Liability & refund

gurrlamitybri2020

We were due to fly to the USA with British Airways on March 30th 2020, for a "One-Off" event incorporating a couple of internal return flights (which I booked with United Airlines), but the Government of the USA stopped all flights from the UK several days before our departure.  I explained this to a United Airlines customer service  Supervisor who said, because of the unusual circumstances, we Would get a refund. Since this telephone conversation on April 17th, other members of United Airlines staff have said we Won't get a refund, which to my mind is breaking a promise & a commitment on behalf of the airline for whom she works. I don't  think it's right that the U.S. government and or one of their airlines should be able put us in this awful position. Is Anyone else in a similar plight? I have written to the American Department of Transport regarding the matter & they are pursuing it with the airline. Have we any recourse to justice either in the U.K. or the in the U.S.A. with this unusual & possibly unique case . ?

Westin

gurrlamitybri2020 said:

We were due to fly to the USA with British Airways on March 30th 2020, for a "One-Off" event incorporating a couple of internal return flights (which I booked with United Airlines), but the Government of the USA stopped all flights from the UK several days before our departure.  I explained this to a United Airlines customer service  Supervisor who said, because of the unusual circumstances, we Would get a refund. Since this telephone conversation on April 17th, other members of United Airlines staff have said we Won't get a refund, which to my mind is breaking a promise & a commitment on behalf of the airline for whom she works. I don't  think it's right that the U.S. government and or one of their airlines should be able put us in this awful position. Is Anyone else in a similar plight? I have written to the American Department of Transport regarding the matter & they are pursuing it with the airline. Have we any recourse to justice either in the U.K. or the in the U.S.A. with this unusual & possibly unique case . ?

Have you noticed any of the other threads relating to disrupted travel plans following the outbreak and worldwide pandemic of Covid-19?. 

1.  The airline will care not a jot about you travelling only for a "One-Off" event.
2.  I take it you have sorted out the BA transatlantic flights and your issue remains just with the separately purchased UA domestic flights?
3. UA would have been aware of the travel restrictions imposed by the US authorities from certain countries but would not know if these would apply specifically to you. As far as UA are concerned you booked flights for domestic travel with then in the USA and they would not be concerned how you would get the the airport for your first flight segment with them.
4. If the initial UA flight operated you are on weak ground.  If the flight was cancelled you may have a claim.  In March and April many US domestic flights were however operating - albeit with light loads. 
5. UA and other US airlines initially offered only credit vouchers for cancelled flights but I believe now are offering refunds.
6. Don't get your hopes up on your letter to the "American Department of Transport". Sounds like they might just be being polite or rather you received an auto generated response to your email.

If you where unable to travel because of the US entry restrictions, or the UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Offices travel advisories at the time on non-essential travel, therefore not being able to use the separately booked UA flights then this in my mind should be a travel insurance claim.   I would read through your insurance policy to see if the policy you purchased covered such eventualities.

As for recourse to justice from the US or UK Governments....that might be an expensive and time consuming activity. Good luck.