British airways refund

Browntoa

Almost all travel companies and airlines are now issuing vouchers to avoid bankrupting themselves.

The law says cash within 14 days but this is being ignored and claims to credit card companies under section 75 are being refused. 

Very little you can do

These are unusual time's

ennyoueffsea

I was due to fly today from Newcastle to Nice via Heathrow through British Airways.

The Newcastle to Heathrow was cancelled and the Heathrow to Nice was still due to fly today.

Have been trying to ring British Airways )0800 727800) now for several days and can't even get into a queue to chase a refund, just getting cut off with whichever option is chosen. (If I could get into a queue, I'd happily wait however long it takes).

Anyone else having similar issues, or has anyone got a number they succeeded on please?

Many thanks,

Terry

jimexbox

Browntoa said:

Almost all travel companies and airlines are now issuing vouchers to avoid bankrupting themselves.

The law says cash within 14 days but this is being ignored and claims to credit card companies under section 75 are being refused. 

Very little you can do

These are unusual time's

Would you care to provide any evidence to back these claims up?

I had no issue getting a cash refund from BA as I'm legally entitled too. As much as airlines would like to ignore the law, I'm afraid they are not above it and must abide by it.

As to section 75 credit cards claim under UK law of joint liability being refused, when the criteria for a claim is met. I can only say, what? Have you just made this up? 

To the op, if BA fob you off. Contact your cc provider as they are jointly liable for a cash refund, no matter how unusual these times are, they cannot absolve themselves of their legal obligation. If you get the run around, unlikely, make a complaint to the financial ombudsman service. All else fails take BA to the small claims court. Do not sit back and accept a voucher if you never asked for one. 

Aylesbury_Duck

jimexbox said:

Browntoa said:

Almost all travel companies and airlines are now issuing vouchers to avoid bankrupting themselves.

The law says cash within 14 days but this is being ignored and claims to credit card companies under section 75 are being refused. 

Very little you can do

These are unusual time's

Would you care to provide any evidence to back these claims up?

I had no issue getting a cash refund from BA as I'm legally entitled too. As much as airlines would like to ignore the law, I'm afraid they are not above it and must abide by it.

As to section 75 credit cards claim under UK law of joint liability being refused, when the criteria for a claim is met. I can only say, what? Have you just made this up? 

To the op, if BA fob you off. Contact your cc provider as they are jointly liable for a cash refund, no matter how unusual these times are, they cannot absolve themselves of their legal obligation. If you get the run around, unlikely, make a complaint to the financial ombudsman service. All else fails take BA to the small claims court. Do not sit back and accept a voucher if you never asked for one. 

Have you read any of the threads on here?  There are literally hundreds of cases to back this up.  Cash refunds are being refused all over the place, and section 75 claims are being rebuffed. 

It might not be contractually lawful, but it's happening.  It's all very well being stubborn and telling people what they're entitled to. In practice, many can't get what they're entitled to any time soon.  The choice seems to be a voucher or credit now, or a proper refund but at some indeterminate point in the future.  Your suggestions of court action and getting the ombudsman involved are practical, and what many of us on here have been suggesting, but both will be long-term actions and many people on here need their money back sooner. 

jimexbox

Aylesbury_Duck said:

jimexbox said:

Browntoa said:

Almost all travel companies and airlines are now issuing vouchers to avoid bankrupting themselves.

The law says cash within 14 days but this is being ignored and claims to credit card companies under section 75 are being refused. 

Very little you can do

These are unusual time's

Would you care to provide any evidence to back these claims up?

I had no issue getting a cash refund from BA as I'm legally entitled too. As much as airlines would like to ignore the law, I'm afraid they are not above it and must abide by it.

As to section 75 credit cards claim under UK law of joint liability being refused, when the criteria for a claim is met. I can only say, what? Have you just made this up? 

To the op, if BA fob you off. Contact your cc provider as they are jointly liable for a cash refund, no matter how unusual these times are, they cannot absolve themselves of their legal obligation. If you get the run around, unlikely, make a complaint to the financial ombudsman service. All else fails take BA to the small claims court. Do not sit back and accept a voucher if you never asked for one. 

Have you read any of the threads on here?  There are literally hundreds of cases to back this up.  Cash refunds are being refused all over the place, and section 75 claims are being rebuffed. 

It might not be contractually lawful, but it's happening.  It's all very well being stubborn and telling people what they're entitled to. In practice, many can't get what they're entitled to any time soon.  The choice seems to be a voucher or credit now, or a proper refund but at some indeterminate point in the future.  Your suggestions of court action and getting the ombudsman involved are practical, and what many of us on here have been suggesting, but both will be long-term actions and many people on here need their money back sooner. 

The only problem with basing assumptions on a complaint's forum, is that by definition most posters are posting because they have had issues obtaining a refund. Now that's not to say it isn't happening, I'm positive it is. Only for every person with a genuine grievance posting here there could hundreds who have no problem getting a refund. I completely agree that airlines have deliberately made obtaining a cash refund as difficult as possible and that foreign based airlines who are still subject to UK law maybe even more difficult that say BA, EasyJet or Ryanair.

As to section 75 claims. Do NOT ring up your cc provider, as I'm sure they are reading off a script designed to put you off. Before you make a claim, print out every piece of documented evidence. Booking from the airline, emails and cancellations. I even took a screenshot of my BA refund notice on my bookings page. Keep copies and send these recorded delivery to the section 75 department with a detailed letter explaining what happened, time frame, correspondence and stating their legal obligation as they are jointly liable. You will receive a written reply, hopefully agreeing to refund you, or asking for more information, possibly a straight rebuff. If you get a rebuff, reply and indicate you will seek redress through the Ombudsman, who is there to help you. It may work, it may not. You then will have to file a complaint using all the information you have already amassed.

Or alternately as I mentioned file a claim in the smalls claims court, the law is VERY clear. BA or any other airline is in clear breach of their legal obligation. I'm sure they won't even bother turning up. My message is there are things folk can do if they are wronged, it may take time and effort, but when thousands of pounds are at stake, its worth it.    

soolin

There are template letters here and an article about reclaims via section 75 or a chargeback that might be helpful.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/visa-mastercard-chargeback/

Aylesbury_Duck

jimexbox said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

jimexbox said:

Browntoa said:

Almost all travel companies and airlines are now issuing vouchers to avoid bankrupting themselves.

The law says cash within 14 days but this is being ignored and claims to credit card companies under section 75 are being refused. 

Very little you can do

These are unusual time's

Would you care to provide any evidence to back these claims up?

I had no issue getting a cash refund from BA as I'm legally entitled too. As much as airlines would like to ignore the law, I'm afraid they are not above it and must abide by it.

As to section 75 credit cards claim under UK law of joint liability being refused, when the criteria for a claim is met. I can only say, what? Have you just made this up? 

To the op, if BA fob you off. Contact your cc provider as they are jointly liable for a cash refund, no matter how unusual these times are, they cannot absolve themselves of their legal obligation. If you get the run around, unlikely, make a complaint to the financial ombudsman service. All else fails take BA to the small claims court. Do not sit back and accept a voucher if you never asked for one. 

Have you read any of the threads on here?  There are literally hundreds of cases to back this up.  Cash refunds are being refused all over the place, and section 75 claims are being rebuffed. 

It might not be contractually lawful, but it's happening.  It's all very well being stubborn and telling people what they're entitled to. In practice, many can't get what they're entitled to any time soon.  The choice seems to be a voucher or credit now, or a proper refund but at some indeterminate point in the future.  Your suggestions of court action and getting the ombudsman involved are practical, and what many of us on here have been suggesting, but both will be long-term actions and many people on here need their money back sooner. 

The only problem with basing assumptions on a complaint's forum, is that by definition most posters are posting because they have had issues obtaining a refund. Now that's not to say it isn't happening, I'm positive it is. Only for every person with a genuine grievance posting here there could hundreds who have no problem getting a refund. I completely agree that airlines have deliberately made obtaining a cash refund as difficult as possible and that foreign based airlines who are still subject to UK law maybe even more difficult that say BA, EasyJet or Ryanair.

As to section 75 claims. Do NOT ring up your cc provider, as I'm sure they are reading off a script designed to put you off. Before you make a claim, print out every piece of documented evidence. Booking from the airline, emails and cancellations. I even took a screenshot of my BA refund notice on my bookings page. Keep copies and send these recorded delivery to the section 75 department with a detailed letter explaining what happened, time frame, correspondence and stating their legal obligation as they are jointly liable. You will receive a written reply, hopefully agreeing to refund you, or asking for more information, possibly a straight rebuff. If you get a rebuff, reply and indicate you will seek redress through the Ombudsman, who is there to help you. It may work, it may not. You then will have to file a complaint using all the information you have already amassed.

Or alternately as I mentioned file a claim in the smalls claims court, the law is VERY clear. BA or any other airline is in clear breach of their legal obligation. I'm sure they won't even bother turning up. My message is there are things folk can do if they are wronged, it may take time and effort, but when thousands of pounds are at stake, its worth it.    

That's good advice and I hope you are right that the complaints on here are the tip of the iceberg, but I'm not convinced everyone will succeed as you have.  I hope they do, but it's going to take many of them a long time, perhaps many months, to get their money back.

onashoestring

ennyoueffsea said:

I was due to fly today from Newcastle to Nice via Heathrow through British Airways.

The Newcastle to Heathrow was cancelled and the Heathrow to Nice was still due to fly today.

Have been trying to ring British Airways )0800 727800) now for several days and can't even get into a queue to chase a refund, just getting cut off with whichever option is chosen. (If I could get into a queue, I'd happily wait however long it takes).

Anyone else having similar issues, or has anyone got a number they succeeded on please?

Many thanks,

Terry

The most effective way to contact BA to get a refund seems to be DM on twitter. There is a thread on this called “ British Airways, managed to get a refund” the first post tells you exactly how to do it & several forumites are reporting success with this method.

mr_stripey

onashoestring said:

The most effective way to contact BA to get a refund seems to be DM on twitter. There is a thread on this called “ British Airways, managed to get a refund” the first post tells you exactly how to do it & several forumites are reporting success with this method.

I tried the Twitter method and none of my messages was answered or even acknowledged. However after several attempts I did get through to someone at BA and they processed the refund straight away. 

ennyoueffsea

onashoestring said:

ennyoueffsea said:

I was due to fly today from Newcastle to Nice via Heathrow through British Airways.

The Newcastle to Heathrow was cancelled and the Heathrow to Nice was still due to fly today.

Have been trying to ring British Airways )0800 727800) now for several days and can't even get into a queue to chase a refund, just getting cut off with whichever option is chosen. (If I could get into a queue, I'd happily wait however long it takes).

Anyone else having similar issues, or has anyone got a number they succeeded on please?

Many thanks,

Terry

The most effective way to contact BA to get a refund seems to be DM on twitter. There is a thread on this called “ British Airways, managed to get a refund” the first post tells you exactly how to do it & several forumites are reporting success with this method.

Thanks for that. Will give it a go. 

Really appreciated

Terry