a voucher" See all questions. You can claim a refund for the parts of your journey which you did fly, provided that you can prove that the journey no longer serves any purpose in relation to your original travel plans. If you instead want to avoid paying a cancellation fee you will receive this amount as a Future Travel Voucher. The good news – British Airways customers who “chose” vouchers over cash are now beginning to receive said vouchers. In order to obtain a cash refund customers had to call BA through one of their hotlines which at times didn’t yield any result other than waiting for hours on the line and the call eventually dropping. British Airways directed to withdraw voucher and refund passenger. British Airways and EasyJet ignoring EU guidance on voucher refunds 9 November 2020. What happens if I don't get the Covid vaccine? Read about our approach to external linking. But now it has reversed its decision and re-installed the online option for a refund. If you pay the cancellation fee, you can receive a refund back onto your card. Since the pandemic began, airline refund vouchers have become a thing. The Mintos gave up and emailed BA asking for their money back. ‘I was completely misguided by the instruction in BA’s Manage My Booking, which specifically quoted “Refund” but turned out to be for a voucher, which is completely useless to us,’ said Jackie. the specific form it says Jackie filled out. A Complete Guide to British Airways Refund Policy —Here’s What You Need to Know. Now the vast majority of flights to and from the UK have been cancelled, passengers are entitled to refunds if their flight was with an EU carrier or their flight was within the EU.. You don’t have to accept a voucher or a change of date if you don’t want to. CEDR found that when BA issued the voucher, it was unlikely that Kim had voluntarily consented to accept it. British Airways | Executive Club - Voucher Refund - Hi All, Can anyone advise if it is at all possible to get a refund for the cash value of a FTV? Rebooking. Some passengers willingly accepted vouchers, believing they were helping the airlines, but others claim they weren’t told they were entitled to cash refunds, or were issued with vouchers they didn’t want. VideoAfrican-American women react to Meghan Markle interview, The country that says Covid isn't a problem, Amateur cooks duel it out as John Torode and Gregg Wallace turn up the heat, Find the right movie for everyone on BBC iPlayer, Sarah Everard body find confirmed by police1, Sharon Osbourne sorry for Piers Morgan defence2, Labour's Beckett sorry for 'silly cow' remark3, BBC satirical comedy The Mash Report axed4, Coronavirus infections levelling off in some of UK5, Court challenge over Sarah Everard vigil6, No reason to stop using AstraZeneca jab - WHO7, Top Gear got 'too carried away' with foreign trips8, PM visits Northern Ireland amid unionist tension9, Police and ambulance 'failures' in restraint death10. British Airways website says: ‘We’re currently experiencing extremely high call volumes. So far we have had an extension to the Book with Confidence Policy, one-year extensions to status and a 25% reduction in tier points as well as improved food onboard plus a welcome return of alcohol. British Airways cancels your flight: you are due a full refund, or you can take voucher. I requested a refund of two British Airways award bookings on 17 & 18 March (by using the workaround that’s no longer available) but by last Sunday (5 April) I still hadn’t received any Avios back into my account and I still hadn’t seen the taxes and surcharges refunded to my credit card…so I called British Airways. 'I play digital music through my 1949 radio', Top Gear got 'too carried away' with foreign trips, African-American women react to Meghan Markle interview. Airlines are, however, making it very hard to obtain anything but a voucher, which is in essence passengers giving a company in poor financial health an involuntary interest-free loan. Conclusion. By Rebecca Nicholson PUBLISHED: 00:01, Sat, Mar 21, 2020 Applies to British Airways Holidays bookings based on British Airways or British Airways codeshare flights only, holidays including flights on other airlines may be subject to change fees. has taken aim at major operators including British Airways, ... refund or choose to take a voucher to fly at a later date. "We will always provide a refund if a customer is eligible and we're offering flexibility if any of our customers need to change their flights," British Airways said in a statement. 1. If you’ve cancelled upcoming travel booked through British Airways because of coronavirus and its associated travel restrictions, you may have received a credit voucher for the amount you originally spent, which BA calls a Future Travel Voucher. … The only negative I have is their shopping.BA.com, which is very poor and despite ongoing proven problems, you can’t speak to … You just need to rebook for the same trip on another date within 355 days. BRITISH AIRWAYS is suspending all its flights to and from Gatwick because of the pandemic and thousands of passengers are seeking refunds. BA says the voucher process is clearly worded but has failed to explain why part of its website appeared to offer a refund but took people to a voucher application form instead. Can I cancel my ticket and obtain a refund? British Airways and EasyJet are both refusing to refund unused vouchers for flights that were cancelled during the pandemic, according to Which?. When the BBC contacted British Airways, the airline insisted Mr and Mrs Minto had filled out a voucher request form as there is "no way" in which its system would issue vouchers without one. British Airways was among a number of airlines to remove the refund option from its website in March, persuading passengers they needed to apply for vouchers instead. Consumer group Which? British Airways offering vouchers instead of cash refunds. This comes directly from the Denied Boarding EU Regulation (Regulation 261/2004 EC).. iPlayer. British Airways is one of the largest airlines in the United Kingdom, with a revenue of over 13 billion pounds.. Airlines are still free to offer them the chance to rebook or to take vouchers, which can be used on different flights in future, if that is what a customer prefers. EasyJet plans to operate less than 40% of its full schedule this winter, but it will only refund vouchers – which are valid for a year – for cancelled flights from Southend, Newcastle and Stansted after deciding to close these bases. Passengers can now opt to build their Avios balance, rather than receiving a cash refund. You can only use this form to claim a refund for bookings made directly with us, for which we've sent confirmation of cancellation. British Airways planes have been grounded amid the coronavirus outbreak (Image: PA) Now customers who have secured a refund have offered their top tips on how to do it. British Airways was among a number of airlines to remove the refund option from its website in March, persuading passengers they needed to apply for vouchers instead. However, even though the Department of Transportation has been clear in its position, several people … BBC presenter Andrew Neil has taken to Twitter to slam British Airways after they offered him vouchers instead of a refund. BA has extended the validity of its vouchers so they can be used any time up to April 2022. Yet other British Airways customers who were after cash refunds for cancelled flights are also claiming vouchers were automatically issued to them. “We were stunned… we looked at each other and said, ‘We didn’t ask for a voucher.’ BA said it will "always provide a refund if a customer is eligible". 6. The EU correctly suspended cash payments to effected passengers, but clearly stated that refunds must still be offered when the airline cancels, so long as a government did not allow the plane to fly. However, British Airways now says that if you are due to travel between now and 31 July 2020 and choose to cancel, you will be able to claim a voucher instead. Ryanair this week was accused of sending travel vouchers to passengers, even though they had filled out the appropriate refund forms. British Airways has introduced another option for passengers whose travel plans have been disrupted because of the coronavirus. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. "That is something the courts and the legislation have taken some trouble to treat with a degree of caution because of the inequality of the position between the consumer and the business," he says. At one stage the BA website displayed two buttons, one labelled "change booking" and the other labelled "cancel booking" with a message underneath which said: "There's no extra cost for any changes and we offer a refund if you cancel your booking".

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